Travels in Albania - And Other Provinces of Turkey in 1809& 1810 #260668

As the M ahometans themselves know nothing of geo graphy, and as they divide the territories they possess into many petty governments, with whose limits an Euro pean traveller, or even resident, is not likely to make himself acquainted, it would be unreasonable to expect what might fairly be called a modern map of any part of Turkey, especially of such a province as Albania. The uninterrupted barbarity of its inhabitants, and the partial possession of some of its ports hythe Venetians, which has introduced a confused mixture of Italian amongst the Greek and Turkish names of towns and districts, have caused such difficulties in the delineation of any charts, that nothing can be more unsatisfactory than those which pretend to assist us in our survey. The best and latest modern map, that of De La Rochette, is full of inaccu racies and deficiencies, and of little or no service to the traveller. The designs or plans of the artist Coronelli, represent only the forts and towns upon the coast, such as they were to be seen during the more flourishing days of the Venetian republic. But the present age, which seems to have favoured discoveries in every art and science, has added also to our knowledge of the modern state of many countries before almost unknown.