covered with unbroken forests, and tenanted by rude and sa tribes. The extent of this plain is about 3,120,000 square m In the northern quarter is the great plain of the Orinoco, estim at 348,000 miles, covered with gigantic grasses, and almost ur tivated at the present day. In the southern part of the conti is the immense surface of the Pampas, bordering the La P and trodden by numerous herds of wild cattle. This plain prehends 1,620,000 miles.

Lofty plains or table-lands form a characteristic feature in geography of the western continent. The principal one o pies the whole of Mexico and part of Guatemala: it is 6,000 high. The Andes, within their lofty ridges, enclose very elev sites, on which numerous cities are built.

But the grandest natural features of America are her ri which in magnitude far surpass those of the other quarters of globe. They are unequalled both in the length of their co and the masses of water which they pour into the ocean. principal of these rivers take their rise in the great western c of mountains, from its eastern side, whence, being swelled numerous streams, they roll their deep and spacious waters ac the great interior plain, till they approach the eastern rang mountains. Here they receive a fresh and copious series of tr taries, till, bearing the waters of half a continent, they reach ocean. The Missouri takes its rise in the Rocky Mountains, flows eastward into the great North American valley, where joined by the Mississippi, and receives from the Allegany ch the copious tribute of the Ohio: these combined floods, su quently augmented by tributaries from the eastern and wes ranges, thus bear southward into the Gulf of Mexico. In So America, the Amazon, after a long course along the foot of loftiest Andes, rolls eastward across the great plain, receiv ample tributaries from the eastern ranges, till, on reaching Atlantic, it becomes almost an inland sea. The La Plata, v its branches, collects all the southern waters of the Andes, flows southeast to the Atlantic in the magnitude of an imme gulf. Inferior to these, yet maintaining a rank among the gi rivers of the globe, are, in North America, the St. Lawrence which, with the Mississippi, derives its ample store of waters from any mountain chain, but from that cold, watery region forests and swamps, forming the northern prolongation of the g central plain, and the Oregon, rising in the western decliv of the Rocky Mountains, and flowing west into the Pacific. South America, another great stream, the Orinoco, taking its f rise in the Andes, is formed chiefly during its winding cou

GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA.

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among the inferior ranges that traverse the northern portion of South America. Though inferior to the two other gigantic streams in its neighborhood, yet, such is the store of waters it collects from this region of forests and swamps, that it pours its ample flood into the ocean by seven capacious mouths. The length of the navigable waters of the Amazon and its branches is estimated at 50,000 miles; of the Missouri, 40,000; of the La Plata, 20,000, of the Orinoco, 8,000; and of the St. Lawrence, 2,000. The internal navigation of the western continent surpasses therefore, beyond all comparison, that of all the rest of the globe.

Still another grand and characteristic feature of American geography may be found in the lakes of this country. The largest and most numerous are in North America. They are not mountain lakes, nor formed by mountain streams. They originate in those great, wooded, watery plains in which the Mississippi and the St. Lawrence take their rise. The chain of connected lakes on the upper course of the latter river, form the largest bodies of fresh water in the world.

Finally, the western continent is superior to the eastern, not only in its navigable waters, penetrating into its inmost recesses, but also in its not being defaced with sandy deserts to any remarkable extent. The desert of Atacama, in Peru and Chili, comprises only a narrow strip of country on the Pacific Ocean. The desert of Pernambuco, in the northeastern part of Brazil, is more extensive; but both are insignificant when compared with those of the Old World. The wide tract at the eastern foot of the Rocky Mountains, which has been called the American Desert, and a similar tract at the eastern base of the Chilian Mountains, are traversed by large rivers, and produce an abundant vegetation. The western continent, therefore, although only half the size of the eastern, has at least quite an equal amount of useful soil. Two thirds of the surface of the Old World are unproductive, and much of the remaining soil is poor; while more than two thirds of the New World are not only productive, but for the most part fertile to the highest degree.

We shall close this description of the western continent with a brief view of its political divisions at the present day. The northern part of America belongs to Russia and Great Britain, so far as the right of discovery and the possession of a few settlements, thinly scattered over an icy and barren waste, afford those powers a claim to the property. These regions are peopled by wandering tribes of aborigines, but their numbers are few. The European settlements are insignificant, except those of the British on Hudson's Bay. South of this country is the more populous

district of British America, extending to the 42d degree of latitude, containing the flourishing colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The inhabitants are mostly of European descent, and the government is dependent on Great Britain. Next lies the republic of the United States, extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from forty-eight degrees north, nearly to the tropic. The eastern half of this immense territory is occupied by the Anglo-American race; the western is still in possession of the aborigines, who however are daily receding and disappearing before the rapid progress of civilization. South of the United States is, first, the new republic of Texas, and next, the territory of Mexico, almost equal to the United States in extent, but less populous. This republic has a mixed population of Spanish and Indian descent, and large portions of the country are still in a savage state. Its limits extend to sixteen degrees of north latitude. The narrow portion of the continent which approaches the Isthmus of Darien is occupied by the republic of Guatemala, the inhabitants of which do not materially differ from those of Mexico. The West India islands, lying between North and South America, are colonies of several of the European powers, and are peopled by a mixture of the European and African race. One of these islands, Hayti, is independent, and has a population entirely African.

The northern part of South America contains the republics of Venezuela, Ecuador and New Granada, with a few colonies in Guiana, belonging to the British, French and Dutch. Proceeding southerly across the equator, we meet with the great empire of Brazil, occupying more than one third of the Southern continent. This empire, formerly a colony of Portugal, but now an independent territory, is peopled on its Atlantic borders by inhabitants of the Portuguese and African race. The interior is occupied chiefly by tribes of Indians. On the western coast lie the republics of Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chili. The republic of. Buenos Ayres, or the United Provinces, extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Between Brazil and this territory lie the two small republics of Paraguay and Banda Oriental. All these republics are inhabited by people of Spanish and Indian descent.

The continent now becomes narrowed toward a point, and offers to our view the savage and inhospitable region of Patagonia, in which few inhabitants, except the aborigines, are to be found. The southern extremity of America is formed by the craggy and desert island of Terra del Fuego, tenanted only by a scanty population of natives, as rude and savage as their own bleak and storm-beaten shores.

THE Welsh have a tradition of some celebrity, in virtue of which they claim the discovery of the western world. Madoc, a Welsh chieftain, in 1170, fitted out several vessels on a maritime adventure. Proceeding to the westward, after a long navigation he arrived at "a fair and large country," in which many wonderful things were seen. After leaving the greater number of his companions there, he returned to Wales, and prevailed on a number of his kindred and acquaintance to accompany him in a second expedition, from which he never returned. This is the substance of the Welsh tradition. There is no reason for serious belief that the Welsh ever crossed the Atlantic. The state of their navigation in the twelfth century was no way compatible with so long and hazardous a voyage. No trace of a Welsh settlement has ever been discovered in the western world. The resemblance affirmed to exist between some of the American languages and the Welsh is altogether fanciful.

The discovery of America by the Northmen, in 1001, rests on stronger evidence; and strange as this may appear, the fact

becomes indisputable when we consider that the best authenticated Icelandic chronicles unanimously affirm it; that their relations contain nothing that can admit of reasonable doubt; and that they are supported by several concurrent testimonies. There was, say those ancient chronicles, an Icelander, named Heriol, who, with his son Biarn, made every year a trading voyage to different countries, and generally wintered in Norway. Happening one time to be separated from each other, the son steered his course for Norway, where he supposed he should meet with his father; but, on his arrival there, found he had gone to Greenland, a country but lately discovered, and little known to the Norwegians. Biarn determined, at all events, to follow his father, and set sail for Greenland; "although," says the chronicler, "he had nobody on board who could direct him on the voyage, nor any particular instructions to guide him; so great was the courage of the ancients. He steered by the observation of the stars, and by what he had heard of the situation of the country he sought." During the first three days he bore towards the west, but the wind varying to the north, and blowing strong, he was forced to run to the southward. The wind ceasing in about twentyfour hours, they discovered land at a distance, which, as they approached, they perceived to be flat and low, and covered with wood; for which reason they would not go on shore, being convinced it could not be Greenland, which had been represented to them as distinguishable at a great distance for its mountains covered with snow. They then sailed away towards the northwest, and discovered a harbor which was formed by an island, but did not stop there. After some days they arrived in Greenland, where Biarn met with his father.

The following summer, namely, in the year 1002, Biarn made another voyage to Norway, where he informed one of the principal lords of the country, named Count Eric, of the discovery he had made of some unknown islands. The count blamed his want of curiosity, and strongly pressed him to proceed with his discovery. In consequence of this advice, Biarn, as soon as he had returned to Greenland, began to think seriously of exploring those lands with more attention. Leif, the son of Eric Rufus, who had discovered Greenland, and who was still chief of the colony settled there, being desirous of distinguishing himself like his father, determined to go thither himself; and prevailing on Eric to accompany him, they fitted out a vessel with thirty-five hands; but when the old man was setting out on horseback to go to the ship, his horse happened to fall down under him—an accident which he considered as an admonition