CHAPTER II. INTRODUCTION Continued.

-About History

and Geography, and other matters.

1. I SUPPOSE you have often met with the words History and Geography. History is the story of mankind since the world was created, and may be compared to an old man who has lived nearly six thousand years, and who has seen cities built and fall into decay; who has seen nations rise, flourish, and disappear; and who, with a memory full of wonderful things, sits down to tell you of all that has happened during so many ages.

Geo

2. Geography, as I have before said, is a description of towns, rivers, mountains, and countries,-the things which a traveller sees in going from one place to another. graphy, then, may be compared to a man who has been all over the world, in ships, stage-coaches, and steamboats; and who has come back to give us an account of all he has seen.

3. You will see, then, that History is a record of events that have happened, and that Geography tells you of the places where they happened. In order to understand the former, you must know something of the latter. In this little book I shall therefore sometimes put on the old greybeard of history, who has lived for thousands of years, and tell you of what has come to pass; and sometimes I shall take you, as it were, in a balloon or ship, and carry you to the places where the events I relate have occurred.

4. I shall, in the progress of my story, tell you how the first man and woman were made, how they had a large family, how these increased and spread themselves throughout different countries. I shall tell you of great nations that have existed, of great battles that have been fought, and of the deeds of celebrated persons.

5. But, before I proceed, I must remind you that the world is round, and that men and animals live upon the

surface; that the face of the earth is divided into land and water; that on the land, trees, grass, herbs, and flowers, grow; that on the land, men and animals dwell; that on the land, towns, cities, and villages are built.

6. A high piece of land, you know, is called a mountain or hill; a low piece of land is called a valley. You often see water running in a stream through a valley, which is called a river; and you sometimes see a still piece of water, surrounded by hills, which is called a lake.

7. About one-third of the face of the earth is land, and two-thirds are water. The land is divided into two great continents: the eastern continent consists of Europe, Africa, and Asia; the western of North and South America.

QUESTIONS. 1. What is history? To what may it be compared? -2. What is geography? -3. To what may it be compared? -4. What is the shape of the earth? Where do men and animals live ? -5. How is the face of the land divided? What grow upon the land? What live upon the land? What are built upon the land? -6. What is a mountain or hill? A valley? A river? Lake? -7. What portion of the world is land? What water? the land divided? What of the eastern continent?

How is The western?

CHAPTER III.

INTRODUCTION continued.

-How the

World is divided into Land and Water.

1. I HAVE said that about two-thirds of the face of the earth are covered with water. This water is one vast salt sea, and to different parts of it are given different

names.

2. That part which lies between Europe and America is called the Atlantic Ocean, and is about three thousand miles wide; that part which lies between Asia and America is called the Pacific Ocean, and is about ten thousand miles wide. There are many other names given to other parts of the great salt sea.

3. Ships sail from one country to another upon the water, and in this way a great deal of trade, or commerce, is carried on. But as mankind live on the land, my stories will chiefly relate to what has happened on the land.

4. I suppose you have heard people speak of the four quarters of the world. By this they mean Europe, Asia,. Africa, and America. Besides these, there are a great. many pieces of land encircled by water, called islands.

5. In the Pacific Ocean there are many of these, the inhabitants of which are very numerous. These islands are considered as a fifth division of the world, which division is called Oceania.

6. Now what I am going to tell you has happened in these different parts of the world. In order to understand my stories, it is necessary you should look over the Maps which are given in this book. These will show you where the different countries are, about which I am going to speak.

QUESTIONS. 1. What of the great mass of water that covers two-thirds of the earth ?- -2. What of the Atlantic Ocean? The Pacific? -3. What of ships? What of the land? --4. What are the four quarters of the world? What is an island?. 5. What of Oceania ?

CHAPTER IV. INTRODUCTION continued.About the Inhabitants of Asia, Africa, and other Countries.

Kraals, or Huts, of African Savages.

1. BEFORE I proceed further, I must tell you that Asia is a vast country with a multitude of cities, occupied by a great many different nations, or tribes of people.

2. The principal of these tribes are the Tartars, who wander from place to place, and dwell chiefly in tents; the Arabs, who have large flocks of camels and fine horses, with which they roam over the desert; the Hindoos, or inhabitants of India, who travel about on elephants, and worship idols; the Persians, who are very fond of poetry, and have splendid palaces; the Chinese, from whom we get tea; and the Turks, who sit on cushions instead of chairs.

3. The whole population of Asia is about four hundred millions, which is about one-half the number of the inhabitants of the whole globe.

4. Africa, you know, is the native land of the negroes. It has a few large cities, but the whole number of people is but sixty millions.