Researches Into the Physical History of Mankind Volume 4 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1844 Excerpt: ...was onljjiy fomenting dissentions that crafty policy of China at length overcame. The line of the Tanshus had begun with Te-u-man, who, about the time of Hannibal, was a powerful chieftain on the banks of the Amur and the Onon, and from the ocean to Tibet became sovereign of six and twenty nations. He was honoured by the Siberian tribes with tributary gifts of peltry and wool. Other tribes flying from his arms, descended towards the south, and these are supposed to have overturned the the Bactrian kingdom of Alexander's followers. The first empire of the Hiong-nu lasted till about ninety years after the Christian era. Huhan-shie called in the Chinese to defend his royal power against rebellious chiefs. After a long civil war the kingdom was divided: one body of the nation under Punon raised their tents from the Onon and Selenga and passed with all their herds into the wilderness of Songaria and towards Turfan. Another division allied themselves, as we have observed, to the Chinese and took up their abode in the mountainous country of In-shan, and on the higher Hoang-ho, where they remained a powerful people until two hundred and sixteen years after the Christian era. Their chieftain termed Tshen-yu, was a sort of viceroy of In-shan, and defended the empire against the northern tribes of his race, and for a time against the increasing power of the Sian-pi, a tribe of Tartars who were encroaching from the east. The southern Hiong-nu, as these last are termed, were weakened by calamities, and were overcome by the same Sian-pi. The main body of the race were driven towards the north and west to the sources of the Irtish, and towards the lake of Balkash. Ritter, Erdktrade, Th. 1, pp. 241-244.--Th. 6, p. 585.--Joh. von Miiller, Allgem. Gesch., Th. 1.--Gaubil, H...