Alexander von Humboldt 
Cosmos [PDF ebook] 
A Sketch of a Physical Description of the Universe

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. I. The basin of the Mediterranean the starting-point of the attempts to extend the idea of the Cosmos. Subdivisions in the form of the ba sin. Importance of the form of the Arabian Gulf. Intersection of two geognostic systems of elevation from N. E. To s.w., and from s.s.e. To n.n.w. Importance of the latter direction of the lines of intersection considered with reference to general international intercourse. An cient civilization of the nations dwelling round the Mediterranean. The Valley of the Nile, the ancient and modern kingdom of the Egyp. Tians. The Phoenicians, a race who favored general intercourse, were the means of difl’using alphabetical writing (phoenician signs), coins as medium of currency, and the original Babylonian weights and gneaso ures. The science of numbers, arithmetic. The art of navigating by night. West African colonies — p. 130.