crystal, and lead ore. The inhabitants carry on
considerable trade with the Norwegians.

Janeiro. See Rio Janeiro.

Janna, a province of European Turkey, bound-
ed on the N. by Macedonia, E. by the Archipela-
go, S. by Livadia, and W. by Albania. It is the
Thessaly of the ancients and Larissa is the capital.

Janna, a town of European Turkey, in the
province of the same name, 62 m. W. of Larissa.

JantiUe, a towin of France, department of Eure-
et-Loire, 20 m. S. E. of Chartres.

Japan, an extensive empire in the most eastern
part of Asia, extending from long. 131. to 142. E.
and from lat. 30. to 41. N. It consists of three
large islands (the superficial extent of which is
estimated at 1)0,000 sq. m.), and several smaller
islands. The whole empire is divided into seven
principal districts, which are subdivided into 70
provinces; and the pop. is in proportion to ex-
tent, deemed equal to that of China. It is the
richest country in the world for gold; there are
also rich silver mines, and fine copper is the main
source of the wealth of many provinces. It pro-
duces a great deal of rice, which is the principal
article of subsistence ; millet, wheat, and barley,
are also cultivated to a small extent. Turnips,
carrots, melons, cucumbers, &c., all grow spon-
taneously. Cedars are common, and so large
that they are proper for the masts of ships and
columns for temples. The mulberry tree, the
laurel, the tree shrub, and campbire tree are also
common ; but the most remarkable is the varnish
tree (rhus vernix), the juice of which is used to
varnish, or (as we call it) japan their furniture.
The rocks and most barren places are cultivated
and produce A variety of fruits, plants, and roots.
The woods and forests, and long ridges of moun-
tains, with whieh the country is intersected, pro-
duce good pasturage, and are stocked with deer,
oxen, buffaloes, and a few horses ; but there are no
sheep nor goats. Here are large quantities of
fine porcelain, silk, and skins, as also red pearls,
which are not in less esteem than the white. The
Japanese are of a yellowish complexion all over ;

their heads are in general large, their necks short
and their hair which is naturally black and thick,
is rendered shining by the use of oils ; their eyes
are small, of dark brown colour, and sunk deep in
the head, and the eyelids form in the great angle
ofthe eye a deep furrow, which discriminates
them from other nations ; their eyebrows are also
placed somewhat higher ; and their noses though
not flat, a in thick and short. They are naturally
ingenious, and have a high character for honesty
and veracity. Their common drinks are all hot;

they uncover their feet out of respect, are fend of
black teeth, and get on horseback on the left side
Their houses are of wood, coloured white, and
never exceed two stories in height. The inte-
rior is divided into apartments at pleasure, by
moveable partitkms sliding in grooves. They
have neither tables, beds, nor chairs, but sit and
lie on carpets and mats. The dress consists of
browsers, and a loose robe of silk or cotton, fas-
tened by a girdle the number beingincreased accor-
ding to the coldness of the weather: stockings are
not used; and the shoes are commonly of rice straw.
The mathematical and physical sciences are yet
in their infancy, but are highly esteemed among
them ; and they have several schools at different
places, in which are taught arithmetic, rhetoric,
poetry, history, and astronomy. Some of their
arts and manufactures even surpass those of Eu-
rope. They formerly carried on a considerable
trade with the neighbouring countries; but now
all communications are forbidden, except with the
Chinese and Dutch; and with them only at the
port of Nangasaki. The merchandise brought by
the Dutch; are spices, sugar, linen and woolen
cloth, elephants’ teeth, and haberdashery wares;
for which they receive gold, silver, copper, rice,
tea, fine porcelain, cabinets, and other japanned
and lackered wares. Japan was formerly divided
into a great many small kingdoms, which still re-
tain their ancient names, but they were at length
swallowed up in one, to which all the rest are be-
come either subject or tributary. The tributary
princes, amounting to between 50 and 60, are
vested with the regal dignity, and are absolute in
their respective territories ; but they are entirely
subject to the emperor, who can depose, or even
condemn them to death, if he thinks proper. The
laws are extremely severe and cruel: and the
people are doubly slaves, first to their own princes
and then to the emperor, who has power of life
and death over them all. Anciently the emperor
was likewise sovereign pontiff, under the title of
of Dairo, and in fact worshipped by all his sub-
jects ; but in the civil wars which occurred on
the minority of one of them, in 1150, one of the
competitors for the crown assumed the ecclesias-
tical government, retaining the same title ; while
the other, who ruled in civil affairs, wins called
Cubo. From that time the dairo has only been at
the head of religious matters, while the cubo or
secular emperor bears an absolute dominion over
all civil and military affairs. The former still
lives in great state and grandeur at Meaco ; and
the latter pays him a kind of homage, as if he act-
ed only as his deputy or viceroy ; but, in reality
the cubo is now the real monarch of Japan, and
the dairo only as his high priest. The Japanese
are as fabulous as the Chinese in the antiquity of
their empire; but the certain period begins with
the hereditary succession of the ecclesiastical
emperors, from the year 660 before the Christian
epoch. The religion of the country is paganism;
but there are two different sects. There wins
once a great number of Christians in different
parts of the empire ; but, in 1638 they underwent
great persecutions and all who professed Christian
ity were either put to death or forced to revert back
to paganism. The capital of the empire is Jeddo.

Japara, a sea-port on the N. coast of the island
of Java, with a good harbour. It was the capital
of a considerable kingdom, till the Dutch made
themselves masters of it; and now they have a
colony here, and a considerable trade. 2o3 m. E.
by S. of Batavia. Long. 110. 45. E., lat. 6.20. S