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JAPAN.

Situation and Extent.] Japan is an extensive empire, consisting of several islands, lying between 31° and 42° N. lat. and separrated from the eastern coast of Asia by the sea of Japan. The principal of these islands is Niphon, which is upwards of 700 miles long and on an average 80 broad. The two next are Sikoke and Kiu-siu. The large island of Jesso, immediately north of Niphon, has been colonised and governed by Japan, though it is scarcely reckoned an integral part of the empire. Several of the Kurile islands are also dependent on Japan. The extent of the three original islands may be computed at 90,000 square

miles.

Face of the Country.] The coasts are rocky and precipitous, and the sea which surrounds them is full of shallows and whirlpools; so that there are few parts of the shore which can be approached with safety. The general aspect of the country is rugged and mountainous. Considerable plains indeed occur in some parts; but the greater portion of the fertile territory consists only of narrow vallies; while extensive tracts are naturally barren, and are made to yield the means of subsistence only by the most unremitting industry.

Climate. In consequence of the variety of surface, the cliThe thermate is liable to extremes both of heat and cold. mometer in the southern part of the empire varies from 98° to All the 35°, and the ground is occasionally covered with snow. islands are exposed to volcanoes and earthquakes, which are often very destructive. In 1703 a part of Jedo, the capital, was swallowed up, and 100,000 persons perished.

Productions.] The mineral productions are copper, which is the finest in the world, and is the principal article of export; coal, in sufficient quantities to supply all the islands with fuel, and gold and sulphur in abundance. Pearls are also found in almost the whole circuit of the island of Sikoke. The principal vegetable products are the rhus vernix or varnish tree, affording a milky juice, with which the natives varnish, or as we call it japan, all their household furniture, dishes and plates. The mulberry tree, the tea shrub and the camphor tree are very common; and oranges, lemons, figs, apricots and peaches are abundant. Among cultivated vegetables rice takes the lead, and forms the main article of subsistence throughout the empire.

Agriculture.] Agriculture is conducted with the same care as in China. A great part of the soil indeed is hilly and irregular; but even the sides of the hills are formed by stone walls into terraces, many of which rise one above another, and are watered from reservoirs on the top.

Manufactures.] The principal manufactures are silk and cotton goods; but in the former they are excelled by the Chinese

and in the latter by the Hindoos. They excel both, however, in working metals, particularly copper and steel; and in lacquering and varnishing wood, called by us japanned ware, they are not equalled by any nation in the world.

Government.] The government presents a striking anomaly in the combined dominion of a spiritual and temporal ruler. The former, called the Dairi, was originally the sole sovereign and was regarded by his subjects almost as a divinity. This sacred character, however, obliged him to entrust the command of the army to others, and at the end of the 16th century, a distinguished general seized the whole secular power, and left to the Dairi only a shadow of dominion. The Dairi resides in the imperial city of Meaco, and has the revenue of the surrounding district al lotted to him for the support of his establishment. The secular emperor is called Cubo Sama, and resides in pomp at Jedo. His power is absolute. The provinces are governed by princes who are appointed by the emperor, and whose power is also absolute. Revenue and Army.] The revenue has been estimated at £28,000,000. The army maintained by the emperor is stated at 100,000 foot and 20,000 horse, while nearly triple that amount is kept on foot by the various princes and governors. Japan, however, is seldom engaged in foreign war, being separated from its neighbors by seas which neither party is in the habit of navigating.

Population and Religion.] The population is variously estimated from 15 to 30 millions. They are of Mongol origin, and in their religion and many of their customs they bear a strong resemblance to the Chinese.

Christianity Christianity was introduced into Japan by the Portuguese missionaries, about the middle of the sixteenth century, and at one time they counted a large number of converts, but the jealousy of the government being at length excited, orders were given that every missionary should leave the island, and at the same time a system of the most cruel persecution was commenced against their converts which lasted from 1590 to 1630, when the Portuguese and their religion were finally rooted out of Japan. This event is now annually celebrated in all the seaports, by publicly trampling under foot the cross and all the Cathlic images.

Chief Towns.] Jedo, the capital, is situated on the east side of the island of Niphon, at the head of a great bay, in lat. 36° N. It is the residence of the secular emperor, and is scarcely surpassed in magnificence by any city in Asia. All the princes and great men are obliged to make it their residence for half the year. It is the seat of an extensive commerce, and contains many flourishing manufactures. The population is estimated at 1,000,000.

Meaco, the ecclesiastical capital, is situated about 200 miles W. S.W. of Jedo, in a spacious plain, which is surrounded by moun tains and almost entirely formed into fine gardens, interspersed with temples, monasteries, and mausoleums. Meaco is the centre of all the literature and science of Japan. A number of the

finer manufactures, particularly japan-work, painting, carving, &c. are carried on here in greater perfection than in any other part of the empire. The population is said to be 530,000, of whom 52,000 are monks and nuns.

Nangasaki is a large sea-port, situated at the S. W. extremity of the island of Kiu-siu, and is the only point of the empire at which Europeans are permitted to carry on any trade. This permission is now entirely confined to the Dutch, who are allowed moreover to traffic only on a small scale, and under the most rigorous restrictions. They are confined to a small island, only 600 feet long and 120 broad, immediately adjoining the town of Nangasaki. It is also surrounded by a wall and has two gates, one of which, looking to the town, is always well guarded by the Japanese, and locked at night; the other looks to the harbor, and is open only when vessels are taking or discharging their cargoes. Literature.] The Japanese are an intelligent and inquisitive people and acquire knowledge with great facility. They possess the art of printing; and engraving is also practised, though in a style inferior to that of Europe. The history of their own country is written with great care. Poetry is a favorite pursuit and they are passionately fond of music. They have extensive works on botany and zoology illustrated by plates. They are acquainted with the geography of the neighboring countries, and have accurate maps of Japan. They have also translated several European geographical works into their own language.

Character.] The people of Japan strongly resemble the Chipese in their external appearance, but in their moral qualities and dispositions they form a striking contrast. Energy, pride and a lofty sense of honor are prominent features. A general tone of frankness and good faith reigns in their deportment. Theft and fraud are said to be more rare than among almost any other nation. A disdain of mercantile occupations is a feature which they share with the nobility of Europe. The obligations of friendship and of social attachment are carried even to a romantic height. There is scarcely any peril to which a Japanese will not expose himself to serve or defend his friend. They are naturally of a kind and friendly disposition, and remarkably easy and courteous in their manners, but they cannot brook an insult, and many die by their own hands to avoid living in disgrace.

Manners and Customs.] The Japanese manners and customs are in many respects directly the reverse of those of Europeans. When we take off our hat, they take off their shoes; we rise up to receive a visitor, they sit down; we dislike to see a man's head bald, while they are at the greatest pains to extirpate the hair, leaving only a small tuft on the crown. They eat on the ground, upon mats of palm leaves, without either cloth, towel, knife or fork, but with two pieces of wood or ivory, which they use so skilfully that not a crumb falls to the ground. The dress consists af loose robes of silk or cotton, and this fashion has continued without alteration for two thousand years.

Commerce. The people of Japan are even more averse to foreign intercourse than the Chinese. The empire was discovered in 1542, and the Portuguese immediately sent ships and formed a commercial connection with it, while their missionaries at the same time came hither with the view of converting the natives. This intercourse continued till the government, suspecting the missionaries were carrying on a plan for the subversion of the empire, commenced a persecution which ended in the extermination or expulsion from the island of all the Portuguese. They were succeeded, however, by the Dutch, who engaged, if they were allowed to trade,to interfere in no shape with the religion or government of the state. They at first carried on business to a great extent, and made very large profits, but restrictions have since been continually multiplying, till the annual profits are now less than £30,000, and if we deduct the losses at sea on this tempes tuous coast, the expences of the establishment at Nangasaki, and those of an annual mission to the emperor, they will be reduced below £20,000. In 1795 the merchants had determined to represent to the emperor that it was no longer an object for them to continue the intercourse, and that unless a free trade were allowed, they would immediately withdraw themselves. Beginning to consider, however, that they would infallibly be taken at their word, and would lose all the little profit they made, they judged it most advisable to remain quiet. The Russians have made repeated attempts to open an intercourse with Japan, but their applications have always been rejected, the Japanese being peculiarly jealous of the Russians and the English. The imports into Japan consist of sugar, coffee, spices, glass, iron-ware, lead, tin, and India goods. Of the returns, nine tenths are made in copper; to which is added lacquered ware and some other trifles.

ASIATIC ISLANDS.

Name and Situation.] The term Asiatic islands is applied by way of distinction to those islands which lie between New Holland and New Guinea on the S. E. and Asia on the N. W. They include 5 groups, viz. 1. The isles of Sunda, the principal of which are Sumatra, Java, Banca and Timor. 2. Borneo, and the small isl ands adjacent. 3. The Philippine islands, the principal of which are Lucon and Magindanao. 4. Celebes, 5. The Spice islands or Moluccas, the principal of which is Gilolo.

Situation of the Groups.] Borneo and Celebes are in the centre; the Philippine islands in the north; the Spice islands in the east, between Celebes and New Guinea; and the isles of Sunda in the south. The China sea separates these islands from the continent.

1. THE ISLES OF SUNDA.

SUMATRA, the most westerly of the Sunda isles, is about 700 miles long from N. W. to S. E. and the area is commonly estimated at 180,000 square miles. The equinoxial line passes nearly through the centre. It is separated from the peninsula of Malaya by the straits of Malacca, and from the island of Java, by the straits of Sunda. A ridge of mountains extends through the whole length of the island, the highest summit of which, called Mount Ophir, rises in the middle of the island to the height of 3,482 feet above the level of the sea. The climate is not so hot as would naturally be expected, the thermometer seldom rising above 85°. The soil is fertile and produces in abundance all the richest fruits of the torrid zone. The productions of most value for exportation are pepper, gold dust and camphor.

The population has been estimated at 4.500,000. The inhabitants on the coast are Malays; but those in the interior are cannibals, and it is said devour their friends as well as their enemies. When a man becomes aged and infirm, he invites his children and friends to come and eat him. He ascends a tree, round which his friends assemble, and join in a funeral dirge, the import of which is "The season is come, the fruit is ripe, and must descend." After this the old man descends, and is eaten by his children.

The principal places on the island in the possession of Europeans are Bencoolen, a British settlement on the western coast, in lat. 3° 50' S.; Padang, a Dutch settlement, in lat. 0° 48′ S.; and Palembang, also a Dutch settlement, and the capital of a kingdom of the same name, lying in the S. E. part of the island, along the straits which separate Sumatra from Banca.

JAVA is a large island lying S. W. of Sumatra, between 6° and 9° S. lat. It is 642 miles long from E. to W. and the area is estimated at 52,000 square miles. The island is divided nearly in its whole length by a range of mountains running E. and W. and rising to its greatest height near the centre. The northern coast is low and swampy, and intersected by a number of rivers and fine bays; but the south coast, as far as it has been explored, rises into high and rugged hills and is almost inaccessible. The climate along the northern coast is hot and sultry, the thermometer at Batavia seldom falling below 76° of Fahrenheit, but in the high country of the interior it frequently descends to 60° and all the common productions of Europe may here be cultivated with success. Java possesses a soil of extraordinary fertility, and in no part of the world is vegetation more luxuriant. The staple production is rice, which is cultivated along the whole northern coast, and is brought to Batavia, and exported in great quantities. Sugar, to the amount of 10 million pounds annually, is made as well for home consumption as for exportation. Most of the sugar mills are owned by the Chinese. Pepper, indigo, cotton and coffee are also raised in great abundance and perfection.