Jerusalem is still a large city, and is called by the inhabitants the Holy City. Among the mountains of Lebanon are some singular people called the Druses and Maronites. The Druses are governed by a priestly chief; their religion is a mixture of Judaism and Heathenism. The Maronites are Christians. These warlike tribes are independent. Having now gone through Asia, we will give a summary of the countries, chief towns, islands, seas, bays, &c. belonging to this continent. ASIA. It This continent is 6000 miles in its greatest extent from north to south, and 4000 from east to west. contains 12 million square miles. Its population is nearly 500 millions. Kurile Isles between Kamtschatka and Japan. Formoso to the east of China. Macao near Canton. Hainan to the south of China. Philippine Islands to the south-east of China. Celebes, or Macassar, to the east of Borneo. Java to the south of Borneo. Sumatra south of Malaya and north of Java. Nicobar and Andaman Isles in the Bay of Bengal. Ceylon to the south of India. Maldive and Laccadive Isles to the west of India. Socatra to the south of Arabia. Cyprus to the south of Turkey in Asia. Rhodes to the south west of Turkey in Asia. Seas, Bays, and Straits of Asia. Sea of Okotsk near Kamtschatka. Cape Lopatka to the south of Kamtschatka. Gulf of Tonquin to the south of China. Cape of Cambodia to the South of Siam. Straits of Malacca between Malaya and Sumatra. Cape Comorin to the south of Hindoostan. Persian Gulf between Persia and Arabia. Arabian Sea between Arabia and India. Red Sea to the west of Arabia. Straits of Babel-Mandeb between the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. THE CONTINENT OF EUROPE. TURKEY IN EUROPE. Crossing from the north-west extremity of Turkey in Asia a narrow strait called the Bosphorus, which leads into the Black Sea, we enter the fine town of Constantinople, in lat. 40° N. long. 29° E. This is the capital of the whole Turkish dominions, though situated in European Turkey, and contains 500,000 inhabitants. Turkey in Europe is 500 miles long, and about 500 broad. The population is 10 millions. The chief towns are,--Constantinople or Stamboul, Adrianople in the province of Roumelia, Salonica in Macedonia, Belgrade on the Danube in Servia, Sophia in Bulgaria, Buchorest in Wallachia, Jassy in Moldavia, Larissa in Thessaly, and Janina in Albania. The principal rivers are the Danube, flowing into the Black Sea, the Morava into the Danube, and the Pruth between Turkey and Russia. The Balkan range of mountains is in the centre of Turkey, Mounts Olympus and Pindus are in Thessaly, Parnassus and Athos, or the holy mountain, in Macedonia. The Strait called the Dardanelles or Hellespont was passed over by Xerxes the Persian. The once fruitful island of Crete, now Candia, in the Mediterranean Sea, was taken by the Turks in 1669, after a siege of 24 years. The government of Turkey is a despotic monarchy, though the Sultan or Emperor assumes to rule by the laws of the Koran, the Mahometan scriptures. The Turks were a Mahometan Tartar tribe, who gained their possessions in Europe about 400 years ago. They took Constantinople from the Greek Emperor in 1453. The majority of the people of Turkey are still Christians of the Greek Church. The whole country has most miserably declined in wealth, intelligence, power and happiness, since it has been under Turkish rule. MODERN GREECE. This country is joined to the south of Turkey in Europe, and consists of the peninsula of Morea, the province of Livadia, the island of Negropont, and other islands. It is 200 miles long, and contains nearly one million of people. Greece is now divided into thirty governments. Of late the Greeks have been changing the Turkish names of their towns, mountains and rivers for ancient Grecian names. The principal towns of the Morea are Tripolitza, Patras, Napoli, Corinth, Navarino and Misitra the Ancient Sparta. Those of Livadia are, Athens the capital of Greece, Missolonghi and Lepanto. |