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portable prayer wheel; trading Haji, from Yarkand; Indian fanatics; Sikh merchants, &c., &c.

In Turkestan proper, to the W., or Independent Tartary, are the nomadic tribes of the Kirghis, in the N. and N.E.; and the wandering Usbecks or Turcomans in the S.; here the chief beast of burden is the camel, by means of which cottons, woollens, hardware and tea are imported.

The religion is Mahommedan, and the government of the Khans despotic.

In Tibet we find the Yak, the silky hair of which is used for lace; there are also very fine woolled sheep, which animal is also used as a beast of burden in the high passes.

The religion is Buddhism or Lamaism, prayers being repeated by revolving cylinders containing the written petitions.

AFGHANISTAN.

BOUNDARIES. On the N., by the Bokhara, having the Hindoo Koosh Mts. for the boundary for part of the frontier. On the S., by Beloochistan. On the E., by the Solyman Mts., and on the W., by Persia. The whole includes an area of about 224,000 sq. miles.

MOUNTAINS.-On the N. are the Hindoo Koosh, running from the Table-land of Pamir on the E. continuously to the W.,-first as the Paropamisus Mts., then as the Elburz. On the E. are the Solyman Mts. running to the N. and S., having the famous Kyber Pass (30 miles long) to the N., in which the retreating British were cut off, 1841-2; and the Gomul Pass in the centre. The country rises from the desert in the S.W. towards the Hindoo Koosh and Solyman Mts., to the N. and E.

RIVERS.―These are,-the Cabool in the N.E., a tributary of the Indus, rising on the Southern flanks of the Hindoo Koosh and flowing E.; the Lara in the S., flowing W.; besides the Helmund and many others emptying themselves into L. Seistan or L. Hamoon, in the S.W.

DIVISIONS.-Herat, in the W.; Cabool, in the N.E.; Candahar in the centre and S.

TOWNS.-Cabool, in the upper valley of the river of the same name; Ghuznee, to the S.; Candahar and Herat, the capitals of the provinces of the same name; Looshak, on the E. shore of L. Seistan; Jelabad, near the Kyber Pass, gallantly defended by Sale, in 1842. GENERAL REMARKS.-The Afghans are exceedingly warlike, as was proved to our cost in 1842, when the British forces were expelled from Cabool; and at the storming by us of the fort of Ghuznee. The population amounts to about 5,000,000, most of whom are nomadic, the camel, mule and ass being the beasts of burden. The religion is Mahommedan. The manufactures are chiefly confined to the towns, and consist of sword blades and silk and woollen stuffs.

BELOOCHISTAN.

On the

BOUNDARIES. On the N., by Afghanistan. S., by the Arabian S. and G. of Oman, On the E., by Scinde, the Kala Mts. forming the boundary for part of the frontier. On the W., Persia. The total area is about 160,000 sq. miles, of which the N. and the coast-line are desert.

MOUNTAINS.-On the E. are the Kala Mts., running N. and S.; through the centre, running E. and W., are the Washutee Mts. The whole interior is thought to be more or less mountainous.

RIVERS. These are few and unimportant. Flowing to the S. are, the Nagor, Sirrao, and Bunth.

DIVISIONS. The country is divided among the two tribes of the Beloochees (like the Persians), and the Brahooee (like the Hindoos).

TOWNS.-Kelat the capital, 1,000 ft. above the sea. The geography of Hindostan, and further India, has been already given in The Pupil Teacher's Year Book for year III. British Colonies.

The Independent or partly Dependent States include:

:

TRAVANCORE, in the S.W. of the peninsula of India, having Trevandrum for its capital.

MYSORE, in the S. of the Deccan, with a capital of the same name, near which is Seringapatam strongly fortified.

The NIZAM'S DOMINIONS lie to the N., between the Tapty and Krishna, having Hyderabad for the capital. Besides, are Aurungabad and Golconda, the latter famous for diamonds.

The GUICOWAR'S DOMINIONS form the peninsula of Guzerat-capital Baroda.

The SCINDIA'S DOMINIONS are in the valley of the Chumbul; the capital is the strong fortress and city of Gwalior.

RAJPOOTANA is the desert region E. of Scinde.

CASHMERE is a fertile valley region to the N.E. of the Punjaub, having a capital of the same name on the Jelum, 5,000 ft. above the sea, where the famous Cashmere shawls are manufactured.

NEPAUL, on the S. slopes of the Himalayas-capital Katmandoo.

BHOTAN, also on the S. of the Himalayas. but E. of Nepaul, from which it is separated by the little state of Sikkim.

BURMAH is bounded on the W. by Aracan and Assam; on the E. by China and Siam, in the basin of the Irrawady and its tributary the Kiaynduan; and contains about 4,000,000 people. The chief towns are,-Ava, the capital, near which is Amarapura, both on the Irrawady; Patanago, Yandabo, and Bhamo all on the same river. Rice is the principal article of food.

SIAM lies on the shores of the gulf of the same name and in the valley of the Meinam. The chief towns are, Bangkok, the capital, near the mouth of the Meinam; and Yuthia. Rice, sugar, and cocoa are cultivated; and gamboge and lac exported.

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ANAM, along the shores of the Chinese S., having Tonquin on the N., Cambodia on the S., and Cochin

China in the centre. The chief towns are,-Huê, the capital; Tonquin, and Saigon, belonging to the French.

CHINESE EMPIRE.

BOUNDARIES.-The Chinese Empire includes China Proper, Corea, and Mantchooria on the N.E., Mongo lia on the N., and a decaying sway over the districts of Central Asia on the W.

China Proper is bounded on the N., by Mantchooria and Mongolia. On the E., by the G. of Pecheli, the Whang Hai (Yellow S.), the Tung Hai (Eastern S.), Fokien and Formosa Channels, and the China S. On the S., by Anam and Burmah; and on the W., by Tibet.

MOUNTAINS. The western frontier consists of the mountainous region fringing the E. side of the Table1 nd of Tibet, in which are the Yanling Mts.; the Peling are continued to the E., while the E. portion is generally flat.

RIVERS. The chief rivers are, the Peiho, flowing into the G. of Pecheli; the Hoangho, flowing first to the E. from its source in the plateau of Tibet, then N., afterwards E., then S.E.; the still longer Yang-tsekiang, rising still farther W., and flowing to the S.E. and N.E., (receiving as tributaries the Min, Oo, Yuen, Heng, Han, and Kankiang); and the Chookiang or Canton R.

TOWNS.-Pekin (1 million souls) near the Peiho R.; Nankin (million souls), on the Yang-tse-Kiang; Kingti-chiang, famous for porcelain; and the free ports of Canton, Ningpo, Amoy, Hankow, Foochoo, and Shang. hai, Swatow, Tientsin and others.

GENERAL REMARKS.-The climate is extreme in the N. (cold) and S. (hot); and typhoons (rotatory whirlwinds) are destructive off the coasts. The population is so dense (414 millions) that the most has to l made of the soil, and rice, tobacco, wheat, indig cotton, flax, and sugar, are largely grown. The dom. inant race is Tartar, but Taeping rebels are devast、 ating scourges

MANTCHOORIA is separated from Siberia by part of the Amoor and the Ussuri R. flowing into it. In the W. are the Khinghan Mts. The population numbers about 3 millions, the only towns of any size being Mookden and Ningouta.

COREA.-This is a peninsula on the E. coast opposite the islands of Japan, and enclosing the Whang Hai on the E.

MONGOLIA lies between China Proper and Siberia, being bounded by Mantchooria on the E., and forms the greater part of the Desert of Gobi. The northern drainage is into the Yenesei and Amoor and the recipient lakes met with there.

JAPAN.

BOUNDARIES.-The Japanese islands comprise Yesso, Kiusiu, Niphon, Sikok, Iturup, and the Loo Choo Ids., to the S., lying in the Pacific O. They form a chain in continuation of the Kurile Ids. on the Ñ., and Formosa and the Philippines on the S.; being separated from the mainland of Asia by the S. of Japan, and from the Id. of Saghalien by Perouse St. Between Yesso and Niphon is the St. of Matsmai.

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MOUNTAINS. The islands are generally mountainous, and near Yeddo is a volcano, Fusijama, 15,000 ft. high. TOWNS. The capitals are-Yeddo, which belongs to the Tycoon, or temporal governor; and near it is Miako, belonging to the Mikado, or spiritual governor. In addition are—Osaka, Hakodadi, Kangawa, and Nagasaki.

AFRICA.

BOUNDARIES.—Africa is bounded on the N., by the Mediterranean S. On the W., by the Atlantic O. On the E., by the Isthmus of Suez (75 miles across), the Red Sea, and Indian O. On the S., by the Atlantic and Indian O. Its greatest length is from N. to S. (5,200 miles); its greatest breadth from E. to W.

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