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part of the elevated region in question; that is, between Persia and China, which are so situated as to receive the supplies of rain brought by the southerly monsoons 9.

To conclude the subject of the high level—there are several ramifications of it that extend eastward and north-eastward, to the Eastern ocean; in particular, one at the gulf of Korea, above Pekin: and another at the gulf, or sea, of Ochotz, opposite Kamschatka: one of those may be taken for the final termination of Taurus, eastward. That point, however, in the idea of the ancients, occupied the same parallel with Rhodes and the Caspian strait; and nearly the same meridian with the mouth of the Ganges; the continent of Asia being supposed to terminate there.

The reader will naturally conclude, that, in the above description, a very general idea only is intended; and that many tracts of high land, as well as plains, are purposely omitted, as being of little importance to the general result, whilst they might render it less intelligible. Such is the tract of high land in the south of India, separated from the high region, by the great valley of the Ganges; that also which divides India from China; and others in China and Siberia. Our aim was chiefly to explain the circumstances of Western Asia, and particularly that part which was the most relevant to the subject

This ought not to excite surprise, when it is known that the quantity of rain which falls within the tract of the monsoons, is, in most instances, double, and in some triple, the quantity that falls in England.

of our Author. It may not, however, be useless to account for the opposite courses of the great waters of Siberia, and those of Russia, between the parallels of 45° and 60°: that is, the Siberian waters run to the north, the Russian to the south. In effect, the Siberian waters not only originate from a higher level than the others, but continue their courses along a descent, which is in every part higher, until it approaches the frozen sea. So that the whole of Siberia occupies a higher level than Russia, and the Southern Steppe; whilst the declivities of the two levels are in opposite directions, and would, if produced, intersect each other's plane: the Siberian level declining to the north, the Russian to the south (from the parallel of 60°); so that the former is exposed, throughout its whole extent, to the northern blasts; the latter is in part sheltered.

Another circumstance respecting this level, appears worthy of consideration. It has already appeared in this and other parts of the work, that the whole body of Eastern Asia, from the southern front of mount Emodus, which overlooks India, to the neighbourhood of the frozen sea, stands on a higher level than the western part; and that the western border of this high level is mount Imaus, which is continued under various names, through the Great Steppe'; and thence northward to the coast opposite Nova-Zembla (which may itself, be regarded as a continuation of the chain). So that the

1 The rampart of Gog and Magog was near the foot of these

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border of this level lies in a direction not very far from the meridian, for the space of 40 degrees at least, from the heads of the Ganges, to Waygat's Straits.

There is also reason to suspect that China is on a higher level than the lands on the west. It is well known, from the improvements in modern geography, that the high region of Thibet, &c. adjoins to China on the west; and that from it a mountainous ridge, or region, extends south or south-eastwards, separating the Peninsula of India beyond the Ganges, from China. The great waters of China all run to the east; those of the Peninsula to the south; a strong indication of different levels, and it cannot well be supposed that China is the lowest of the two, when the astonishing length of course of the Kian Keu is considered; and moreover that China is a colder region than India, in corresponding parallels.

SECTION IX.

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THE SUBJECT OF ASIA, CONTINUED.

Brief Description of the four Regions of Asia, by HerodotusObservations on his Arrangement—His error in the relative Positions of the four Seas, the Mediterranean, Euxine, Caspian, and Persian, to each other-continued to the time of Strabo -Source of it-This error, one principal cause of the Wanderings of the Ten Thousand-Error of Herodotus in appreciating the Breadth of the Isthmus of Natolia-His ideas respecting the Positions of Persia, Media, Assyria, and Arabia-The latter given under too confined Limits, by most of the Ancients -Aria, Bactriana, Parthia-Caspian Sea, properly described as a Lake-its Hydrography corrected-Great Plain in Asia described-Aria Palus, the Lake of Zurrah-Sarangæans, or People of Sigistan-Erythræan, or Indian Sea-Arabian and Persian Gulfs, Members of it-Arabian Gulf first took the name of Erythræan, or Red; and the last that has preserved it-Erythræans, the same as Tyrians-Euxine Sea-Errors of Herodotus respecting its Dimensions-compared in Form to a Scythian Bow—Its Hydrography corrected-Principal Rivers in Western Asia-Gyndes divided by Cyrus-The Araxes of Herodotus meant for the Jaxartes.

AFTER the long digression from the immediate matter of our Author's work, at the conclusion of the last section, we proceed to give his short description of the several regions of Asia, known to him: reserving, however, the detail of the TWENTY SATRAPIES of DARIUS HYSTASPES, for a separate investigation.

Herodotus sets out with describing FOUR REGIONS in ASIA; Melpom. 37, et seq.

I. The FIRST region included the space between the two seas, the gulf of Persia and the eastern part of the Euxine; and contained" the region occupied by the Persians, which extends southward to the Red sea: (i. e. the Erythræan or Indian sea.) Beyond these, to the north, are the Medes: and next to them the Sapirians. Contiguous to the latter, and where the Phasis empties itself into the northern sea (Euxine), are the Colchians. These four nations occupy the space between the two seas 1."

II. "From hence to the west, Two tracts of land stretch themselves towards the sea: the one on the north side commences at the Phasis 2, and extends to the sea, along the Euxine and the Hellespont, as far as the Sigeum of Troy. On the south side, it begins at the Marandynian bay3, contiguous to Phoenicia; and is continued to the sea, as far as the Triopian Promontory. This space of country is inhabited by 30 different nations." Melpom. 38.

1

It may be proper to advertise the reader, in this place, that Herodotus supposes the Phasis to be nearly under the same meridian as the head of the gulf of Persia.

2 Here we have a proof that the Asia of Herodotus did not extend to the northward of the river Phasis. The proof is rendered more strong by the whole context of the chapters 37, 38, 39.

3 This ought to be the Myriandrian bay, or bay of Myriandrus in other words, the gulf of Issus. Marandynia was a part of Bithynia, and extended along the Euxine.

This was the Promontory of Asia Minor, opposite to the island of Coos. The territory of Cnidus was named Triopium: Clio, 174. There was a temple consecrated to Apollo, on the promontory of Triope, where games were celebrated; Clio, 144.

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