THE ASIATIC ISLANDS. CHAP. I.-THE JAPANESE ISLANDS. THE empire of Japan, called by the natives Hifon, or Nifon, and by the Chinese Yang-hoo, consists of a great number of islands united under one government. It is comprehended between 26° 35′ and 49° N. lat., that is, from the southern extremity of the archipelago of Moninsima to the middle of the island of Saghalian; and from the Gotto islands, to the N.E. point of the isle of Itouroup. Within these limits we find the following large and small islands: viz. 1st, The island of Hifon, or Nifon, with the dependent islands of Sado, Oki, Awasi, and Fatsisio, presenting a total superficies, according to Hassel, of 110,768 square miles. 2d. The island of Kiusiu, or Ximo, with its dependencies of Firando, Tsoosima, and other islets, the total superficies of which is estimated at 28,552 square miles. 3d, The island of Sicoco, or Xicoco, or Sikokf, with a superficies of 17,372 square miles. 4th, The island of Jesso, with Koonaschir, Tschikotan, Uroup, and Itouroup, or the Japanese Kuriles, as they are sometimes called, the total superficial area of which is 63,446 square miles. 5th, The island of Saghalian, or Karafta, with a superficies of 48,246 square miles. 6th, The Bonin group, with a total superficies of 1827 square miles. From the above admeasurements of Hassel, it would appear that this vast insular empire of Eastern Asia possesses a superficies of 270,211 square miles. Its component islands are arranged in a long-curved chain, running from S.W. to N.E., with the convexity towards the S.E. This chain is terminated on one hand by the southern point of Kiusiu, and on the other by the island of Itouroup, or by that of Saghalian. The sea of Japan washes this monarchy on the N.W.; the strait of Corea separates it from the peninsula of that name on the S.W.; and the strait of Vries, on the N.E., divides the Japanese and Russian Kuriles from each other. Historical Notice.] The existence of these islands was first announced to Europeans by the celebrated Venetian traveller, Marco Polo, who denominated them the country of Zipangri or Zipangu. In 1542 or 1543, the Portuguese adventurer, Fernando Mendez Pinto, was shipwrecked upon this coast; and his countrymen, availing themselves of his intelligence, sent a commercial expedition to them shortly afterwards. The expedition established itself at Nasagaki, and for several years conducted a considerable trade with the natives. In 1585, a missionary deputation was sent from Rome to this country, and to its members we are indebted for the first distinct accounts of Japan. The Dutch succeeded the Portuguese in the Japan trade, and are now the only European nation who enjoy this privilege. The Russians have made several attempts to share it with them; but have hitherto been unsuccessful. Although it is expressly forbidden by the ex isting laws to record the annals of the dominant line of monarchy in this country, yet the Japanese are said to possess historical documents of unquestionable authenticity, extending over a period which commences seve ral centuries antecedent to the Christian era. This history, however, is to us unknown. It is said that the indigenous Japanese were early subjugated by a tribe of Mongols or Mantchoos, who adopted the language of the conquered. The sacred era of the Japanese goes back to the establishment of the hereditary succession of the dairis or ecclesiastical emperors, which was 660 years before the Christian era. This dynasty retained its power till the year 1585 of our vulgar era. In this interval two invasions had been repelled: that of the Mantchoos in 799, the accounts of which are accompanied with many fables. In 1281, the Mongols, under Koobly Khan, having conquered China two years before, attempted to take possession of Japan. The learned Amiot has given us, in a work translated from the Chinese, the history of that expedition according to the Chinese authors. In this history the Chinese army, joined to that of the Coreans, amounted to 100,000. The Coreans furnished 900 ships of war: but this great armada was dispersed in a dreadful storm, an event which the Japanese attributed to the protecting care of their gods. All the acquisitions which the population of Japan is known to have received from the continent of Asia are confined to some colonies of Chinese and Corean emigrants. Physical Features.] The general aspect of these islands is rugged and irregular, bristled with rocks, hills, and lofty mountains. Here and there narrow valleys of great fertility present themselves; but there are many extensive tracts naturally barren, and which are only compelled to yield the means of subsistence by the most unremitting industry. No precise estimate seems to have been formed of any of the mountain-peaks, except what may be inferred from Fusi, or Fusiyama, on the southern coast of Nifon, the most lofty of these peaks being covered with perpetual snow. Several of them are volcanic, and they almost every where abound with mineral springs. Earthquakes have very frequently been felt in these islands. In 1703, the greater part of the city of Jedo, with a vast number of its inhabitants, were swallowed up by one of them. The rivers are numerous, but do not seem to be of great magnitude, considering the extent of the land. They generally rise in the mountains which occupy the interior. The courses of only a few of them are known to Europeans. The names of the principal rivers are the Jedogawa, Ojingawa, and Fusigawa, all situated in the southern part of Nifon, the Tenrin, which falls into the bay of Owari, the Banninjava, falling into the bay of Jeddo, the Sakgawa, Jodo, Ojin, Oomi, and Aska. The principal lake in the Japanese islands, and the only large one known to Europeans, is the lake of Oiz, between Osaka and Meaco, which is said to be 50 Japanese leagues in length, each league being as much as a horse goes in an hour at an ordinary pace. The delightful plain which surrounds it is rendered sacred by containing 3000 pagodas. Climate.] Japan is exposed to the extremes of heat in summer, and of cold in winter. The weather is at all times changeable; and, about midsummer, they have periodical rains. Thunder is frequent, with tempests and hurricanes. Thunberg found the greatest degree of heat at Nagasaki to amount to 29°, and the greatest cold to 10° of Reaumur. The climate is most severe in the islands of Yesso, Saghalian, and the Kuriles. 1 The word gawa, or gava, seems to signify river' in the Japanese language, as it does in the Celtic. Soil and Cultivation.] The soil of Japan is not naturally fertile, but has been rendered very productive by the industry of its inhabitants. The Japanese equal the Chinese in the labours of cultivation; and the modes adopted are generally similar in both countries. As in China, little ground is appropriated to the rearing of cattle; the same scarcity of manure exists; the same solicitude is exhibited to procure it, and it is applied in a similar manner. Every spot of ground is made productive; and the terraced mountains exhibit an astonishing proof of what can be effected by human ingenuity and perseverance when prompted by necessity. The general crop is rice. Wheat is little used; but buck-wheat, rye, sesame, and barley, are frequently reared. Beans, pease, cabbages, turnips, and a species of potatoes, are plentiful. Among the produce of Japan may be mentioned the cotton-shrub, and the mulberry-tree, camphor-laurel, and the varnish-tree. Wheat and barley are sown in the beginning of winter, and are reaped in June; rice is sown in April, and is ripe in November. The progress of cultivation has left few forests, except upon the mountains. The larger trees consist of pines, willows, laurels, palms, cocoas, cycas, mimosas, cypresses, and bamboos. The plants of Japan very much resemble those of China. The tea-shrub grows without culture in the hedges; and ginger, black pepper, sugar, and indigo, are cultivated with great success. Besides the sweet China orange, there is a wild species peculiar to Japan, the Citrus Japonica. Animals.] The cattle in Japan are still fewer in number than those in China. Of sheep and goats there are none except at Nagasaki: the fleeces of the former being superseded by the abundance of cotton, and the latter being esteemed enemies of cultivation. For the same reason there are only a few swine, and these are almost confined to the island of Kiusiu. The horses are a small but agile breed. Thunberg compares the number of horses in the whole empire to those of a single Swedish province. Cattle are reared solely for the purposes of ploughing and drawing carts: the Japanese never use either their flesh or their milk. The animal food made use of consists of fish and fowl, but vegetables are more generally eaten. Dogs, though not necessary for the guarding of cattle, are kept through peculiar notions of superstition. The wolf and the fox are found chiefly in the northern provinces; the latter is much dreaded, being, by the common people, supposed to be possessed by an evil spirit. Game is not plentiful there are wild geese, pheasants, and partridges, but very few wild quadrupeds. Minerals.] Japan abounds in gold and silver, particularly in the former, which is found in many places. But every mine is under royal inspection; and only a certain quantity is allowed to be dug, that the metal may not be too much diminished in value. Gold is not exported; it is used in gilding, in embroidering, and for coining. The purest and the richest mines are in Sado, the largest of the small islands adjoining Nifon. Silver, though not scarce, is not so plentiful as formerly, as instead of exporting it, the Japanese gladly receive it from foreigners in exchange for other commodities. It is chiefly found in the province of Bingo, in the S.W. quarter of Nifon. The copper of Japan is unequalled by that of any other country, and contains a large portion of gold. It is exported in large quantities by the Dutch and Chinese merchants; and, besides being applied to many domestic purposes, it is coined into money of low value. Iron is scarcer than any other metal; but is furnished by some of the provinces, and seems to be in sufficient quantity for the use of the inhabitants, since |