refugees, and other mechanics and husbandmen, whom the court of Ruffia fent thither. They have planted vineyards, and make several forts of wine, and are about planting mulberry-trees, in order to fet up a filk-manufacture in the country about Aftracan.

Perfons of the Tartars.] The Tartars, as to ftature, are generally thick and fhort, having flat fquare faces, little eyes fet deep in their heads, little round fhort noses, and an olive complexion. Their beards are scarce visible, as they continually thin them by pulling the hairs up by the roots.

They eat all manner of fleth but hogs-flefh, and delight most in horfe-flefh. Their drink is water or mares milk, and fometimes fpirits. They are exceeding hospitable, and take a pleasure in entertaining firangers.

Siberia.] Moft of the Tartars of Afia inhabit the country now called Siberia, and are fubject to Ruffia. The vaft country of Siberia, the ancient Scythia, extends from the river Tobol to the Pacific ocean, in which are a multitude of hords, or tribes, that have fubmitted to the Ruffian empire, particularly the Calmucks, who are as numerous as any of them. There are fcarce any independent Tartar nations at prefent. Thofe of Thibet, and fome of the Mongul Tartars, on the foutheaft, are the only people almost that acknowledge no fuperior.

Ufbec Tartary.] The Ufbec Tartars, who were the richest and most powerful of all the Tartar nations, were fubdued by Kouli Kan, and made tributary to Perfia. This country is fituate in a very happy climate, and fruitful foil; and carries on a very brisk trade between the caftern and western countries of Afia. This was the country of the victorious Tamerlane, who fubdued most of the kingdoms of Afia; and fome of his defcendents were fovereigns of this country very lately. Samercand was the capital city in the reign of Tamerlane, but at prefent Bochara is the capital, which had a flourishing trade till it was plundered by Kouli Kan.

Circaffia.] The Tartars of Circaffia, which lie upon the coafts of the Black fea, frequently put themselves under the protection of Ruffa, as the Calmucks do; but it is a very precarious dominion the Ruffians have over a people that are perpetually rambling from place to place, and own themselves fubjects to any power that lies next them, as long as it is for their convenience only.

The women of this country are esteemed great beauties, and are remarkable for their wit and addrefs. The feraglios of the Grand Signior, the Sultans, and great officers, are generally furnished with these women; who are purchafed when young, by merchants, and taught fuch accomplishments as render them more engaging, and inhance their value.

Religion.] The religion of moft of the Tartars is Paganifm; they worfhip the planets, and a variety of images, in the north part of the country. Those that lie near the Mahometan countries are usually Mahometans. and there are a great many Chriftians in Circaffia, and the adjacent countries. The Pagans have no temples, but worthip in groves, and on the tops of mountains; and though they have many monstrous images, they acknowledge one fupreme being, the creator of heaven and earth. The Ruffian miffionaries of Tobolski boaft they have converted many thousands of them, and made them good members of the Great church.

Curiofities

Curiofities.] Among the curiofities of this country, we may reckon the tombs that have lately been discovered about Tobolfki, in which were found images of gold and filver, rings, and uncommon coins; from whence it is conjectured, that this country was anciently poffeffed by a people that made a greater figure than thefe Tartars do at prefent. Coins.] As to their coins, the Ruffians being fovereigns of much the greatest part of Tartary, to which they have given the name of Siberia, the Ruffian coins are current there; but many of their tribes scarce know what money means, but truck and barter their skins and furs, and other produce of their country, with their fouthern neighbours, for cloaths and other neceffaries.

The Indian and Oriental ISLANDS are,

HE Ladrone islands.

THE

2. The Japan islands. 3. The Philippine iflands. 4. The Moluccas and Amboyna. 5. The Banda iflands. 6. The islands of Celebes, Gilolo, Ceram, &c. which furro nd the Moluccas and Banda islands, 7. The Sunda iflands of Borneo, Sumatra, and Java, and thofe that lie to the eastward of Java, Bally, Lomboe, Timor, &c. 8. The Nicobar. 9. The Andaman islands. 10. The Maldiva islands. And, 11. The island of Ceylon.

II. Ceylon, or the Cinnamon Ceylon proper, Candy, E. Lon.

ifland, fituate fouth-east of the Hither India, between 78 and 82 degrees E. Lon.

and between 6 and 10 N. Ramanakoiel, Lat.

79. N. Lat. 8. Columbo, E.Lon.

78. N. Lat. 7. Ramanakoiel.

Ladrones.] The Ladrones, or Marian islands, are about 12 in number. Guam, the largeft, is 40 miles long, and 12 broad. Here the Spaniards have a fort, and a fmall garrifon of 30 or 40 men. Most fhips touch here in their voyages from Mexico to the Eaft Indies. They were discovered by Magellan, in his voyage to the fpice-iflands in India, by the weft, in the year 1521. They are remarkable for producing a fruit as big as a foot-ball, which yields a foft pulp like the crumb of a white loaf, and is therefore called Bread-fruit by fea

men.

Their fwift-failing floops is another peculiarity, with which they fail 24 miles in an hour. One of them that was dispatched to Manila in the Philippine islands, performed the voyage in four days, being 1200 miles. It was at the little ifland of Tinian, which is fituate north of Guam, that Lord Anfon first touched, after his paffing the Pacific ocean, in his voyage round the world; where he found great refreshments, the ifland (though uninhabited) abounding in cattle, fruits, tc.

Japan.] The Japan islands are fituate about 150 miles east of China, in a molt defirable climate, and are bleffed with a fruitful foil, which produces the fame fort of grain and fruits as China does. They are moft remarkable for the plenty of gold duft that is to be met with here, and their Japan cabinets, or lacquered ware, and skreens. They traffic only with the Chinese and the Dutch. All other Christians but the Dutch have been excluded from a fhare in this trade ever fince the year 1630. The Portuguese had, till then, the chief trade to Japan; and had, as they relate, converted great part of the nation to Chriftia Ff 4

nity;

nity; but being charged with a confpiracy to ufurp the government, upon their preaching up the Pope's fupremacy, they and their numerous Chriftian profelytes were maffacred, or banifhed the islands; and the Dutch only fuffered to trade thither, on their declaring they were no Chriftians, or perhaps on the merit of fupplanting, and affifting in expelling the Portuguefe; for it is impoffible that the Japanese can be ig norant that the Dutch profefs Christianity, as they trade to China; and we find the Japanese use as much caution in their commerce with the Dutch, as if they were really Christians.

At the feafon the Dutch fleet is expected, the governor of Nangafaque places centinels on the hills, to give notice of the approach of any ships. When they appear, a boat is fent off to every fhip, with a waiter or officer; and as foon as the fhips come to an anchor, an exprefs is immediately difpatched to court, before whose return the Dutch may not difpofe of any thing.

In the mean time the particulars of every fhip's cargo are taken, with the name, age, ftature, and office, of every man on board, which is tranflated and printed in the Japanese language. When the express is returned, the fhip's crew are permitted to come on fhore, and are all mustered before a Japanese commiffary; and every perfon is called over aloud, and made to give an account of his age, quality, and office, to fee if it agrees with the particulars given in by the Dutch. After this examination they are fent on board again, and the fails of the fhip, with the guns, arms, ammunition, and helm, are brought on fhore, and the hatches fealed down by a Japanese officer; nor can they be opened, whatever the fhip's crew want, without a permiffion from the governor, who always fends a perfon to fee what is taken out, and feal them down again: nor dare the Dutch failors light a candle, or make any noife on board their fhips, any more than on fhore. The fhips are allowed no communication with one another: nor is any officer or failor fuffered to go on fhore, except the perfons who are appointed to carry the company's prefent to the King of Yeddo. His Majefty having accepted the prefent, and prepared another for the company, the Dutch officer is conveyed to Nangafaque, under a ftrong guard as he came. This journey, and the tranfacting their mercantile affairs, ufually take up about three months and a half.

The Dutch who attend the King on this occafion approach him on their knees, with their hands joined together, and carried to their foreheads, as the Japanese governors and minifters alfo do.

While the Dutch hips lie in the road, none of the Japanese are allowed to go on board them to trade with the failors; and those that carry provifions on board are not fuffered to take any money for them till the permiflion to trade comes from court, and then they deliver in their accounts, and are paid. After this the Japanese permit fix perfons from every veffel to come on fhore, and buy and fell for themselves, and stay four days, either in Difnia, or in the city, as they fee fit. When thele fix men return on board, fix others are allowed to go on fhore, and trai fic in like manner, and fo on.

The goods are generally paid for in bullion, or pieces of filver of ten or five crowns value, or fmaller pieces, by weight; for they have no roin, except fome little pieces of copper.

After fix weeks free trade, there is no further communication allowed