i/4 J A P A N ,
M jniralo- veftigated, as Europeans - have feldom vifited the interior of the
' ' Gir' country. - to.
Ifles. • There are many fmall ifles dependent on Japan, particularly in the
S. and E.; among which is Fatfifioj the place, of exile for the grandees.
This, and the other imall ifles, 'are fcarcely known- except
by name. THE BIRMAN EMPIRE.
COMPRIZING THE, KINGDOMS OF AVA AND PEGU,.
C H A P T E R I.
H i s t o r i c a l (g e o g r a p h y .
Name;— Extent.— Boundaries,—Original lhhabttants.—PfogreJfive Geography*—
Modem Hiflery*.
BEFORE the appearance of a recent interefting publication1 little was
known concerning this new empire; and geographers were con-
dlrained to detail'the old accounts, which are little fatisfadtory. The
Birman empire' derived-its' name'from the Birmahs,' who Have, been
feng’ known as-a warlike nation in the regions formerly-ftyled India
b e -y o n d t h e G a n g e s '} the capital city of their.kingdom being Ava,
or Awa. Pegu is -by the natives'-ftyled;Bagoo •*lherng\ t-hei country
fituated to-the fouth of the former, andjuftly inferred to have been the
Golden Gherfonefd of the ancient's'.'* j -
It is difficult to afcerta-hi with pfecifion the botindSffies- of .the .Birman
empire. Mr. Symes informs us that raraftj appears-'to include'the fpace
Syraes’tf Account of-the embalfy ® 6.-;8vo edit.-- ■.
r betweea-i
Name;-.
Extent and
Boundaries.