- The author of this work resided some time with the
Kalmucks, at the command of the Emperor of Russia; and he seems to have
employed his time well, in gaining information respecting the past and
present state of their country, and their manners, intellectual, moral, and
religious state.
THIBET, &C.
775. Antonio de Andrada novo Descubrimento de Grao Catayo ou dos Regnos de
Tibet. Lisbon, 1626, 4to. - This work has been translated into French,
Italian, Flemish, and Spanish; it contains the narrative of the first
passage of the Himalaya Mountains. (_See Quarterly Review, No. 48. page
337, &c._)
776. Turner's Account of an Embassy to the Court of the Teesho Lama, in
Thibet. 1800, 4to. - This work is full of information and interest: it
relates to the soil, climate, and produce of Thibet; the moral character,
and especially the singular religion of the inhabitants, and their
institutions, manufactures, disorders, &c.
777. Kirkpatrick's Account of Nepaul in 1793. 4to. - This is one of the best
accessions to our information respecting this part of Asia which has been
produced by our establishments in India.
778. Account of the Kingdom of Nepaul. By Francis Hamilton, (formerly
Buchanan). 1819, 4to. - The same character applies to this as to the other
work by the same author.
779. Fraser's Journal of a Tour through part of the Snowy Ridge of the
Himalaya Mountains. 1820. 4to. - Notwithstanding Mr. Fraser's ignorance of
natural history, in a country quite new, and full of most interesting
objects in this science, and that he had no means of measuring heights, or
ascertaining the temperature or pressure of the air; and notwithstanding a
want of method, and a heaviness and prolixity in the style, this book
possesses great interest, from the scenes of nature and pictures of manners
which it exhibits.
780. Elphinstone's Account of Caubul and its Dependencies. 1815. 4to. - The
interest and value of this work arises more from the subject of it, than
from the manner in which it is executed; respecting such countries,
however, as Caubul, and others as little known and remote, we are glad of
all accessions of information.
ASIATIC RUSSIA.
781. Reisen durch Siberien, 1733-1743. Von J.G. Gmelin. Gott. 4 vols.
8vo. - This work is worthy of the name which it bears: it is full and
particular on the physical and moral geography of Siberia, but especially
on its mines and iron foundries.
782. Voyage en Siberie, 1761. Par Chappe d'Auteroche. Paris, 1768. 3 vols.
4-to. - This work gave rise to a severe attack on it, under the title of
Antidote. D'Auteroche's object on his travels was principally scientific,
but he has entered fully into the character of the inhabitants, and
especially those of the capital, and into the character, and intellectual
and moral state of the Russians in general.
783. Relation d'un Voyage aux Monts d'Altai en Siberie, 1781. Par Patrin.
Peters. 1785, 8vo. - Mineralogical.
784. Recherches Historiques sur les Principales Nations Etablies en
Siberie. Paris, 1801. 8vo. - This work, translated from the Russian of
Fischer, displays a great deal of research, and is not unworthy of an
author who imitated Pallas, Gmelin, Mueller, &c.
785. Recherches sur les Principales Nations en Siberie. Traduit du Russe de
Stollenweck. 8vo.
786. Description de Kamschatcha. Par Krascheninnikof. Amsterd. 1770. 2
vols. 8vo. - The soil, climate, productions, minerals, furs, habitations,
manners, employments, religious ceremonies and opinions, &c., and even the
dialect spoken in different parts, are here treated of.
787. Journal Historique du Voyage de M. Lesseps. Paris, 1790. 2 vols.
8vo. - Lesseps sailed with Le Peyrouse, but left him in Kamschatcha, and
travelled by land to France with despatches from him; his narrative gives a
lively picture of the inhabitants of the northern parts of Asiatic and
European Russia. The work has been translated into English; there is also a
German translation by Forster.
788. Sauer's Account of Billing's Geographical and Astronomical Expedition
to the Northern Parts of Russia, 1785-94. 4to. - An account of this
expedition was also published in Russian by Captain Saretschewya, one of
the officers engaged in it. Parts of the continent, and islands and seas
little known, are described in these two works, but they are deficient in
natural history.
789. Holderness's Notes relating to the Manners and Customs of the Crim
Tartars. 1823. 8vo. - Mrs. Holderness resided four years in the Crimea, and
she seems to have employed her time well, having produced an instructive
book on the manners, domestic life, &c., not only of the Crim Tartars, but
likewise of the various colonists of the Crimea.
IX. AMERICA.
Those works which relate to the discovery of America, derive their
interest rather from their historical nature than from the insight they
give into the physical and moral state of this portion of the globe. In
one important particular; America differs from all the other quarters of
the world, very early travels in Asia or Africa unfold to us particulars
respecting races of people that still exist, and thus enable us to
compare their former with their present state, whereas nearly all the
original inhabitants of America have disappeared.
Referring therefore our readers to the historians of the discovery and
conquest of America, and to the Bibliotheque des Voyages, for the titles
and nature of those works which detail the voyages of Columbus,
Vespucius, &c., we shall confine ourselves chiefly to such works as
enter more fully into a description of the country and its colonized
inhabitants.
790. Journal des Observations Physiques, Mathematiques, et Botaniques,
faites par le P. Feuillee, sur les Cotes de l'Amerique Meridionale et dans
les Indes Occidentales. Paris, 1714. 2 vols. 4to.
791. Suite du Journal. Paris, 1715. 4to. - Excellent works on the subjects
indicated in the title.
792. Notizias Americanas sobre las America Meridionel y la Septentrionel-
Oriental. Par Don Ant. de Ulloa. Madrid, 1772. 4to. - This work, which must
not be confounded with the conjoint work of Ulloa and Juan, is rich in
valuable matter, physical, political, and moral; it was translated into
German by M. Diez, Professor of Natural History at Gottingen, who has added
learned and judicious observations.
