A SIA lies Eaft of Europe, is about 4800 Miles long, and 4300 broad, bounded on the North by the Frozen Ocean, by the Pacific on the Eaft, by the Red Sea on the Weft, and the Indian Ocean on the South. This, though the Second, is yet the principal Quarter of the Globe; for here our firft Parents were created, and placed in the Garden of Eden; here once stood the famous Tower of Babel*. In this Country our Saviour was born, and compleated our Redemption. This was, in fhort, the Theatre of almoft every Action recorded in the facred Scriptures. It is divided into many principal Regions, whofe Names, Extent, chief Cities, &c. are as under. The Turks, Perfians, Moguls, and Chinese, are of good Shape and Complexion: The Men wear Turbants, Vests, and Slippers; the Women drefs much like the Men, only they wear a stiffened Cap like a Mitre, and their Hair down. The Mogul Ladies are fond of Bracelets on their Arms and Legs; Rings on their Fingers and Toes, Jewels in their Nofes, and Pendants in their Ears and the Chinese Ladies are remarkable for their little Feet; and the Gentlemen for long Nails. In Siam, Pegu, &c. the Inhabitants are Tawney, and Features coarfe. The Men wear a Piece of Cloth wrapped round their Waift, and pull their Beards (as the Chinese and Tartars do) up by the Root. The Women have, befides the Piece about their Waift, another thrown round their Breafts and Shoulders, leaving the rest of the Body bare. The Common People near the Sea go almoft naked. In this Quarter ftood the Temple of Diana, at Ephefus in Natolia, burnt the Night Alexander the Great was born. Near to that ftood the famous City Troy, totally deftroyed by the Greeks, 1200 Years before Chrift. Here alfo ftood the feven Churches mentioned by St. John in the Revelations. Alfo Tyre and Sydon, on the Coaft of the Holy Land, once vaft Cities of Trade, but now the Habitation of a few Fishermen.-Likewife Sodom and Gomorrah, large Cities deftroyed by Fire from Heaven for their Wickednefs.-Alfo Nineveh and Babylon, great Cities in Mefapotamia, near Bagdad, now the Habitation of only Owls, Tygers, Serpents, and Bats. In the Holy Land stood the famous City and Temple of Jerufalem, destroyed by Vefpafian about 70 Years after Chrift. The The TRADE of these Parts in Tartary is in Sables, Martins, Furs, Iron, &c.—In the other Parts, Silk, Garofe, Soofees, Carpets. Tapestry, Mohair, Mufk, Cinnamon, Aloes, Rhubarb, Ginfeng, Myrrh, Camphire, Coffee, Incenfe, Manna, Spices, Nutmegs, Tea, Drugs, Gold Duft, Quickfilver, Diamonds, and fine China, Laquered and Japan Ware. In this Quarter are alfo Camels, Dromedaries, Buffaloes, Elephants, Lions, Tygers, Serpents, Locufts, Scorpions, Ora-Ootans and Champanzeys, which are Animals almost as big as a Man, and greatly resemble the Human Shape. The ISLANDS in Afia are thofe of Japon, as Japon itself, Tonfa and Bongo,-alfo Formofa,-the Bafhee Ifles, very fmall,-Aynan and Macco.The Ladrone Ifles, the chief Guam and Tinian.—The Phillippine Ifles 11,000 in Number, chiefly fmall ones; the principal are Luconia, Mindanao, and Tendayes.-The Moluccas or Clove Islands, the chief Gilolo, Ceram, Macaffar, Amboyna, and Banda, where the Nutmegs grow.-The Sunda Ifles, Borneo, Java, and Sumatra, &c.-The Andaman and Nicobar Ifles, all fmall.-The Maldives, many Thousands very small, in the Indian Sea, and Ceylon, or fine Cinnamon Ifle, near the Coaft of Coromandel. Most of these Islands lying near or under the Line, afford great Quantities of Sugar and Spice, which the Dutch trade with to all Parts of the World. The Inhabitants, who are of a Tawney or Olive Colour, and go almoft naked, ufe Bows and poifoned Arrows, are fuperftitious and grofs Idolaters; and in fome Places (it is faid) offer their Children in Sacrifices to their Idol Gods. The principal RIVERS in this Quarter are the Tigris and Euphrates, between Arabia and Perfia.-Tobol and Oby in Tartary.-Indus in the Mogul's Empire.-Ganges in India,—the Hoambo or Yellow River in the North; and the River Tay, that runs by Canton, in the South of China. The chief MOUNTAINS here are Ararat, near the Cafpian Sea, on which the Ark refted after the Flood.-Horeb and Sinai in Arabia.-Lebanon in the Holy Land.-Mount Taurus running from Eaft to Weft of all Afia. -Imaus in Tartary.-Caucaffus between Tartary and the Great Mogul's Empire,—and the Naugracut Mountains in Tibet. In this Quarter one great CURIOSITY is, the vast Brick Wall in China, 1500 Miles long, 30 Feet high, and broad enough for 8 Perfons to ride abreaft, fortified with a fquare Tower, at the Distance of every Mile: It was built about 1800 Years ago to keep out the roving Tartars, and it is at this Time very little decayed.-Another Curiofity is the wonderful Tallow Tree, which bears a Fruit, whofe Kernel has all the Properties of Tallow, and of that the Chinese are said to make their Candles. AFRICA Lower Guinca. Up.Ethiopia. A FRICA is the third Quarter, fituated to the South of Europe, and furrounded on all Sides by the Sea, except a narrow Neck of Land about 60 Miles over (called the Ifthmus of Suez) which joins it to Afia, at the Top of the Red Sea. This Country is about 4 300 Miles long, and Miles long, and 4200 broad, and lies chiefly in the Torrid Zone; the Equator running through the Middle of it. Here once dwelt the Queen of Sheba, who, on paying a Vifit to the Magnificent King Solomon, ftood amazed at the Wisdom and Glories of his Court. Here we find a Race of People quite BLACK, having flat Nofes, thick Lips, and Hair like Wool*. This Quarter is generally divided as under. 1800 360 Benin 2700 S. o 20 bef. Pagans * Some Writers have fuppofed thefe People to be the Defcendants of Cain; who for his Cruelty to his Brother, has that Mark fet upon him.-Others have esteemed them to be a different Species of Beings, and therefore ranked them a Link Lower than us in the Chain of Existence-whilst many have attributed that dusky Hue to the Nature of their Diet, and intense Heat of the Country. F Along |