A new and complete System of Universal Geography: or an authentic history of the whole world ... Illustrated by ... a new set of accurate maps, forming a ... complete atlas

Front matter

jfrattfispitct tflEim, SYSTEM 'Si (jSeogrg^^ OfrYY'/> fr/f/ ir/'f/T 7 '/////r/zor'/'r/f/ « />////>./ ,•/ ETTtiOJPE, ASIA, iTBICA, tAMEUKA. A NEW AND COMPLETE SYSTEM OF UNIVERSAL GEOGRAPHY; OR, AN AUTHENTIC HISTC-RY AND INTERESTING DESCRIPTION OF THE imilob; Worto, AKD ITS IJVHABITAJVTSr Comprehending a copious and entertaining Account of all the EMPIRES, KINGDOMS, STATES, REPUBLICS, AND COLONIES; or *A&I*Æ9 *AFRIC*Æs *AMERIC*A9 *ÆM~B EUROPE $ AS CONSISTING OP OCEANS, CONTINENTS, ISLANDS, PROMONTORIES, CAPES, BAYS, PENINSULAS, ISTHMUSES, GULPHS, LAKES, RIVERS, CANALS, HARBOURS, MOUNTAINS, VOLCANOES, DESERTS, &c. WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE Situations, Exrtent, Latitude, Longitude, Boundaries, Climate, Air, Soil, Metals, Minerals, Vegetable Productions, and every Curiosity, natural and artificial, worthy of Notice throughout the Face of Nature, both by Land and Water.

LIKEWISE, An exact Account of the Population, Military and Civil Governments, Revenues, Laws, Trade, Commerce, Arts, Sciences, Manufactures, Agriculture, Religion, Customs, Language, Manners, Genius, Habits, Ceremonies, Amusements, and general Character and Pursuits of the various Nations of the Earlh. — Including, Details of the most remarkable Battles, Sieges, Sea-Fights, and Revolutions, that have taken Place in different Parts of the habitable Globe. With faithful Accounts of all the NEW DISCOVERIES, That have been made by the most celebrated Navigators of various Nations, from Columbus, the first Discoverer of America, to the Death ofthe renovmett Cjptmn Cook, and those who have succeeded him, to the present Time. Also, INTERESTING EXTRACTS From the most authentic Narratives of modern Travellers, and the Missionaries who have been sent out by different Societies; FORMING a complete Collection of Œopages arm Œta&ete, ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE PRESENT STATE OF THE KNOWN WORLD.

To which will he suhjoineil, a useful COMPENDIUM OF ASTRONOMY, WITH REMARKS ON THE USE OF THE GLOBES, fye. The w hole concluding with a COPIOUS INDEX, UPON A PLAN ENTIRELY NEW, AND DESIGNED TO FORM A GENERAL GAZETTEER OF THE WORLD By CHRISTOPHER* KELLY, Esq. Embellished ivith numerous Engravings, executed by Artists of the first Ability And illustrated by correct Statistical Tables, and a new Set of accurate Maps, forming an ORNAMENTAL AND COMPLETE ATLAS. VOLUME I. \^ LONDON: PRINTED FOR THOMAS KELLY, No. 53, PATERNOSTER-ROW, By BiDEit and Weed, Little ssi ssi||'||- !■■*■ 1814.

Preface

. JL. HE utility and importance of Geography have been frequently discussed, and satisfactorily demonstrated; and the flattering reception given to works of merit, on this subject, has been highly creditable to the taste and discrimination of the British public. It is, however, comparatively, of recent date that this science has assumed a form sufficiently inviting to captivate general attention, and to procure a ready admission into the lady's library, the tradesman's parlour, and the peaceful retirement of the sequestered cottage. Formerly it was confined, like all other branches of literature, to the academic shade; and the method by which it was incul cated rendered it dry and tedious: But, since men have made it their business to blend enter tainment with study, and to gratify a laudable curiosity, whilst they profess to give scientific instruction, it has burst forth with such effulgence, and mingled, like the rainbow, so many beauties in itself, that whoever possesses the means of becoming acquainted with the world which he inhabits, and the innumerable objects by which he is surrounded, naturally turns his thoughts to a subject comprising within itself a portion of universal literature, and presenting him at once with a compendious library.

Interesting matter and variety of subject are almost inseparable from a modern system of Geo graphy, conducted upon a popular plan : as the four quarters of the globe, with their respective ap pendages, are laid under contribution for the gratification of the reader ; and every empire, kingdom, state, republic, and colony, are explored on his account. For him the continents of the earth and the islands of the sea are accurately described ; — the incense-breathing groves of Asia, the burning deserts of Africa, the extensive wilds of America, and the populous cities of Europe, are successively traversed, to augment his stores of knowledge ; — the splendid monuments of antiquity, the romantic scenery of the changing landscape, the secrets of mineralogy, and the charms of botany, alternately claim his notice; — and all the tribes of animated nature pass in review before him.

His fellow-men, of various climes and complexions, have still greater claims on his attention ; and whilst, borne on the excursive wings of fancy, he makes the tour of the world, he becomes acquainted with the persons, habits, genius, religion, laws, manners, and customs, of its inhabitants ; — their government, revenues, language, literature, arts, sciences, manufactures, and commerce, afford him ample subjects of meditation; — and their civil and military history form no inconsiderable part of his intellectual banquet. Nor is it merely on these accounts that a system of Geography may be read with pleasure and profit: for experience has verified the assertion of Dr. Watts, that " every son and daughter of Adam is interested in it ;" and Mr. Echard has remarked, that " no ingenious person can be excused for his ignorance in this science, which is the only one that comes under the capacity of all mankind:" it may be perused, therefore, with great personal advantage, by people of every rank and description, from the prince to the peasant. Here the young and the gay may find ample store of amusement; whilst the aged and the studious will refresh their memories by re-

PREFACE.

. tracin" circumstances and events which time had nearly obliterated from the tablet of their nnnds. In these illustrative pages, the naturalist and the philosopher will meet with objects peculiarly suited to their respective tastes;— the historian will become intimately acquainted with the extent and boundaries ofthe countries whose vicissitudes he is recording; — the politician may acquire a complete knowledge of the various forms of government subsisting in the world; — military and naval officers will become familiar with the fields on which they may hereafter have an opportu nity of "atheving unfading laurels, and with the seas or rivers which, on some future occasion, may add to the brilliant victories of British seamen. The merchant and trader will also profit bv the information which is here to be gained respecting the commerce, manufactures, and the natural productions and commodities of all nations ; and the moralist will learn " to look through nature up to nature's God," and to adore that beneficent Providence which hath cast his lot in a land of happy civilization and freedom.

In presenting the following work before a judicious public, it may be necessary to observe, that the editor and proprietor have no wish to depreciate the labours of their predecessors in this department of literary compilation : but they are decidedly of opinion, that the pleasing study of Geography may be rendered still more alluring, by such a selection of matter as will render every chapter acceptable, and every page attractive. And, under this idea, they have determined to draw their intelligence from the most accurate and respectable sources; to avail them selves of the most interesting works, however voluminous or expensive ; and, upon all occasions, to enliven their narrative with the introduction of pertinent and pleasing anecdotes, illustrative of the respective subjects to which they relate.

With respect to arrangement, it has been judged advisable to divide the work into four parts, corresponding with the grand division of the terrestrial globe ; and to subdivide each of these into chapters, containing a description of the various empires, kingdoms, states, and islands, be longing to each quarter; among which, Asia, for a variety of cogent reasons, claims pre-eminence; whilst Europe, as the reader's own country, must be left to form the conclusion. It may be proper to add, that, in pursuance of this plan, all the new discoveries, which demand a considerable share of attention, will be regularly classed under the quarters of the world, instead of being thrown carelessly and promiscuously together, as has been the case in many preceding publications. The Index to this work will be executed on a plan entirely new; as it is designed to serve, by the copiousness of its contents, and the accuracy of its references, as a complete Gazetteer ofthe World, which has been long reckoned among the desiderata of literature.

To illustrate the geographical descriptions, and to exhibit the most accurate representation of the persons, costume, habits, and ceremonies, of different nations, a series of engravings will be given, which, it is confidently hoped, will be considered real embellishments; while the neatness and accuracy ofthe maps, the quality ofthe paper, and the beautiful clearness of the type, will unitedly prove that every possible exertion has been made to render this new system of Geography worthy of universal patronage and support. A COMPENDIUM OF ASTRONOMY; WITIJ REMARKS ON THE USE OF THE GLOBES.

Section 1

History of Astronomy, Origin of the Zodiac, Constellations, SfC. -CA.STRONOMY seems to have engaged the attention of mankind in the simplest ages, and from the most remote antiquity. The antediluvians are said to have been skilled in that science; the Chinese appear to have made astronomical observations soon after the flood ; and Confucius, who lived five hundred and fifty-one years before the Christian era, has recorded several eclipses. The Japanese, Siamese, and the inhabitants of India have also, from time immemorial, been acquainted with astronomy. The Druids were skilled in this science* and the Gauls, in general, were consequently able sailors. It appears, also, that the Mexicans were acquainted with astronomy, and made use of intercalary days to bring the solar and civil years to an equality: but with this dif ference in regard to the method established by Julius Cæsar in the Roman calendar, that they did not interpose a day every four years, but thirteen days every fifty-two years, which produces the same regulation of time.

The Chaldeans and Egyptians were particularly celebrated for their skill in astronomy; and their countries, on account of the general clearness of the air, were highly favourable to astronomical observations. In those warm climates, where the sky is generally serene, the shepherds, watching their flocks by night, would be naturally led to a contemplation of the firmament; and would soon discover that the innumerable multitude of stars observed the same course as the sun : if this shining orb, in the splendor of light, performed its course from east to west, while it afforded to the world the advantages of day, the stars, also, and the moon, glided along in parallel circuits, during the cool refreshing night : one star only seemed to keep its place, and to be as a centre of revolution to all the other luminaries ; and this they called the polar star or pole.

When these observations had been made on the celestial bodies in general, and the aspect of the heavens had become some what familiar, they were led to observe that some of the luminaries appeared to change their relative situation in the heavens ; particularly, the sun and moon appeared to be constantly overtaken and left behind by the stars, as they all seemed to move along together round the earth ; sometimes to approach towards the pole, then to recede from it, which evidently produced the seasons of the year, and which gave them an opportunity, in the different seasons, of becoming acquainted with all the visible stars in the northern, and most of those in the southern, hemisphere, in the course of one revolving year. The space round the heavens, in which the moon and planets appeared in their various forms and motions, they considered as a broad circle or belt; and ingeniously divided it into twelve equal portions, which they called houses.

During the space of one revolving year, this circle seemed to wheel three hundred and sixty six times about, and the sun to complete three hundred and sixty-five daily courses ; hence, the circle continually gaining upon the luminary, the sun was said to enter, occupy, and leave, the several houses successively. This circle is called the Zodiac, from a Greek word, implying an animal. Those parts of the circle which the sun seemed to occupy in the spring, when the flocks and herds are in creased by the fecundity of the season, were called the houses of Arks, or the ram; Taurus, or the bull ; and a A COMPENDIUM OF ASTRONOMY Gemini, or the twins, from the goat's frequently bringing forth twin-kids ; these were afterwards changed into the twin-brothers, Castor and Pollux. The other signs of the zodiac were Cancer, or the Crab, denoting the re trograde motion of the sun in midsummer ; Leo, or the Lion, expressive of the intense heat of summer; Virgo, or the Viro in, with ears of corn, denoting the harvest ; Libra, or the Balance, shewing the equality of day and ni"ht in autumn ; Scorpio, or the venomous Scorpion, representing tbe diseases at the fall of the leaf; Sagitta rius, or the Archer, signified the hunting season ; Capricornus, or the Goat, that climbs the craggy mountain, was meant to shew that the sun now mounted the zodiac ; Aquarius, or the Water-bearer, represented the setting-in of the rain; and Pisces, or the Fishes, denoted the fishing season.

In the summer, a short time preceding the annual inundation of the river Nile, astar of the first magnitude appeared in the east, a little before sun-rise. It seems probable that the Egyptians, for a while, kept >vith anxiety the watches of the night, for fear of too sudden an irruption of the waters; but this brilliant star annually making its appearance a little before the inundation took place, it afterwards sufficed to await the coming of the star. They gave it the names of Thaut, the dog; and Anubis, the barker or monitor. It should seem to require an effort in the imagination to see figures of animals, &c. in the firmament ; but the ancients imagined that they discovered things of this sort in the arrangement of the stars: and accordingly, in the different houses in the zodiac, and in the stars surrounding their bright Anubis, they saw, by lie- *j of a fertile fancy, one bright star represent an eye, another the termination of a tail or horn, these a body, those a limb, &c, till all the signs were determinately fixed.

The figures thus sketched out by the fancy of the shepherds were subsequently embellished with the fictions of mythology, till the heavens were nearly filled with ima ginary creatures ; and these being increased in succeeding ages, served astronomers in tlieir accounts of the starry heavens, as the present divisions of the earth assist geographers in the description of the globe. The number of constellations in the northern hemisphere is thirty-four; in the southernforty-seven, and in the zodiac twelve. Those stars which are not included in the constellations, are called unformed stars; those clusters which are so distant as not to be distinctly seen, are, from their cloudy appearance, comprised under the name of nebula, ; and that light-coloured irregular circle which encompasses the heavens, and is distinguishable from the etherial blue by its brilliancy, that zone which owes its splendor to the innumerable stars of which it is formed, and which passes through several of the constellations in its ample range, is called the Galaxy, the via lactea, or the milky way.

Section II

Of the Copernican or Solar System, The Copernican, or Solar System, consists of the sun, seven primary planets, fourteen secondary planets four newly-discovered bodies, which Dr. Herschel has termed asteroids, and the comets. The Sun is situate near the centre of the orbits of all the planets, and revolves on his axis in twenty-five days fourteen hours and eight minutes. This revolution is determined from the motion of the spots on his surface, which first appear on the eastern extremity, and then gradually come forwards towards the middle and pass on till they reach the western edge, and then disappear. When they have been absent for nearly the same period of time which they were visible, they appear again as at first, finishing their entire circuit in twenty-seven days twelve hours and twenty minutes.

The spots on this luminary may be viewed with an achromatic telescope of two or three feet focal leno-th or with a reflector of twelve or eighteen inches ; care being taken to guard the eye by the intervention of a dark glass, to take off the dazzling brightness of the sun. The sun is also affected by a small motion round the centre of gravity of the solar system, occasioned bv the various attractions of the surrounding planets; but, as this centre of gravity is generally within the body of the sun, and can never be at the distance of more than the length of the solar diameter from the centre of that body, astronomers generally consider the sun as the centre of the system, round which all the planets ic VOi VC« As the sun revolves on an axis, his figure is supposed not to be strictly globular, but a little flatted at the poles ; and that his axis makes an angle of about eight degrees, with a perpendicular to the plane of the earth's orbit.

As the sun's apparent diameter is longer in the month of December than in June, the sun is consequently jA . Jindliaf, aM IPEsfl ODlPJEJ&TiXl^j _^^W~ nearer to the earth in our winter than it is in summer ; for the apparent magnitude of a distant body diminishes as the distance increases. The mean apparent diameter of the sun is stated to be thirty-two minutes two se conds; hence, as the distance of the sun from the earth is ninety-five millions of miles, its real diameter is eight hundred and eighty-six thousand one hundred and forty-nine miles; and, as the magnitudes of all spherical bodies are as the cubes of their diameters, the magnitude of the sun is one million three hundred and seventy-seven thousand six hundred and thirteen times that of the earth : the diameter of the earth being only seven thousand nine hundred and sixty-four miles, the diameter of the sun is above one hundred and eleven times the diameter of the earth.

Mercury is the least of all the planets whose magnitudes are accurately known, and the nearest to the sun. The inclination of its axis to the plane of its orbit, and the time in which it revolves on its axis, are unknown, consequently the vicissitudes of its seasons, and the length of its day and night, are also unknown. When viewed through a powerful telescope, Mercury sometimes appears in the form of a half moon, and sometimes a little more or less than half his disk is seen ; hence it is inferred, that he has the same phases as the moon, except that he never appears quite round, because his enlightened side is never turned directly towards us, unless when he is so near the sun as to be rendered invisible by the splendor of the solar rays. The enlightened side of this planet being always towards the sun, and his never appearing round, are evident proofs that he shines not by his own light; for, if he did, he would constantly appear round.

The best ob servations of this planet are those made when he is seen on the sun's disk, called his transit ; for, in his lower conjunction, he sometimes passes before tbe sun, like a little spot, eclipsing a small part of the sun's body ; as may be seen with a good telescope. The node from which Mercury ascends northward above the ecliptic is in the fifteenth degree of Taurus, and, consequently, the opposite or descending node is in the fifteenth degree of Scorpio. The earth is in the fifteenth degree of Taurus on the 6th of May, and in the fifteenth of Scorpio on the 4th of November ; and when Mercury comes to either of his nodes at his inferior conjunction, (that is, when he is between the earth and the sun,) he will pass over the sun's disk, if it happen on or near the days above mentioned ; but, in all other parts of its orbit, he goes either above or below the sun, and consequently his conjunctions are invisible.

Mercury performs his periodical revolution round the sun in eighty-seven days twenty-three hours fifteen minutes and forty-three seconds ; his greatest elongation is twenty-eight degrees twenty minutes ; his distance from the sun, thirty-six millions eight hundred and fourteen thousand seven hundred and twenty-one miles ; the eccentricity of his orbit is estimated at one-fifth of his mean distance from the sun ; his apparent diameter, eleven seconds ; hence his real diameter is three thousand one hundred and eight miles, and his magnitude about one-sixteenth that of the earth. Mercury emits a bright white light; he appears a little after sun-set, and again a little before sun-rise; but, on account of his proximity to the sun, and the smallness of his magnitude, he is seldom seen. Venus is the brightest, and, apparently, the largest, of all the planets ; her light is distinguished from that of the other planets by its brilliancy and whiteness, which are so considerable, that in a dusky place. she causes an object to project a sensible shadow.

When viewed through a powerful telescope, this planet appears to have all the phases of the moon, from the crescent to the enlightened hemisphere, though she seldom appears per fectly round. Her illuminated part is constantly turned towards the sun; hence the convex part of her crescent is turned towards the east when she is a morning star, and towards the west when she is an evening star; for, when she is west of the sun, as seen from the earth, that is, when her longitude is less than that of the sun, she rises before him in the morning, and is called a morning star ; but when she is east of the sun, that is, when her longitude is greater than the sun's longitude, she shines in the evening after sun-set, and is called an eveningstar. Venus is a morning star, or appears to the west of the sun, for about two hundred and ninety days, and she is an evening star, or appears to the east of the sun, for nearly the same time, though she completes her revolution round the sun in two hundred and twenty-four days sixteen hours forty-nine minutes and ten seconds.

Should the reader enquire why Venus appears a longer time to the eastward or westward of the sun than the whole time of her entire revolution round him, it may be replied, that, while Venus is going round the sun, the earth is going round him the same way, though slower than Venus, and therefore the relative motion of Venus is slower than her absolute motion. Venus is sometimes seen on the disk ofthe sun in the form of a dark round spot. These appearances, how ever, can only happen when she is between the earth and the sun, and when the earth is nearly in a line A COMPENDIUM OF ASTRONOMY. with one of her nodes. The last transit of Venus was in 1769, and another will not occur till the year 1874 The time which this planet takes to revolve on its axis, and the inclination of its axis to the plane of its orbit, have been given by different astronomers ; but Dr. Herschel, from a long series of observations, published in the Philosophical Transactions for 1793, concludes, that the time of its rotation on its axis is uncertain, and that the position of its axis is equally uncertain ; that its atmosphere is very considerable ; that it has probably inequalities on its surface, but that it requires a better eye than his, or the assistance of better instruments than he is possessed of, to discover any mountains.

The diameter of Venus is seven thousand four hundred and ninety-eight miles; her distance from the sun is sixty-eight millions seven hundred and ninety-one thousand seven hundred and fifty-two miles ; and her magnitude something less than tbat of the earth. This planet, like Mercury, is never seen at midnight, or iu opposition to the sun ; being visible ouly for three or four hours in the morning or evening, as she rises before, or sets after the sun. The Earth, which we inhabit, is placed between the orbits of Venus and Mars, and revolves round the sun, at the distance of ninety-five millions of miles, in.'three hundred and sixty-five days five hours forty-eight minutes and forty seconds. Its diameter is seven thousand nine hundred and sixty-four miles; and it turns round its axis from west to east in twenty-four hours; which occasions the apparent diurnal motion ofthe sun, and of all the heavenly bodies round it, from east to west in the same time : it is, therefore, the cause of this apparent rising and setting, and of the alternation of day and night: for although the sun, moon, and stars, appear to rise in the east and to set in the west, that appearance is in reality occasioned by the earth turning the contrary way.

Thus, children travelling in a carriage, or sailing on a river, are induced to suppose that the trees, hedges, banks, or other objects, are running away in a direction exactly opposite to their route. And if it be urged, as an objection, that we are unable to perceive any rotation of the earth, notwithstanding the rapidity with which it is supposed to move, we reply — that as our globe is not impeded by any resisting obstacles, its motion cannot be communicated to the senses ; and, as an illustration of this remark, it may be added, that vessels on a smooth sea are sometimes turned completely round by the tide, without the knowledge of the passengers who happen to be employed in the cabin. But besides the diurnal rotation of the earth, which occasions the regular succession of day and night, and the apparent motion of the heavenly bodies, it has another, called its annual motion, on which depend the vicissitudes of the seasons — spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

This annual progressive motion may be easily deduced from an attentive observation of the celestial bodies: for as tbe sun's apparent rotation round the earth, in the course of a day, from east to west, may be referred to the diurnal motion of the earth upon its axis, in a contrary direction ; so likewise his seeming annual revolution in the heavens, and his rising and setting continually in different parts of them, may be referred to that motion of the earth in its orbit which it completes in the space of a year. The phænomena of the different seasons will appear plainly from the following observations of an intelligent astronomer : — " Suppose a line to be drawn from the centre of the sun to the centre of the earth, it is evident that the sun will be vertical to that part of the earth which is cut by this line.

Now, when the earth is in Libra, the sun will appear to be in Aries, the days and nights will be equal in both hemispheres, and the season a medium be tween summer and winter ; the line dividing the dark and light hemispheres, passes through the north and south poles, and consequently divides all the parallels of latitude into two equal parts: hence the inhabitants of the whole face of the earth have their days and nights equal, viz. twelve hours each. While the earth moves from Libra to Capricorn, the north pole will become more and more enlightened, and the south pole will be gradually involved in darkness, consequently the days in the northern hemisphere will continue to increase in length, and in the southern hemisphere they will decrease in the same proportion, all the parallels of latitude being unequally divided.

When the earth has arrived at Capricorn, the sun will appear to be in Cancer ; it will be summer to the inhabitants of the northern hemisphere, and winter to those in the southern; the inha bitants at the north pole, and within the arctic circle, will have constant day, and those at the south pole, and within the antarctic circle, will have constant night. While the earth moves from Capricorn to Aries, the south pole will become more and more enlightened; consequently, the days in the southern hemisphere will in crease in length, and in the northern hemisphere they will decrease. When the earth has arrived at Aries, the sun will appear to be in Libra, and the days and nights will again be equal all over the surface of the earth. Again, as the earth moves from Aries towards Cancer, the light will gradually leave the north pole, V and proceed to the south: when the earth has arrived at Cancer, it will be summer to the inhabitants in the southern hemisphere, aud winter to those in the northern: the inhabitants of the south pole (if any) will have continual day, those at the north pole constant night.

Lastly, while" the earth moves from Cancer to Capri corn, the sun will appear to move from Capricorn to Cancer, and the days in the northern hemisphere will be increasing-, while those in the southern will be diminishing-, in length; and while the earth moves from Capri corn to Cancer, the sun will appear to move from Cancer to Capricorn, the days in the northern hemisphere will then be decreasing-, and those in the southern hemisphere increasing. In all situations of the earth, the equator will be divided into two equal parts, consequently the days and nights at the equator are always equal. Thus the different seasons are clearly accounted for, by the inclination of the axis of the earth to the plane of its orbit, combined with the parallel motion of that axis." Respecting the figure of the earth, the ancients held various opinions: some imagined it to be cylindrical, or in the form of a drum; but the general opinion was, that it was a vast extended plane, and that the hori zon was tbe utmost limit of the earth, and the ocean the boundary of the horizon.