The above picture represents the Eastern Hemisphere. It includes the Eastern Continent, which is divided into Europe, Asia, and Africa. Africa is the south-western portion, Europe the north-western portion, and Asia the north-eastern portion. The eastern continent contains about twice as much land as the western continent.
Between Europe, Africa and Asia, is the Mediterranean sea, which is about 2000 miles long, from east to west. The Atlantic ocean lies west of Europe and Africa; the Indian ocean lies south of Asia, and south-east of Africa; the Pacific ocean lies east of Asia.
Between the Indian ocean and Pacific ocean, are many large islands. The largest is New Holland, which is about as extensive as all Europe. This island belongs to the British nation, who have settlements here, occupied by English, Scotch, and Irish people.
There are many curious things upon this island. The natives are a kind of negro, who live in a manner almost as rude and savage as wild bears. Among the animals, are the kangaroo, which goes forty feet at a leap, and the platypus, with fur like a beaver and a bill like a duck; swans which are black, and a kind of bird with a tail shaped like a harp.
Asia is the most populous part of the globe, and has more inhabitants than Europe, Africa, and America, all together. China alone has about three hundred and sixty millions of people.
In America there are only a few great cities, such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New Orleans, in the United States; Havana, in the West Indies; Mexico, in the United States of Mexico; Lima, Buenos Ayres, Valparaiso, and Rio Janeiro, in South America.
In Europe there are many great cities, among which London and Paris are the largest; in Asia, Constantinople and Pekin are the largest; in Africa, Grand Cairo and Alexandria are the largest.
Asia was the first part of the globe inhabited by human beings; Africa was next inhabited, Europe next, and America last. America was not discovered by the Europeans, till about three hundred and fifty years ago.
