intelligence,
which they express by saying, that they only of all the people on earth
have _two_ eyes; to the Latins they allow _one_, and consider all other
nations as blind. The Kathayans have small eyes and no beards. Their money
consists of small square pieces of paper, impressed with the seal of their
emperor. To the west, this empire is bounded by that of the Tarsae; to the
north by the desert of Belgian; and to the south by the sea, in which there
are innumerable islands. The inhabitants of Kathay are exceedingly skilful
and ingenious in all works of art and in manufactures, but are of a very
timorous disposition. In the foregoing description, and in the traits of
character, the empire and inhabitants of northern China are distinctly
indicated.--Forst.

Sec. 2. The empire of _Tarsa_ is divided into three provinces, each of which
has a sovereign who assumes the title of King. The inhabitants are called
Jogur, the Jugur or Uigur of other authors. They are divided into many
tribes, ten of whom are Christians, and the rest heathens. They abstain
from every article of food which has ever had life, and drink no wine, but
raise abundance of corn. Their towns are very pleasant, and contain great
numbers of idol temples. They are not inclined to war, but learn all arts
and sciences with great facility, and have a particular manner of writing,
which is adopted by all the neighbouring nations. To the east, this country
is bounded by Kathay, to the west by Turkestan, to the north by an
extensive desert, and to the south by a very rich province, named Sym or
Peim, in which diamonds are found, and which, is situated between Kathay
and India. It appears, that Haitho here describes the country of the Uigurs
in conjunction with that of the Gete: but how it came to receive the name
of Tarsae I know not--_Forst_.

Sec. 3. _Turkestan_ is bounded on the east by the empire of Tarsae, to the
west by Khorasmin or Khuaresm, and to the south it extends to the desert
which forms the northern frontier of India. In this country there are few
good towns; but many extensive plains, which afford excellent pasturage to
cattle, and the inhabitants are almost universally shepherds and tenders of
cattle. They dwell mostly in tents, and in huts which can be transported
from place to place. They cultivate only a small quantity of corn, and have
no wine. Their drink is beer and milk, and they subsist upon meat with rice
and millet. The people are kno