To The
Geography Of The East Coast Of Africa, And Of The Adjacent Districts,
Little Or No Addition Has Been Made For A Very Considerable Length Of Time.
II. The discoveries in Asia may in general be divided into those which the
vast possessions of the Russians
In this quarter of the globe, and the
corresponding interest which they felt to become better acquainted with
them, induced them to make, and into those to which the English were
stimulated, and which they were enabled to perform, from the circumstance
of their vast, important, and increasing possessions in Hindostan.
The most important and instructive travels which spring from the first
source, are those of Bell of Antermony, Pallas, Grnelin, Guldenstedt,
Lepechin, &c. Bell was a Scotchman, attached to the Russian service: his
work, which was published about the middle of the last century, contains an
account of the embassy sent by Peter the Great to the emperor of China, and
of another embassy into Persia; of an expedition to Derbent by the Russian
army, and of a journey to Constantinople. Of the route in all these
directions he gives an interesting and accurate account, as well as of the
manners, &c. of the people. Indeed, it is a valuable work, especially that
portion of it which conducts us through the central parts of Asia, - an
immense district, which, as we have already remarked, is not much better
known at present, (at least considerable portions of it,) than it was three
or four centuries ago. The travels of Pallas, &c. were undertaken by order
of the Russian government, for the purpose of gaining a fuller and more
accurate account of the provinces of that immense empire, especially those
to the south, which, from climate, soil, and productions were most
valuable, and most capable of improvement.
The English possessions in Hindostan have led the way to two sets of
discoveries, or rather advancements in geographical knowledge: one which
was derived from the journies frequently made overland from India to
Europe; and the other, which was derived from embassies, &c. from Calcutta
to the neighbouring kingdoms. In general, however, the journies overland
from India, having been undertaken expressly for the purpose of expedition,
and moreover being through countries which required the utmost caution on
the part of the travellers to preserve them from danger, did not admit of
much observation being made, or much information being acquired, respecting
the districts that were passed through. The travels of Jackson, Forster,
and Fitzclarence, are perhaps as valuable as any which have been given to
the public respecting the route from India to Europe, and the countries,
and their inhabitants, passed through in this route.
From the embassies and the wars of the British East India Company in
Hindostan, we have derived much valuable information respecting Persia,
Thibet, Ava, Caubul, &c.; and from their wars, as well as from the
institution of the Asiatic Society, and the facilities which their
conquests afforded to travellers, the whole of the peninsula of Hindostan,
as well as the country to the north of it, as far as Cashmere and the
Himaleh mountains, may be regarded as fully explored.
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