Modern and Authentic System of Universal Geography ... being a complete and universal history and description of the whole world ... To illustrate the work are introduced ... maps, charts ... and ... numerous engravings, etc

Front matter

MODERN AND AUTHENTIC SYSTEM OF UNIVERSAL GEOGRAPHY, Containing an Accurate and Entertaining Description of EUROPE, ASIA, AFRICA, AND AMERICA; As consisting of CONTINENTS, ISLANDS, PROVINCES, PROMONTORIES, CAPES, BAYS, PENINSULAS, ISTHMUSES, GULPHS, LAKES, RIVERS, HARBOURS, FORTS, MOUNTAINS, VOLCANOS,&c. COUNTRIES, CITIES, TOWNS, Being a Complete and Universal History and Description of the WHOLE WORLD, As Divided into EMPIRES, KINGDOMS, STATES, REPUBLICS, &c. Together with their respective Situations, Latitudes, Longitudes, Extent, Boundaries, Climates, Soils, Minerals, Vegetable Pro ductions, Beasts, Birds, Fishes, amphibious Animals, Reptiles, Insects, &c. with many natural and artificial Curiosities: Likewise a particular DESCRIPTION OF THE INHABITANTS, With an Account of their Military and Civil Government, Revenues, Laws, Trade, Commerce, Arts, Sciences, Manufactures, Religion, Customs, Manners, Genius, Habits, Ceremonies, Amusements, &c. With Details of the most remarkable Battles, Sieges, Sea- Fights, and Revolutions, that have taken place in different Parts of the WorM: Including interesting Narratives from all the Navigators that have made NEW DISCOVERIES, As well as those of a more remote Period, particularly Forest, Clerke, King, Maurelle, Columbus, Magellan, Bhering, Mandana, I Fernandez, Forbisher, Drake, Cavendish, Hudson, Quiros, Le Maire, Schouten, Tasman, Cowley, Dampier, Rogers, Clipperton, Roggewein, Anson, I Byron, Wallis, Carteret, Cook, Furneaux, Wilson, Perouse, Portlocke, Bligh, Edwards, Vancouver, Missionaries, D' Entrecasteaa i Likewise copious Accounts from the most celebrated TRAVELLERS, as I Hanway, Wood, I Bruce, | Wraxhall, Moore, I Coxe, Render, Forster, Brissot, Macartney, Browne, Pallas, II MungoParke, Hearne, II Mackenzie, Weld, Barrow, Sonnini, Collins, Denon, Rochefoucautr Thunberg, Sparman, j^ddison, Shaw, Le Comte, Pocock, FORMING A COMPLETE COLLECTION OF VOYAGES and TRAVELS, AND COMPRISING AN AUTHENTIC AND ENTERTAINING ACCOUNT OF EVERY THING WORTHY OF NOTICE THROUGHOU THE VVHOLE FACE OF NATURE.

BY GEORGE ALEXANDER COOKE, ESQ. To illustrate the Work are introduced a considerable Number of New and Accurate Maps, Charts, fye. comprising * COMPLETE ATLAS; And to render it more interesting, are given NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS, Executed in a superior Style of Elegance, forming a complete Series ol superb Cmbelltsfjments, Consisting ofViews, Antiquities, Edifices, Portraits, Habitations, Canoes, Implements, Customs, Ceremonies, Amusements, <5rc. VOLUME I. LONDON: printed for C. COOKE, 17, paternoster row, et macdonald and son, 46, clotu fair, west smithfield; AUD SOLD BV ALI. THE BOOKSEiLERS IN THE UNITED KIMSD0M.

Preface

/"JJ.EOGRAPHY is a science, not only comprehending an uni- " versal knowledge of the terraqueous globe, or the earth and seas in a general sense, but also including a particular knowledge cf its several regions or countries, their boundaries, figures, mountains, mines, plants, and animals; likewise their climates', and distances from the equator; and, lastly, their inhabitants, arts, food, commodities, manners, customs, religion, policy, &c. Next to the knowledge of ourselves, the knowledge ofthe world is essen tially necessary, which can only be acquired by the pleasing study of Geography. In the present day it becomes more particularly interesting; not only from the very important events that have recently occurred, but from the several voyages of discoveries that have been lately undertaken, the narratives of which form an in teresting part of modern history; and all Europe, by the favourable reception they have universally met with, bears testimony to their great importance and utility.

This interesting science carries with it its own recommendation, being at once instructive aud enter taining, by conveying the most useful information in the most de lightful manner, and giving to details of the utmost importance all the captivating graces ofa refined amusement. It may be considered as a compliment to the present age, that Geography is now deemed the most polite study by persons of both sexes, and is consequently the most universally pursued. The general propensity to this science is not to be wondered at, when we reflect that there is not a human being but is more or less interested in it, and that its variety furnishes something to instruct or entertain persons of.all dispositions and descriptions in life. obtain necessary information respecting cities, towns, fortifications, sea-coasts, &c. The Merchant and Trader become acquainted with the produce of the several parts of the globe, and are enabled to trace the progress and the improvements in the different manu factures, and to a'lopt measures lor the advancement of commerce: and every nation that has a ship at sea must partake ofthe benefit, particularly Great Britain, whose commerce ts extended to the remotest, regions.

The Historian derives infjrmation respecting the situation and boundaries of the kingdoms and states whose annals he is tracing. The Politician, from a knowledge of the forms of government, the true interest of states and kingdoms, and the temper of the inhabitants of different countries, can better account for the revolutions which have happened therein, and from their effects trace their causes. The Philosopher, from a display of objects which tend to enlarge the circle of science; and the Natu ralist, from a description of the animal, vegetable, aud mineral pro ductions of various climates, improve their respective systems. The Antiquarian regales upon the ruins and remains ofthe splendour of former ages : the attention of the Moralist is engaged by a display of the different appearances of human nature : and those who read for amusement are as amply gratified by the interesting a~nd enter taining descriptions given of the situation, manners, customs, dresses, ceremonies, &c. of the several nations of the universe.

Here you may range at large, from pole to pole; Trace Nature's vast expanse, survey the whole; O'er lands remote an easy passage find; Extend your knowledge, and delight your mind ; Travel through regions wide, of space immense ; Secure from hazard, at a small expence. No storms to combat, travellers' charge to pay; No horse to hire, no guide to point the way, No Alps to climb, no dreary desarts pass, No ambuscade, no thieves to give you chase, No bear to dread, no rav'nous wolf to fright, No flies to sting, no rattle-snakes to bite, No floods to ford, no hurricanes to fear, No savage war-hoop to alarm the ear, No scorching suns, no chilling blasts that fly, No thirst and hunger, and relief not nigh: These perils, all, and horrors, you may shun ; Rest when you please, and when you please, go on.

The spirit of discovery which has lately animated the nations of Europe, has produced effects highly beneficial to every country, in the important points of navigation and commerce. Authentic details of modern navigators tend not only to discourage unprofit able researches in future, but to lessen the dangers and distresses in those seas which are within the limits of commerce, as well as to rectify the mistakes of former navigators, in fixing the situations of important places. The successive acquisitions which have re sulted from these narratives, have rendered a New System of Geo graphy highly necessary, as they lay open to the view an extensive display ofthe world. Our ideas are extended in proportion to the number of countries with which we become acquainted. We are naturally attracted by whatever is new and extraordinary; we transport ourselves in thought to Sistant regions; we identify our selves, as it were, with the navigator; we share in his dangers, his pains, and his pleasures ; and become his inseparable companions, by the diversity of the objects which fix our attention and gratify our curiosity.

It affords an inexhaustible fund of improvement, to observe the influence of different climates upon the passions of mankind; to consider the revolutions of persons and things; to mark the political and commercial interests of various states; and, by the rise and fall of empires, to estimate the prudence or folly of legislators at different periods; as well as constitutes a pleasing banquet to speculative inquirers, to contemplate on the uncultivated mind in various regions, where the absurdest prejudices usurp the place of reason; and cruelty, vice, and folly, are sancti fied by the venerable name of religion. By placing the situation of their own country in a contrasted point of view, they will see how much they are indebted to civilization, to the embellishment of science, to the purity of rational religion, to Providence for many peculiar blessings, and to their brave ancestors for that system of civil and religious liberty by them transmitted to poste rity.

Imagination feeds, and fancy grows rich, upon the delineation of universal nature; and on examining and contrasting the manners of savage and civilized nations, the reader insensibly benefits by the bright side of the comparison. All classes of men derive entertainment from a System of Geo graphy ; and most of them, benefit. Naval and Military Officers Modern navigators, besides perfecting preceding discoveries, have enriched geographical knowledge with a large addition of their own. The Pacific Ocean, traversed by them, is found to abound with a profusion of habitable spots. Islands, scattered through the amazing space of nearly fourscore degrees of latitude, separated at various distances, or grouped in numerous classes, have at their approach started into existence. The voyages of different navigators, while extending human knowledge, deserve the admiration of the whole world.

All Europe, accordingly, set the highest value upon Captain Cook's talents, and upon the firm temper of his mind. Since his time, successive discoveries, in dif ferent parts of the globe, have acquired such a certainty and con sistency, that they may now be admitted and arranged in a regular and precise distribution of the parts of the habitable world, while recent discoveries now complete the exact delineation of the con tinental shores. The present period will be memorable in all ages, from the great progress of every science, as well as the surprising changes which have taken place in most countries of Europe, and which, of themselves, render a new description indispensable; whole kingdoms have been annihilated, large provinces transferredr and great alterations have taken place in many states and bounda ries.

In so vast a field, there will be room to acquire fresh know ledge for centuries to come, coasts to survey, countries to explore, inhabitants to describe, and, perhaps, to render more happy.

PREFACE.

. It may be said, that the considerable number of new discoveries which have been made during the course of twenty years past, by various enterprising navigators, have opened to us a "new World ; nor are those made within the last ten years less important; we have therefore paid particular attention to the narrative of the .following Navigators as well as Travelers. PEROUSE's Voyage round the World, affords details highly interesting. The narrative furnishes more ample accounts of some parts of Asia, North and South America, than are given in any preceding publication, and contains discoveries of places, and characteristics of inhabitants, some of which were previously unknown, and others partially described. M. de la Perouse also made several discoveries, and produced information in addition to that communicated by bis renowned predecessor, Captain Cook; which, together with many nautical observations, and instructions to subsequent navigators, form an interesting and entertaining part of the Work.

"This voyage was undertaken by order ot the French government, for the express purpose of verifying and completing the discoveries of our celebrated circumnavigator, Captain Cook. D'ENTRECASTEAUX, the French Admiral's Voyage, undertaken in quest of the lost and unfortunate Perouse, though it failed in the accomplishment of its principal object, contains interesting details of islands in the South Seas ; arid as the navigators in that expedition stopped a considerable time iu some of them, they had an opportunity ot' furnishing more ample and accurate descriptions ot' the same, than could be given by Captain Cool;, or Mons. de la I'erouse. Tiiese accounts are as recent as interesting, having been but lately publibhed in France, and not translated into English till tbe year ItiOO. The English MISSIONARIES* Account of the South Sea Islands so late as the year 1H04: from their having resided in them so long, they have been enabled to acquire a perfect knowledge of their inhabitants. 1 aij Ilr. in the years 1797 and 1798, contains many interesting particulars respecting tbe country of CaflFiaria, and the singular customs and manners of the Hottentots, which came under observation during an excursion throughout those parts.

BROWNE'S Travels in Egypt and Lybia, finished in 1798, point out the state of those places at that late period, and mahy particulars relative to those parts never before described. WFXD'S Travels throughout the United States of America, and the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, finished in 1797, toge tlier with those of LIANCOURT, a French nobleman, finished in the same year, exhibit details ofthe present state of those countries, and descrip tions of tho Iroquais, and other savage nations, in the interior parts. HEARNE and MACKENZIE'S Travels into the Northern Interior of America, which they penetrated farther than any preceding European traveller, afford interesting accounts of the savage tribes of the Iroquois, Esquimaux, Mohawk, Copper, Dog-ribbed, &c. Indians, never before so fully described.

PtENDER's Tour through Germany, particularly along the Banks of the Rhine and Mayne, usually termed the Garden of Germany, abounds with interesting and entertaining matter. DENON's Travels in Upper and Lower Es;ypt, during the campaigns of Buonaparte, which were published under his immediate patronage, contain much novel information. COLLIN's Account of New Holland, affords particular details of Botany Bay, and the New Colony at Port Jackson, from its commencement to the year 1801, interspersed with remarks on the customs and manners, t\ic. of the savaje natives, who, from their ferocious nature, have not yet been civilized. These numerous resources will enable us to add to the novelty ofthe Work, and ccigcur with other instances to justify its claim to pre-eminence over every other similar publication.

In short, we have collected all the recent publications, as well as those of anterior date, that could enrich a System of Geography ; and in our review of the various descriptions of the same countries, we have endeavoured to detect fallacy, rectify error, ascertain truth, and establish the authenticity of whatever is adopted for insertion. In effecting this, we have selected all the valuable parts, as a florist would the choicest productions of a garden ; for he who would fill his hive must gather honey from every flower; and poor is that weed which yields not a particle of fragrance. From the various resources of novelty, to which not any preceding Editors of a System of Geography have had recurrence, we have been enabled to introduce information equally novel and im portant : and we have sedulously exerted ourselves in retaining whatever appeared interesting or entertaining.- This Work, though comprised in only two volumes quarto, forms a compendium of all that is worthy of notice in the various books of Geography, Voyages, and Travels; and, finally, by arranging the whole, and connecting the several parts, we have "formed'a com plete repository of Geographical knowledge, in which all the particulars are contained, and each inserted in its proper place, so as to exhibit a faithful picture of the World, as it NOW IS.

As a necessary illustration of tho Work, Engravings are intro duced, in order to convey, by aid ofthe pencil, more forcibly than can bedone by verbal description, adequate ideas of the persons dresses, habitations, antiquities, as well as the animal and vegetable productions, peculiar to the respective parts ofthe globe. Improvements in geographical knowledge have been so great and various, that those maps which a few years past were deservedly esteemed, are now found to be very deficient and erroneous. New Maps have therefore been engraved, describing, particularly, those countries that have been lately explored, correcting the errors of preceding Maps, and improving them from more recent authorities as well as including discoveries made since their first publications • and it is presumed, that by the unremitting attention that has been paid to every source of geographical information, this Work will meet with general approbation.

DON MAURELLE's Narrative of an Expedition fitted out by the King of Spain, contains discoveries in the South Seas, also on the West Coast of North America, which add to our resources for information both pleasing and novel. VANCOUVER'S Voyage of Discovery, during the years 1791 to 1795, by command of his Majesty, in the Discovery sloop of war, and armed tender Chatham, principally with a view to ascertain the -existence of any navigable communication between the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans, includes, in the narrative, accounts of interesting discoveries, as well as more ample descriptions of places visited by preceding navigators. Earl MACARTNEY'S Embassy from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China, contains more ample, authentic, and entertaining descriptions of the country, customs, manners, and ceremonies ofthe Chinese, than any preceding accounts, as the embassy had not only admission into Pekin, the capital, but introduction to the Emperor, with all the solemnities attached to the importance of their mission.

SONNINl's Travels in Upper and Lower Egypt, that ancient Cradle of ihe sciences, where the wonders of art and those of nature vie for admiration, and have been the object of the philosophical excursions of the ancients, as wjell as the moderns, have afforded us great source of information. These Travels are rendered more interesting by having subjoined the Report in 1801 of the Commission of Arts to the First Consul Buonaparte, on the Antiquities of Upper Egipt, and the present state of all the Temples, Palaces, Obelisks, Statues, Tombs, Pyramids, 4'C By Mou.s. Ripaud, Librarian to the Institutes of Egypt. FORSTER's Travels in India, &c. are replete with entertaining accounts of Hindostan, and the antiquities, curiosities, manufactures, customs, &c. peculiar to those Asiatic regions. MUNGO PARKE's Travels into the Interior of Africa have been particularly attended to, as the public curiosity has been very much excited by the interesting details this work contains. BARROW's Travels into the.Interior Parts of Southern Africa, BOOK

Introduction

. ASTRONOMICAL GEOGRAPHY. SECT. I.— OF THE PLANETS, COMETS, FIXED STARS, AND THE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS OF THE other, in the same manner as every person acquainted with the first elements of mathematics, can measure the height of a steeple, or any object placed on it, it appeared, — that, if we conceived the heavenly bodies to move round the earth, we must suppose them endowed with a motion or velocity so immense as to exceed till conception: whereas, all Ihe appearances in nature, may be as well explained by imagining the earth to move round the sun in the space of a year, and to turn on its own axis once in 24 hours. UNIVERSE. THE science of Geography cannot be completely understood without considering the eafth as a planet, or as a body moving round another, at a considerable distance from it.

It will, therefore, be necessary to begin with a summary view of the science of Astronomy, and a brief account of the planets and other heavenly bodies. Of these, the most con spicuous is that glorious luminary, the sun, the fountain of light and heat to the several planets which move round it, and which, together with it, compose what astronomers call the Solar System. The way orpath in which the planets move round the sun, is called their Orbit; and it is now fully pro ved by astronomers, that there aie seven planets which move round the sun, each in its own orbit. The names of these, according to their nearness to the centre or middle point of the sun, are Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and the Georgium Sidus. The two first, because they move within the orbit of the earth (being nearer the sun), are called inferior planets, or perhaps more properly, interior or inner planets ; the four last moving without the orbit of the earth, are called superior, or, perhaps more properly, ex terior or outer planets.

If we can form an idea ot the manner in which any one of these planets, suppose our eaith, moves round the sun, we can easily conceive the manner in which all the rest perform a similar revolution. We shall only, therefore, particularly consider the motion of the earth, or planet on which we live, leaving that ofthe others to be collected from a table, which we shall give, with such explana tions as may render it intelligible to a common capacity. The earth was long considered asone extensive plane, of no remarkable thickness ; and the regions below it were suppo sed to be the habitations of spirits. The heavens, in which the sun, moon, and stars, appeared to move daily from east to west were conceived to be at no great distance from it, and to be only designed for its use or ornament. Several reasons, however, occurred, which rendered this opinion improbable ; it is needless to mention them, because we have now a sufficient proof of the figure of the earth, from the voyages of many navigators, who have actually sailed round it ; as for instance, that of Magellan's ship, which was the first that circumnavigated the globe, sailing west from a port in Eu rope, in 1519, and returning to the same, after a voyage of 1124: days, or three years and twenty-nine days, without al tering its direction, except compelled by the winds, or inter vening land.

The spherical figure of the earth being fully proved, the hypothesis of its motion was evidently rendered much more probable. For while it was considered as a plane, mankind had an obscure notion of its being supported, like a scaffold ing, on pillars, though they could not tell what supported these. But Ihe figure ofa globe is much better adapted to motion; and avery strong, and, in reality, unanswerable argument for that motion was derived from considering, that, if the earth did not move round the sun, not only the sun, but all the stars and planets, must move round theearth. Now, as astronomers, by reckonings founded on the surest observations, have been able to ascertain pretty nearly the distances of the heavenly bodies from the earth and from each To form a conception of these two motions ofthe earth, we may imagine a ball moving on a billiard-table or bowling green : the ball proceeds forwards upon the green or table, not by sliding along like a plane upon wood, or a slate upon ice, but by turning round its own axis, which isanimaginary line drawn through the centre or middle of the ball, and ending on its surface in two points, called its poles.

We must, however, remember that these two motions in theearth are perfectly distinct, and not imagine that ihe number of revolutions, caused by the rotatory motion, is in proportion to the space passed through by the progressive, as is the case with the ball on the table or the bowling-green. The earth, therefore, in the space of 24 hours, moves from west to east, while the inhabitants on the surface of it, like men on the> deck of a ship, who are insensible of their own motion, and think that the banks move from them in a contrary direction, will conceive, that the sun and stars move from east to west, in the same time of 24 hours, in which the)', along with the earth, move from west to east. This daily or diurnal motion of the earth, being once clearly conceived, will enable us ea sily to form a notion of its annual or yearly motion round the sun.

For, as the sun seems to have a diurnal motion round our earth, which is really occasioned by the daily motion of the earth round its own axis, so, in the course of a year, the sun seems to have an annual motion in the heavens, and to rise and set indifferent points of them, which is really occa sioned by the annual motion of the earth in its orbit or path round the sun, which it completes in the space of a year. Now, as to the first of these motions, we owe the difference of day and night, so to the second we are indebted for the difference in the length of the days and nights, and in the seasons of the year. The Planets.] It will easily be conceived^hat what has been said, with regard to the motion of the earth, is equally applicable to all the other planets. Of these, beside the seven already mentioned, which move round the sun, there are fourteen others which move round four of these, in the same manner as they do round the sun ; and of these our earth has one, called the moon ; Jupiter has four ; Saturn has seven ; two* of which was lately discovered by Dr. Herschel ; and the Georgium Sidus has two, called moons, from their resemblance to our moon: and sometimes secondary planets, be cause they seem to be attendants ofthe Earth, Jupiter, Sa turn, and the.

Georgium Sidus, about which they move, and which are called primary. It will be necessary, for the understanding of the following table, to explain what is meant by the inclination ofthe axes of the planets to their orbits, and the mean distances of the planets. We have already said, that the annual motbn of the earth occasioned the diversity of seasons. But this would not happen, were the axis of the earth exactly parallel to or * See the 80th vol. ofthe Philosophical Transactions. a

INTRODUCTION.

. II in a line with the axis of its orbit : because then the same parts of the earth would be turned towards the sun m every diurnal revolution ; which would deprive mankind of the grateful vicissitudes ofthe seasons, arising from thedifference in length of the days and nights. This, therefore, is not the case : the axis of the earth is inclined to the plane of the earth's orbit, which we may conceive by supposing a spindle put through a ball, with one end of it touching the ground ; it we move the ball directly forwards, while one end ofthe spindle continues to touch the ground, and the oilier points towards some quarter of the heavens, we may form an idea of the inclination ofthe earth's axis to its orbit, from the in clination of the spindle to the ground. The same observation applies to some ofthe other planets, as may be seen from the table. earth to the sun to be divided into ten parts.

Mercury may then be estimatedat four of such parts from the sun, Venus at seven, the earth at ten, Mars at fifteen, Jupiter at fifty-two, Saturn at ninety-five, and the Georgium Sidus at one hun dred and ninety. Comets.] The reader having obtained an idea ofthe planets from the table, and the previous observations necessary for understanding it, must next turn his attention to the co rnels, which as they revolve round our sun, are a part ot the solar system. These, descending from the far distant parts of the system with great rapidity, surprise us with their singular appearance ofa train or tail, which accompanies them ; be come visible to us in the lower parts of their orbits, and, after a short stay, go off again to vast distances, and disappear. Thou'h some of tbe ancients had more just notions of them, yet the opinion having prevailed, that they were only meteors generated in the air, like to those we see in it every night, and in a few moments vanishing, no care was taken to observe or record their pbænomena accurately, till of late.

Hence this part of astronomy is very imperfect. The general doc trine is, that they are solidcompactbodies, like other planets, and regulated by the same laws of gravity, so as to describe equal areas in proportionable times by radii drawn to the com mon centre. They move about the sun in very eccentric el lipses, and are of much greater density than the earth ; for some of them are heated, in every period, to such a degree as would vitrify or dissipate any substance known to us. Sir Isaac Newton computed the heat ofthe comet that appeared in the year ItiSO, when nearest the sun, tube 2000 times hot ter than red-hot iron, and that, being thus heated, it must retain its heat till it comes round again, although its period should be more than 20,000 years ; and it is computed to be only 575. Tbe number of comets is very much greater than thatof the planetswhich move in the vicinityof the sun.

From the reports of historians, as well as from the observations of late years, it has been ascertained that more than 450 have been seen previous to the yearl771 ; and when the attentionof astronomers was called to this object, by the expectation of the return of the comet of 1 759, no less than seven were ob served in the course of seven years. From this circumstance, and the probability that all the comets recorded in ancient authors were of considerable apparent magnitude, while tbe smaller were overlooked, it is reasonable to conclude that the number of comets considerably exceeds any estimation that might be made from the observations we now possess. But the number of those, whose orbits are settled with sufficient accuracy to ascertain their identity when they may appear again, is no more than 50, reckoned as late as the year 1771.

The orbits of most of these are inclined to the plane of the ecliptic in large angles, and the greater number of them approached nearer to the sun than to the earth. Their motions in the heavens are not all in the order of the signs, or direct, like those of the planets; but the number whose motion is retrogade, is nearly equal to that of those whose motion is direct. All which have been observed, however, have moved through the etherial regions and the orbits of the planets, without suffering the least sensible resistance in their motions ; which sufficiently proves, that the planets do not move inso lid orbs. Of all the comets, the periods, of three only are known with any degree of certainty, being found to return at inter vals of75,129, and 575years; andofthese.that which appeared in 1680 is the most remarkable.