ROCKY MOUNTAINS, FROM FORT CALGARY.
AMERICA.
Area, 14. 855,000 square miles, comprising two-sevenths of the land surface of the globe ; greatest length from north to south
in a direct line, 9,400 miles : greatest breadth from east to west, 3.200 miles ; population, 100,500,000,
America, or the New World, the only great division
5f the earth in the Western Hemisphere, is surrounded
on all sides by water: on the north by the Arctic Ocean;
on the west by the Pacific Ocean; on the south by the
Antaretic Ocean ; and on the east by the Atlantic Ocean.
It is composed of two enormous pear-shaped masses of
jand, both widest towards the north, and tapering to a
point towards the south, joined together by tho Isthmus
of Panama.
These two parts are called respectively North and
South America.
America is remarkable for the extent and grandeur of
ıtS physical features; its mountain chains, rivers, lakes,
Plains, and forests being the largest in the world.
It was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 149%,
hen he arrived at the island of San Salvador, one of the
Bahamas. It was not, however, till 1498, on his third
voyage, {lat he reached the mainland of Sonth America;
North America having been visited the year before by
John Cabot, a Venetian in the service of England. "The
new continent was named after Amerigo Vespucci, a
Florentine, who accompanied Hojeda, a Spanish com-
Mmander, as astronomer, and wrote an account of his dis-
Coveries in America. Greenland was discovered by the
Norsemen five hundred years before Columbus reached
America ; and it is said that they also visited the shores
of what is now called New England.
In shape and general features the two great divisions
-esemble each other. "The Rocky Mountains of North
America, and the Andes of SoutM! America, streich from
north to south through the whole length of £he conti-
ıent, forming an almost unbroken chain, about 9,000
niles in length. In both divisions this chain is nearest to
‚he Pacific, and both have smaller ranges of mountains in
‘he east, at the broadest part of the continents; while the
zentre, between the two ranges, is one vast plain. Both
livisions may be divided into four great slopes— 2 north-
arn, eastern, southeastern, and western; and the three
ärst are drained in North America by the Machkenzie,
3t. Lawrence, and Mississippi Rivers; and in South
America by the Orinoco, Amazon, and La Plata Rivers.
And similarly in both continents, the sources of these
Aiversare divided only by agentle yise scarcely perceptible.
The Rivers of America are especially remarkable for
;heir length and volume of water, and also for the dis-
‚ance to which they are navigable, the length of the
prineipal being:
Mississippi, with the Missouri,
North ameren.) St. Lawrence, with Lako8,
Mackenzie, . x . £
Amazon, with the Ucayali, +
South America. 4 La Plata, with the Paraguay,
} Orinoco, n " .
All of these rivers, with their tributaries (except the
Mackenzie, which flows into the Arctic Ocean), are navi-
zable almost to their sources. "This is owing to the vast
plains through which they flow, and their very gradual
fall towards the sea.
Commpared with the other great divisions of the Earth,
Afiles,
„4.500
. 21400
; 2,450
; 4,000
. 2500
1.600
