Illustrated Gazetteer of the Maritime Kingdoms, Vol. 26

This region extends from the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, and the Archipelago original: "the Sea of Islands," referring to the Aegean to the lands beyond. To the west, it reaches the corner of the Adriatic Sea. To the northwest, it borders the nation of Austria. Its latitude the height of the North Pole above the horizon ranges from 40 to 46 degrees North. Its longitude measured as a deviation to the East is between 13 and 30 degrees. The total area covers 300,000 square li a Chinese unit of distance; at the time of this writing, 300,000 square li was a conventional estimate for the Ottoman Balkans. The population is eight million people. The high mountain ranges to the north serve as the Turkish border. The Danube River forms the northern frontier. The amount of level ground is not extensive, as mountains are found everywhere. There are many bays and inlets along the coast. In the north, it is connected to the Black Sea by the Strait of Constantinople the Bosphorus. In the south, its waters exchange with the Archipelago via the Dardanelles. The land produces goods such as cotton, tobacco, grapes, southern fruits, wool, and ginger flowers original: "Qiāng huā," likely referring to saffron or aromatic plants common in the region. In ancient times, the country was divided among various distinct ethnic groups. As for the Turks who are now the masters of the land, they migrated from Western Asia literally "the western part of Asia-minor". They follow the religion of Islam referred to here as "Huihui," the traditional Chinese name for Muslim peoples and their faith. Having been defeated in battle by the Mongols, they originally sought refuge in mountain caves and recruited various bandits...