It has been imagined by many geographers that the northern regions of Asia communicate with the continent of America. This however is a topic on which we have not sufficient data to ground an opinion. Captain Cook certainly traced the separation of these continents, parually: The best information yet obtained on this particular is, that Behring's Strait divides them to about forty miles in breadth, having East Cape on the Asiatic side, and Prince of Wales Cape on the American. The depth of water is about thirty fathoms. Pursuing this strait northward, the Asiatic shore tends rapidly to the west, while the American proceeds nearly due north; till, at the distance of four or five degrees, the two continents are joined by one solid and impenetrable mass of ice.

MOUNTAINS. The mountains of Asia have always been thought remarkable; and, arrayed in all the horrors of perpetual winter, seem to frown in awful silence over the profusion of the vale. A celebrated writer (M. Walckenaer, in his Cosmologie, p. 105,) observes, that the chain of mountains in which the culminating points of the highest level are found, always follows the direction of the greatest dimensions of the continent; and the inferior chains or heights, where we find the culminating points of the second or third-rate levels, also follow the direction of the greatest dilatations of the land, terminating that continent.' In Asia we have an illustration of these observations. The greatest dimensions of the continent are from east to west: and the country from the seventieth to the 100th degree of east longitude, and from the thirtieth to the fiftieth of south latitude, presents nearly a level area, from the different sides of which all the largest rivers flow into the sea. The culminating points of this extensive level, there is reason to believe, are the most elevated spots on the surface of the earth. The included area has been termed the table-land of Asia; although, since the revival of science, it has been inaccessible to European travellers, and therefore little known. The western part of it is, however, mountainous; and the eastern is a vast desert; the Shamo of the Chinese, and the Kobi of the Tartars, exhibiting an extent of several thousand miles not watered by a single stream,

The Altaian mountains are the northern boundaries of this area; the Himalaya, on the south, divide it from Hindostan. On the east is that lofty range in which originates the great rivers of China; and the west is bordered by the mountains which contain the sources of the Indus and Jaxartes. The inferior chains, diverging as radii from this centre, are Múz-dágh or Múz-zárt, 'snowy mountains,' on the north. The Tibetian mountains on the east, the Vind'hya hills and Ghats on the south, and the Alburg or Alborg on the west. The different ranges that traverse the territories of Persia, and unite its north-west provinces to Caucasus on the north, to Taurus and Libanus on the west and south, are connected with the Alburgian chain. Libanus is also connected by the hilly country on the west of Jordan with the mountains of Arabia. The greater number of these inferior chains run from east to west, in the same direction as the central range.

The extensive Altaï, or Khattaï chain, stretches across the continent, under different names, for more than 5000 miles, terminating, to the east, in Tchutskoi Ness and cape Lopatka. Of the highest points of this celebrated chain south of Russia, we have no accurate information; but the inferior ranges reach far above the point of perpetual congelation, and are supposed to be equal to the Alps. The Himalaya chain of mountains south of the great central level, rears its loftiest summits 26,000 feet above the level of the sea; and, according to some of our best geographers, upwards of 6000 feet above the celebrated Chimborazo of America, which towers over the entire Cordillera of the Andes. This southern chain is supposed to be of superior elevation to the northern. Mount Kailas, the Olympus of the Hindus, is supposed to exceed even the D'hóla-giri in, Nipàl, which has been proved by admeasuremen to reach 26,400 feet above the level of the sea. Mount Caucasus, the next in point of altitude, is a vast range extending between the Euxine and Caspian seas. Mount Ararat rises southwest of the Caucasus; Libanus, Amanus, and Taurus, are all connected with this great chain; and the latter mount diverging with various branches, occupies almost the whole area from the Euphrates to the sea of Marmora. The Uralian mountains, runaing from south to north, nearly as far as Nova Zembla, and called by the Tartars the girdle of the earth, are much colder, in consequence of a higher latitude; but are inferior to the above in point of elevation.

Many volcanoes are in a constant state of activity throughout Asia; and many which were volcanic in former times, are now extinct, although smoke still issues, and hot streams are frequently discharged from crevices in their sides The insular regions of Asia are likewise mountainous, and Adam's Peak, in Ceylon, has been a remarkable subject of tradition and fable. Volcanoes are also found in most of the Asiatic islands; Gunong-ápi is one of the most active now known; of that near Brambanan, in Java, a violent eruption is recorded in 1586. Ternate, the chief of the Moluccas, is nothing more than a volcanic cone, occasionally emitting flames from its summit; and on its sides are large pits of melting sulphur. The isles of France and Bourbon are entirely of volcanic origin; and the crater of the latter, while in a state of eruption, was visited by M. Bory de St. Vincent, who describes, with great interest, the phenomena observed on that occasion.

RIVERS. From the mountains of Asia numerous rivers descend, which serve greatly to refresh the surrounding country. The river Lena rises east of Siberia, near the lake Baikel, and flowing first north-east, then north, enters the Frozen Ocean, opposite the Borkhaya isles, after a course of 1900 miles. The river Enisei, rising in the Altaïan mountains, flows into the same sea after a course of at least 1400 miles. The Oby, perhaps the widest river in the Russian empire, rises about 51° north latitude, and 87° east longitude from the Altúrnor of the Kalmaks, and Ozero Teletzkoï of the Russians; and after a course of not less than 2000 miles, falls into the Obskaya Juba, or sea of Oby, within the arctic circle. The

river Irtish takes its rise in 46° north latitude, and 92° east longitude, in the northern barrier of the central plateau; and after rolling its rapid stream as far as the 62d degree of latitude, and gathering numerous tributary waters in its course, falls into the river Obe, north of Samarou. The Amour, or Saghalià, which rises in the Kalcas country, is formed by the junction of the two rivers, Kherton and Argun; and after traversing Chinese Tartary, and receiving several large rivers in its course, disembogues itself in the sea of Okhotsk, near the northern extremity of the channel of Tartary, completing a course of 1800 miles. The rivers of China chiefly rise in the eastern declivity of the Table Land. The Mékäng, or Kambója, and the Irawadi, or Ava River, after descending from the plateau into the lower country by long and winding courses, flows in a direct line to the Indian Ocean. The three most celebrated rivers that spring from this region are the Indus, Ganges, and Burrampooter. The Ganges river is held sacred by the inhabitants, and is the only one of the three of whose source we have any satisfactory information; although Moorcroft tells us he found that of the Indus in 31° 3′ north latitude, and 80° 35′ east longitude. The two others rise in Thibet; the Burrampooter waters the eastern parts of Bengal; and the course of the Indus, to the south, has been known ever since the time of Alexander. The Oxus and the Jaxartes are two large streams, well known to the ancients, which rise from the western declivity of the central range; the former emanating from the glaciers of Pushti-khur, is supposed anciently to have taken a north-westerly course; at present it proceeds almost due north, and falls into the lake Aral. The latter rises in the Belúrdágh or Icy mountains, west of Afgháunistàun, and enters the eastern side of the same lake. The Tigris and Euphrates flow to the south, and the Araxes to the east, watering a considerable extent of country. The Jordan and Orontes fertilize and beautify the vales of Syria and Palestine. Anatolia, though it has neither broad nor rapid rivers, is refreshed by the division of innumerable smaller streams, which throw an enchanting appearance over the surface of the landscape. The Halys, or Kizil Irmà, arising from mount Taurus, after a course of 350 miles, falls into the Black Sea. But the Howang-hò, or Yellow River, which waters the northern provinces of China, is perhaps the deepest and most rapid river of Asia. This river rises on the eastern declivity of the plateau, and rolls its vast stream with unabated rapidity, to nearly 2000 miles. The Yang-tse-kiang, or son of the sea, is another noble stream of China.

CLIMATE. The climate of Asia is exceedingly various, owing to the different degrees of elevation. In the south-east the heat is excessive, and in the northern parts the cold is almost insupportable. In Anatolia the central parts are colder than the provinces of France, although the latter are ten degrees farther north. The cause of this is explained by Mr. Brown, who calculates that the city of Erz-rùm is 7000 feet above the level of the sea. This extraordinary altitude of level, together with the great body of snow on the neighbouring mountains, accounts for the

VEGETABLES. The stupendous mountains, immense plains, immeasurable forests, noble rivers, and wide spreading marshes of this quarter of the earth, together with the variety of the soils, and an extreme difference of climate, from the intense cold of Siberia, where mercury freezes, to the almost insupportable heat of the sandy deserts: from the eternal frost that reigns around the pole, to the sterility of the arid waste, including diversified intermediate regions, always adorned with the blossoms of spring, enriched with the fullness of summer, or laden with the productions of autumn, produce an unparalleled variety of vegetation, from the almost imperceptible moss that creeps along the Arctic shores to the hundred-stemmed banian that spreads its beautiful luxuriance beneath a tropical clime. Some parts of Asia are very sterile, and the inhabitants look for support to the surrounding sea, in which fishes and mollusca abound. Vegetable productions however, generally speaking, are numerous, and differ according to the climate under equal circumstances of soil and irrigation. The central and western parts produce all sorts of grain which are common in Europe, and culinary vegetables in the highest perfection. The 'tropical and southern regions afford gums, spices, medicinal roots, and extracts unknown in colder climates. Several genera of plants are peculiar to New Holland and the adjacent islands. The tea-tree is found chiefly in the central regions; and the bread fruit and bamboo, which are natives of Asia, are useful in every part of domestic economy.

MINERALS. This division of the globe contains the precious metals in great abundance: gold is washed down the rivers of Asia Minor. Arabia still supplies it in its utmost purity; and in Assam, Celebes, and Borneo, the gold is said to be native. Mount Sipylus has been celebrated for the production of silver, and the mines of Tokat supply both silver and copper. Great quantities of tin are found in the island of Ban ca; lead and iron in various parts of the continent; precious stones are found in great variety throughout the whole of Asia; fine diamonds in Golconda; rubies in Ceylon, topazes in Siberia; and the most beautiful pearls in the straits of Manaar and the Bahrein islands; the corundeum and other valuable stones are peculiar to these countries. Singular remains of antiquity are also dug out of the earth; huge tusks of a species of animal now unknown, and even the entire animal itself, is found in the islands of the Frozen Ocean.

ANIMALS-Asia contains a great variety of land and marine animals, from the minute insect that flutters in the solar beam, to the stupendous elephant, the ferocious tiger and the majestic lion. The most valuable are indigenous to this quarter of the globe. The horse is found on the northern confines of Persia in his native state,