Elements of Geography, or, an extensive abridgment thereof ... Illustrated with maps ... Accompanied with a new ... introduction, comprising the astronomical and other subjects preliminary to the study of geography: by E. Hoyt

Front matter

ELEMENTS OF GEOGRAPHY, OH, AN EXTENSIVE ABRIDGMENT THEREOF ■ EXHIBITING A VIEW OF THE NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FEATURES OFTHE VARIOUS DIVISIONS OF THE EARTH ; AND EMBRACING THOSE BRANCHES OF ' -STATISTICS, MOST INTIMATEET CONNECTED WITH GEOGRAPHICAL SCIENCE ; ILLUSTRATED WITHMAPS By RODOLPHUS DICKINSON, Esq. Author of a Geographical and Statistical View of Massachusetts Proper, aud Law Tracts intended tor Civil and Town O.'Heers, various Corporations, ire. ACCOMPANIED WITH A NEW AND EXTENSIVE INTRODUCTION, COMPRISING THE ASTRONOMICAL AND OTHER SUBJECTS PRELIMINARY TO THE STUDY OF GEOGRAPHY : By E. HOYT, Esq. Author of several Military Works. BOSTON : PUBLISHED BY BRADFORD AND READ, No. 58 Cornhill. 1813. DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, TO WIT • District Clerk's Office- BE it remembered. That, on the twenty first day of September, A D. 1813. und in tht thirty-eighth year of the Independence of the United States of America, BRADFORD anil READ, of the said district, have deposiied in this office the title of a book, tbe right whereof thry claim as Proprietors in the words following, to wit : «• ELEMENTS OF GEOGRAPHY, or an extensive abridgment thereof; exhibiting a view ofthe natural and artificial features of the various divisions of the earth ; and embracing those branches of statistics* most intimately connected with geographical science, illustrated with maps By RODOLPHUS DICKINSON.

Est], author of a Geographical and Statistical View of Massachusetts Proper, anc Law Tracts intendd for civil and town officers, various corporations, &c Accompanied with a new and extensive Introduction, comprising the astronomical and other subjects prelimin^y to the study of Geography. By E. HOYT, Esq Author of several Military "Works." tn conformity to the act ofthe congress of the United Stares, entitled '• An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the aothors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned ;** and also to au act, entitled, " An act supplementary to an act. entitled, an act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to tlie authors and proprietors of such copies, during she times therein mentioned ; and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." WILLIAM S. SHAW. Clerk ofthe District of Massachusetts MUSROE& FRANCIS, PRISIE-^S. ■

Preface

. THE design of this publication is to furnish the citizens of the United States, with such an extensive abridgment of the most interesting subjects of geog raphy, as may be adapted to the various descriptions of schools, and may serve, to a considerable extent, as a substitute with those, who may not be disposed to purchase, or whose leisure will not admit the perusal of universal geography. The introduction, a very important part of a geographical treatise, is mostly the production of a gentleman of no ordinary rank in the republic of science. It contains a more full explanation of those branches of astronomy and philosophy, necessary to a correct knowledge of geography, than is to be found in any of our small works, and is calculated not only for those in very early life, but for the student in his progress to the higher departments of science.

In the arrangement ofthe different countries, geographical position has been regarded ; in the subdivisions of each, a natural and uniform order has been attempted ; and in the extent to which the latter c IV J have been illustrated, reference has been had to their relative importance, as well as comparative connection with a professed geographical production. Recent intelligence has been sought relative to fluctuating objects. The United States, and several countries of Europe, commanding unusual interest, have received a proportionate description ; but every part of the work has been rendered as extensive, as was compatible with the general plan. The most approved maps, and distinguished geographical publications, with other works elucidating the various parts of this branch of learning, have been consulted : and many acknowledgments are particularly due, for the aid de rived from the illustrious efforts of Pinkerton and Bigland.

This volume has required long and unwearied at tention. The writer has been solicitous that it should be uniformly impartial ; has, at least, assiduously endeavored to deserve the public patronage : and most respectfully dedicates his labors to the American people, 15 OC 61 R p CONTENTS. Page Definitions 9 Ofthe astronomy, and other subjects, preliminary to the study of geography --.------ib. 1. Figure and magnitude of the earth .... 10 2. Diurnal and annual motion of the earth - - - - 11 3. Of the circles, lines, points, &c. used in geography and astronomy 13 4. Of the phenomena arising from the sphericity and diurnal mo-' tion of the earth -- .-.---18 5. Ofthe days and nights, and the seasons of the year - - 21 6. Ofthe solar system ....... 24 7. Of the fixed stars .,..---.35 3. Of the constellations ....... 38 9.

To find some of the principal constellations and stars ib. 10. Of eclipses of the sun and moon, occupations, and transits 42 11. Of the division of time 44 12. Of solar and sidereal time - - .... 46 13. Of the equation of time ......... 47 14. Of parallax and refraction 48 15. Ofthe nutation of the earth's axis, and the aberration of the stars 50 16. Precession ofthe equinoxes ..... ib. 17. Of the terrestrial and celestial globe .... 51 18. Problems on the terrestrial globe ----- 52 19. Problems on the celestial globe .... 55 20. To find the latitude of a place by the altitude of a heavenly body 57 21. Of the methods of finding this long'itude of places - - 62 22. To find the time by equal or corresponding altitudes - 64 23. Methods of drawing a meridian line - ... 67 24. Of the compass, and the variation of the needle - - 70 25.

Ofthe atmosphere 75 26. Of the barometrical mensuration of" mountains - - 76 27. Of the tides and currents 79 28. Of winds, clouds, rain, snow, and hail ... 82 29. Ofthe climate, and the temperature of the atmosphere in different countries ..-.-.. 84 30. Dist.ar.ces of places on the earth, how ascertained by their latitudes and longitudes - - N - - - - 88 31. Of the projection of maps ------ ib. S2. Principal natural divisions ofthe globe ... 90 "3. Of the lineal measures used by different nations - -, C vi ] Page Table I. 97 Table H. ib. Table III. 99 General divisions of the globe ...... 101 Western continent - - - - - - - 103 North .America ....... ib. United States of America ....... 106 Vermont i . . 1 . - ' ll£ New Hampshire - ...... 117 District of Maine - - 123 Massachusetts ........ 1 ?6 Rhode Island 137 Connecticut - ....... 140 New York - --......

I<t5 New Jersey - -...-.- 153 Pennsylvania .... -----156 Delaware - 162 Maryland - ........164 District of Columbia - 168 Virginia - ....»-.. 169 North Carolina 176 South Carolina - ....... 179 Georgia 183 Tennessee ........ -186 Kentucky 188 Ohio 191 Territories of the United States ..... 195 Mississippi Territory - ...... ib. Orleans Territory - ...... 196 Louisiana Territory - - 197 Indiana Territory - - 193 Ill'nois Territory - ....... ib. Michigan Territory - ...... 199 British Dominions in North America .... 200 Upper and Lower Canada - ..... *b. Nova Scotia, including New Brunswick .... 203 Island of St. John's - . .. 204 Island of Cape Breton . - - . 205 Island of Newfoundland .... - ib. The Bermudas, or Somers' Isl.mds - - - 206 Aboriginal North America, or Uncivilized Countries - - 206 New Britain - - ib ] P»g9 Greenland - . ..... 207 Western and North Western Parts of North America - ib.

Spanish Dominions in North America ... 208 Mexico, or New Spain - . . . . -ib. New Mexico, and California .... 211 East and West Florida ..... 212 South America ...... 213 Spanish Dominions in South America .... ;15 Portuguese South America ..... 218 French South America ...... 219 Dutch South America ..... 220 Aboriginal South America, or Uncivilized Countries - - ib. West India Islands ..... 221 St. Domingo ....... 222 Cuba ....... ib. Jamaica ..•..-.. 223 Porto Rico ...... ib. The Antilles, or Carribee Islands .... ib. Eastern Continent ..... 225 Europe ... . ■ - - ib. British Empire ...... 226 England - . . - . - - ib. Scotland ....... 232 Ireland ....... 235 France ....... 241 Spain ....... 241 Portugal - . 253 Italy - - - - . - - 256 Switzerland --.... 262 Austrian Empire -.-... 266 Prussian Dominions ..... 272 Germany «----.. 275 Netherlands ---... 280 Holland ••■•.-.. 283 Danish Dominions - 285 Denmark ....... -,b_ Norway ....... 287 Iceland •-...-. 289 Sweden ....... 291 Russia in Europe ...... 295 Ottoman Empire - - - 301 Turkey in Europe ....... ib.

L viii ] rage Asia ..-.-- 302 Turkey in .\sia ...... ib. Russia in Asia - - ... 309 Independent Tartary ...--- 313 Arabia - . - - - - - 315 Persia ....... 317 Thibet - - 320 Chinese Empire ..... 322 China - - - - - ib. Chinese Tartary ...... 325 India ....... 327 Hindostan -.-.... 328 The Deccan ... . 330 Island of Ceylon ...... 332 Exterior India ...... ib. Birman Empire -..'..- 333 Siam - ... . . . . 335 Malacca, or Malaya ...... 336 Tonquin ....... ib. Cochin China ...... 337 Cambodia --..--. ib. Laos ........ib. Asiatic Islands .... . . 338 Japan ....... ib. The Manillas, or Phillippine Islands ... 339 Borneo ------- ib. The Celebes ------ 340 The Moluccas, or Spice Islands - . . - ib- The Sumatran Chain, or Isles of Sunda ... 342 Australasia - - - -, - . . 343 Papua, or New Guinea - AD- \J\J . >)■■*. . - ib.

New Zealand - . . . . . " 344 Polynesia - . . . . . ib. Africa - 346 E&)'Pt - - - - - - 347 States in the North of Africa .... 349 Abyssinia - . . . . . 351 Cape of Good Hope - - . . . 353 Unexplored Countries of Africa ... ib. Central Africa - 356 African Islands - .