16,500 feet above the sea, situated on the northern border of the highly fertile and beautiful country of Georgia. The latter country is, perhaps, scarcely exceeded, in the richness and variety of its vegetable productions, by any region in the globe. Watered by numberless streams flowing from the elevated range of Caucasus, and screened on the north by those mountains, the plants of tropical climates succeed in its valleys, whilst those of temperate regions flourish luxuriantly in the more elevated plains, and the sides of the mountains are adorned with magnificent forests of beech, ash, chesnut, oak, and pine. Between

Georgia and the Black Sea, is situated the ancient Colchos, now called Mingrelia and Imiretta. The interior of this tract is mountainous, but the lower parts, near the Black Sea, are remarkable for their humidity. Innumerable streams flow down into this territory from the Caucasus range, and, uniting their waters, form no less than thirty considerable rivers. This redundant moisture renders the soil and climate unfit for cultivation, but fruit-trees of every description grow spontaneously; though some species of fruit are affected by the moisture of this region, and are more juicy than well flavoured. Chesnuts, figs, and grapes, are however very fine.

The animals inhabiting the Caucasian regions include the lynx, a small species of tiger, the bear, urus, chamois, a species of ibex, and several antelopes.

Extensive mountain branches diverge to the south of the grand central line, constituting the mountain systems which support the table-lands, lying between the plains of Mesopotamia and the River Indus. At their western extremity, Koordistan presents a vast succession of hill and valley, dell and plain, of the greatest fertility, flanked by mountains of towering elevation; the summits of the great range of Zagros, which runs nearly parallel with the Euphrates and Tigris, rising to an elevation exceeding 14,000 feet above the level of the sea. The "colossal Goodrun" is said to contain a glacier, affording an inex

haustible supply of ice, with which it furnishes all Koordistan. The eastern support of this plateau is formed by the range of Solimaun, which diverges from the central line, near the Hindoo Koosh; and its southern boundary is formed by the mountains of Beloochistan.

The elevation of the plains of Persia above the level of the sea, (about 4000 feet,) renders the climate mild, and adapted to the growth of plants of temperate regions; and accordingly, we find the currant, cherry, apricot, peach, and others of our well-known cultivated fruit trees, flourishing in these plains, the peach having been obtained from thence. The celebrated wine of Shirauz bears testimony to the perfection attained by the vines of Persia; roses also grow luxuriantly, appearing in the form of trees. The cypresses of Shirauz, so famed in Oriental song, have almost entirely disappeared, having been unmercifully cut down for common carpentry, doors, window-frames, &c. The whole of this territory is, however, by no means equally fertile. Instead of being traversed by a mountain ridge, we have seen that it is surrounded on all sides by elevated ranges: these arrest and condense the moisture, and the consequence is, that the interior of the country, (in the centre of which there is a considerable depression,) is arid; and it is only in the districts bordering on the mountains, that any streams occur, or that this great fertility prevails. The vegetable productions of Cabool, which forms the north-eastern portion of this table-land, are very similar to those of Southern Europe; the uncultivated plains being covered with mulberry, Oriental plane, poplar, and several species of willow, and the mountains with various species of pine and fir. A flat district extends between the mountains of Beloochistan and the sea, which is very sultry, but favourable to the growth of the palm, mango, guava, and other tropical plants.

Among the native animals of Persia, are the spalax, or blind rat; the brown rat, improperly called the Norway rat, but which originally came from this part of Asia; the

dorcas antelope; Persian gazelle, with its "soft black eye;" fallow deer, common hare, brown bear, lion, ounce, &c. &c. Its domestic animals include both the Bactrian camel and the dromedary; and the Persian horses rank second only to those of Arabia.

CHAPTER XV.

THE HINDOO KOOSH.-HIMALAYAH MOUNTAINS. CHINA.→→ INDO-CHINESE COUNTRIES.-HINDOSTAN.-ISLANDS OF ASIA.

The mountains huge appear

Emergent, and their broad bare backs upheave

Into the clouds, their tops ascend the sky.-MILTON.

THE mighty Alpine system, to which is applied the name of Hindoo Koosh, or Indian Mountain, forms the commencement of the vast Indian range, which bounds Hindostan on the north, and extends to the most eastern valleys of Assam or Asam—a distance of nearly 2000 miles. The general elevation of the Hindoo Koosh is very great, and a considerable number of summits in this group, are covered with perpetual snow. The most lofty known point, reaches the height of 20,500 feet above the level of the ocean. The mountains in this range are intersected by some fertile valleys, but their declivities are in general destitute of trees. Barley succeeds at the elevation of 10,000 or 11,000 feet above the sea, and human habitations are met with at about the same level, though the occupiers of these dwellings are, during six months of the year, prevented by the deep snow from quitting them.

The range of the Tibet Panjahl, connects the Hindoo Koosh with the stupendous Himalayah Mountains. The highest points in the Tibet Panjahl, are Mer and Ser, which are both pyramidal mountains, the one black and the other

white, situated near each other, and rising in almost unparalleled majesty above the boundless regions of snow, formed by the inferior summits of this range.

The pre-eminently lofty and extended Himalayah Mountains take a south-easterly course, and terminate at the River Brahmapootra, from whence the central line is continued in the Harpala range, which connects the Indian mountain system with that of China. The number of snow-clad summits in the Himalayah range is exceedingly great, and among these, we meet the most elevated summits on the surface of the globe. Dhawala-giri, or the White Mountain (Plate I. fig. 1), is, as far as at present known, the highest point, and attains the elevation of 26,862 feet above the sea. Other summits of at least equal height, are, however, supposed to exist, but these yet remain unmeasured. Beyond the peak of Chumalari, which has an altitude of 25,000 feet, the range takes a nearly due easterly direction for about 200 miles, then, turning to the north, terminates in the mountains which form the source of the Brahmapootra River. This portion of the range also contains a vast number of snow-crowned peaks, but towards its eastern limits, it appears to decrease in elevation. The height of these mountains has not, however, been distinctly ascertained; and the ranges which connect them with those of China, are yet less known.

China is a very mountainous country, half its surface being occupied with mountain ranges, in many parts too steep to admit of cultivation, but which are covered to a considerable elevation with fine trees, and intersected by narrow and remarkably fertile valleys. The most lofty mountain range is that which bears the name of the Yungling, or Sine-ling (i. e. Snowy Mountains). This range

extends from north-east to south-west; and four other ranges, nearly parallel with each other, cross the country from east to west; of these, the Nan-ling is the most elevated, as well as the most extensive, and contains some snow-clad peaks. The mountain system of China extends

to the borders of the Pacific, the Nan-ling range, or a branch from those mountains, reaching the borders of the ocean, near the volcanic island of Formosa, which may be regarded as the termination of our grand central axis.

We have now traced the central mountain band of the Old World, from its commencement on the shores of the Atlantic, to its termination on those of the Pacific. And, when we consider the effects of elevated land in arresting: and condensing atmospheric moisture, and also in modifying the temperature of any region, we cannot but be sensible that this mighty ridge forms a very remarkable feature, in the physical geography of this portion of the globe, imparting to it a great diversity of climate, adapting it for the habitation of an almost endless variety of animal and vegetable productions, and also giving rise to numerous vast and important rivers. Thus, not only rendering the regions it traverses, remarkably varied and beautiful, but increasing their fertility, and their fitness for the abode and sustenance of immense numbers of the human species.

Before considering the northern branches which diverge from the mighty mountain knot of the Hindoo Koosh, it will be desirable to turn our attention to the natural features of the regions, situated to the south of the mountains, extending from that point to the Pacific.

And thence to Agra and Lahore of Great Mogul.-MILTON. China, being much diversified in its surface, possesses a corresponding diversity of climate, and of vegetable productions. It is, however, so completely a cultivated country, that its actual indigenous plants can scarcely be determined. The mountainous districts are carefully planted with oaks, pines, and other forest trees; whilst the hills in some districts, are covered with camellias, or crowned with orange trees; and the bamboo forms forests in the valleys. In the latter localities, we also find the cocoa-nut, and other palms, the plantain, guava, litchi, sugar cane: the peach, apricot,

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