on the eastern coast of Africa. It is used as a beast of draught and barda Its flesh is inferior to common beef, but the hump is fat and delicate. Tr

animal is as large as a common ox, and of a slaty gray color. Besides the above, this quarter of the world possesses the lion, leopard, ounce, various sorts of deer and antelopes, the camel and dromedary, the buffalo, jackal, wolf, &c. The Arabian horse is the most beautiful of his species, and in Upper Asia there are vast troops of wild horses.

11. BIRDS. The Peacock is the most magnificent of the whole feathered creation. It was introduced into Europe from the south of Asia more than

2000 years ago. It lives about 20 years, and does not acquire its beautiful plumage till 3 years of age.

The Golden Pheasant is a very beautiful bird about 3 feet in length: its plumage is variegated with tints of gold, orange, green, yellow, black, white, and crimson. It is a native of China.

The Cassowary is a native of Chin India and the East India Islands. Like the ostrich it does not fly, but uses its wings as an assistance in running. The description of many other birds must be omitted for want of room.

12. REPTILES AND FISHES. The Anaconda is most common in Ceylon, and is the most terrible of all reptiles. He is of sufficient size and strength to destroy an ox or a tiger. The Great Boa, is sometimes 30 feet in length. The Pearl Oyster is found in great abundance on the west coast of Ceylon, where a valuable pearl fishery is carried on. The divers descend to the bottom by the weight of heavy stones and bring up the oysters in baskets. The fisheries are rented yearly. They employ above 6,000 men, and have sometimes yielded 850,000 dollars in a single year.

Where the bed is rich, a diver often puts upwards of 150 oysters into his basket at one dip; when they are thinly scattered, sometimes no more than five. After diving, a small quantity of blood usually issues from the nose and ears, which is considered as a favorable symptom, and they perform the ope

ration with greater comfort after the bleeding has commenced. They s to enjoy the labor as a pleasant pastime, and never complain of fatigue un

the banks are poor in oysters. Two divers are attached to each stone, and go down alternately. The period allotted for this operation continues from five to six hours.

1. BOUNDARIES AND EXTENT. This fifth division of the globe consists of that immense group of islands in the Indian, Pacific and Southern Oceans. It is bounded north by Asia and America, and south by the Antarctic Ocean. It is more than 8,000 miles in extent. Geographers have sometimes consi dered it under three divisions, the East India Islands, Australasia and Polynesia. The name of Oceanica was invented by Malte Brun as a proper designation for the whole archipelago.

2. OCEANS. The Indian Ocean is bounded north by Asia, east by the Sunda Islands, New Holland and the Pacific, south by the Southern Ocean, and west by Africa. The Pacific Ocean is bounded north by America and Asia, east by America, south by the Southern Ocean, and west by Asia and the cluster of islands extending south to New Holland. The Southern Ocean is bounded north by the Pacific and Indian Ocean, Africa, America and New Holland, and south by the Antarctic Ocean, which extends from the Antarctic Circle to the South pole.

3. NEW HOLLAND. This is the largest island in the world, and is thought by some geographers to deserve the name of a continent. It extends from 10° to 39 S. lat., and from 113° to 153 E. lon., 2,600 miles in length, and contains 3,000,000 square miles. Little is known of the country except the coast. A range of heights called the Blue Mountains, extends along the eastern coast, where the British have formed several settlements. Here are many tracts of rich soil, some iron, and coal mines, and a healthy climate. This portion of the country is called New South Wales. In the west of the mountains rises a river called the Macquarrie, which flows into the interior, and looses itself among marshes. There are no large rivers running into the sea, but on the eastern coast are several navigable streams. The whole northern part is low, sandy, barren and destitute of fresh water. The southern coast is lofty and precipitous. The coast is indented by several large bays. The native inhabitants appear to be the rudest and most degraded of the human species.

New South Wales is divided into four districts. Sidney, Paramatta, Hawkes bay and Newcastle. Sidney, the capital, has a fine situation and good

harbor. Pop. 8,000. The inhabitants raise different sorts of grain, and export some wool to England. The population of the whole colony is about 50,000, half of whom are convicts from Great Britain. On Swan River, on the western coast, is a settlement of about 1000, begun in 1829. Perth is the chief town.

New Holland was discovered by the Dutch in 1696. The first settlements were formed by the British at Port Jackson and Botany Bay toward the end of the 17th century.

4. VAN DIEMEN'S LAND. This island lies near the southern coast of New Holland and is 200 miles in length. It is mountainous and well watered, and has much good soil: a colony was established here by the English in 1804. Wheat is raised to a considerable extent and wool is exported to England. Hobart Town is the capital. The colony is dependent upon New South Wales.

5. NEW ZEALAND. This comprises two islands to the southeast of New Holland. They contain 90,000 square miles, and are separated by a narrow strait. The southern island is mountainous and partly barren. Both islands abound in small streams. The climate is healthy and agreeable. A great portion of the country is overgrown with forests of pine. There are a few native quadrupeds, birds and dogs. A beautiful species of fine flax grows here, and has been introduced into Europe. The natives are warlike and ferocious.

6. NEW GUINEA. This island lies north of New Holland and is 1200 miles in length. It is mountainous, but the interior is totally unknown. The shores are covered with cocoa-nut trees and the island also produces spice, sago, bread-fruit, &c. The inhabitants trade with the Chinese, who come hither to purchase birds of paradise, tortoise shell and pearls.

7. NEW CALEDONIA lies northeast of the former: it is 250 miles in length, and is mountainous. It abounds in tropical productions.

8. The SUNDA ISLANDS. Sumatra, the largest of these islands is separated by a narrow strait from the peninsula of Malacca. It is above 1000 miles long, and is intersected by the equator. A chain of high mountains, some of which are volcanic, extends through its whole length. The coasts are low, marshy, and unhealthy. Considerable gold is produced here. Pepper is raised in great quantities; the other productions are cassia, camphor, sago, rice, coffee, and fruits. The Dutch have settlements at Bencoolen, Palembang and Padang. The whole island is supposed to contain 3,000,000 inhabitants who are under the rule of a number of independent princes.

Java lies south of Sumatra, and is 650 miles in length. It is almost wholly volcanic, and is mountainous throughout its whole length: the northern coast is low and marshy, and the southern rocky and precipitous. The climate in the low parts is very unhealthy; the soil is exceedingly fertile, producing sugar, coffee, rice, pepper, spices, indigo, cotton, and fruits. In no part of the world is vegetation more luxuriant. A great portion of the island is under the government of the Dutch; the southeastern extremity is in the possession of the natives. The whole population is about 5,000,000. Batavia, the capital, was formerly a large and magnificent city, but is now much decayed. It is built on a low spot, and the streets are traversed by canals, in the manner of the cities of Holland. It has long been famed for its unhealthiness, yet it still enjoys a large commerce.

Banca, to the east of Sumatra, is 130 miles in length, and is noted for its mines of tin, which are worked by Chinese, who are settled here to the number of 10,000.

Sumbawa and Timor, lie near Java. The former contains a volcano, which, during an eruption in 1815, was heard at the distance of 900 miles.

9. The ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS, lie northwest of Sumatra, in the Bay of Bengal. They are resorted to by India ships for provision; the inhabitants of the Andamans are very savage, and apparently of African origin.

10. The islands of ST PAUL AND AMSTERDAM, lie in the southern part of the Indian Ocean, in the track of vessels bound to China. Farther south a KERGNELEN'S LAND, a barren and desolate island.

11. BORNEO. This is the largest island in the world next to New Holland, being 800 miles in length. The interior is mountainous, but almost totaly unknown; many rivers water the island, and a great part of the coast marshy. The productions are rice, sago, pepper, camphor, honey, colla, cloves, dye-woods, sandal-wood, ebony, gold, iron, tin, copper, diamonds, & The Dutch possess the western coast. The native population is estimated a 3,000,000.

12. CELEBES lies east of Borneo: it is very irregular in shape, and contains 55,000 square miles. It is mountainous, with several volcanoes. The soil is very fertile, producing rice, cotton, cloves, nutmegs, sago, ebony, &c. The Dutch have settlements at Macassar, and a few other places.

13. The MOLUCCAS, or SPICE ISLANDS. These lie east of Celebes, and consist of Amboyna, Gilolo, Ceram, Ternate, Tidore, and several others. They are small, but rocky and mountainous, and contain volcanoes. They produce nearly all the plants and trees of India with the clove and nutmeg. The Dutch have settlements here, and monopolize most of the spice trade. Amboyna, on the island of that name, is the capital, with a population of 45,000.

14. The PHILIPPINE ISLANDS lie to the north of Borneo and Celebes; they are more than a thousand in number, and 400 of these are of considerable size: they are subject to the Spaniards. The largest is Luconia or Luzon, which contains about 70,000 square miles. It is volcanic, and subject to earthquakes. The climate is moist, and the soil very rich, producing cotton, indigo, sugar, rice, tobacco, coffee, cinnamon, nutmegs, and cloves. The population in 1827 was 1,374,000. Manilla, the capital, has considerable commerce. Pop. 37,009.

The island of Mindanao is in possession of the natives, who carry on some trade with Hindoostan. The Spaniards have settlements on the coast. Sooloo, has a valuable pearl fishery.

15. The PELEW ISLANDS lie east of the Philippines. They are small, and were first made known to the world by Capt. Wilson, of the Antelope, who was wrecked here in 1783. They are not remarkable, except for the mild and simple manners of the inhabitants.

16. The CAROLINE ISLANDS are 80 in number: they compose several groups to the east of the Pelews, to which they have some resemblance in the character of the people. They are claimed by the Spaniards.

17. The LADRONES OR MARIAN ISLANDS lie north of the Carolines, and are inhabited by an active and ingenious race. Their prous or small vessels sail very swiftly, and are the admiration of sailors.

18. The NEW HEBRIDES AND SOLOMON ISLANDS, lie to the northeast of New Holland. They have a fertile soil, but are little known. There are other islands almost innumerable in this quarter, of which our limits will not admit even the names.

19. The FRIENDLY ISLANDS lie east of New Caledonia, and are more than 100 in number. The largest is Tongataboo. Most of them are fertile and populous.

20. The NAVIGATOR'S ISLANDS lie to the east of the foregoing. They are mountainous, and the shores are beset with coral reefs. They are very productive and populous.

21. The SOCIETY ISLANDS farther east, occupy nearly the centre of the Pacific Ocean. They have a good soil and climate. Otaheite, the largest, consists of two high mountains. These islands produce bread fruit, bananas, sugar-cane, sandal wood, &c. Here are several missionary establishments. 22. The MARQUESAS lie north of the above: they are mostly mountainous, and some are volcanic. The inhabitants resemble those of Otaheite.