GUATIMALA OR CENTRAL AMERICA.

GUATIMALA OR CENTRAL AMERICA.

Extent 200,000 sq. miles. Pop. 2,000,000.

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10 per sq. mile. Guatimala lies in the central part of America, between the Pacific ocean and the Caribbean sea, and extends from Mexico on the N. W. to the province of Panama near the isthmus of Darien, on the S. E. The lands on the sea coasts are low and unhealthy. The interior through its whole length, consists of a lofty range of mountains, where the climate is salubrious and pleasant. The soil in general is very rich, and better cultivated, and supports a more dense population, than is usual in Mexico and other portions of Spanish America. This arises from the fact, that there are here but few mines, and the attention of the people is more devcted to agricultural pursuits. The productions of the soil are abundant, and similar to those of the Mexican provinces.

This country, however, is remarkable for volcanoes and earthquakes. Of the former, there are no less than 20 in perpetual operation, and the latter, not unfrequently, have been very destructive. Guatimala, the capital, lies near the Pacific ocean, and has an excellent harbour. This city contains a flourishing University and numerous churches, magnificently built and famous for their costly decorations and treasures of gold and silver. In the year 1775, it was almost destroyed by an earthquake; but its population is now estimated at 50,000. The other principal towns are Leon, Truxillo, Vera Paz and Chiapa. The bay of Honduras is noted for the British settlements made upon it, for the purpose procuring mahogany, logwood, and various materials for dyeing, which are found in the neighbouring provinces. Guatimala, like Mexico, was formerly in the possession of Spain, but within a few years has become independent.

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The province of Panama, which lies next below Guatimala, is attached to the Republic of Colombia in S. America. The isthmus of Darien is composed of low valleys and lofty mountains, and is about 37 miles wide in the narrowest part, between Porto Bello and the town of Panama, which is on the Pacific shore.

QUESTIONS.

How is Guatimala situated or bounded? What are its extent and population How is the country described on the coasts? How is the interior? What is said of the soil? Why is it better cultivated than in other parts of Spanish America ? What of the productions? For what is this country remarkable? How many volcanoes in it? What and where is the capital city? What is said of its University and churches? What great calamity befel this city in 1775? What are the other principal towns? Where is Amatique bay or the bay of Honduras, and for what noted? What large lake in Guatimala? What is the situation of this country, in respect to government? What province lies next below it, and to what Republic is it attached? What does the Isthmus of Darien consist of? What is its latitude? What is its width and between what two towns?

ISLANDS.

WEST INDIES AND BERMUDAS.

Pop. 2,800,000. Slaves, 1,145,000.

The West Indies are situated in the waters between Florida and S. America. They are divided into four groups or clusters, viz. The Great Antilles, Lesser Antilles, the Bahamas and the Caribbee Isles. The Bahama islands are farthest N., the Caribbees the farthest E., the Lesser Antilles on the S., and Cuba, one of the four Great Antilles, extends farthest to the W. There is a general range of mountains extending circuitously from the W. end of the island of Cuba, through Hayti, Porto Rico and the Caribbees, down toward the S. American continent.

The seasons in the W. Indies are either wet or dry. In the summer, the climate is sultry and sickly. Early in the autumn, it is subject to frequent and tremendous earthquakes and hurricanes, and dreadful thunder storms. The winter season is, in a good degree, salubrious and agreeable. The soil, for the most part, is remarkable for fertility. Sugar cane is the staple production. Coffee, tobacco, cocoa, cotton, ginger, allspice, &c. are abundant, together with the common tropical fruits, oranges, lemons, figs and pine apples. Yams, sweet potatoes, and Indian corn, are extensively used as articles of food. In the most of these isles, three fourths of the population are negro slaves. St. Domingo or Hayti, is an Independent Republic of blacks. The other islands belong to several of the European powers, principally to Great Eritain, France and Spain. The British islands are the most numerous. The chief of which are Jamaica, Trinidad, Bahamas, St. Lucia, Barbadoes, Tobago, St. Vincent, Grenada, Antigua, Montserat and St. Christophers. The Spanish islands, are Cuba, Porto Rico and Margarita. The French islands, are Martinique, Guadaloupe and its Dependencies. The Danish islands, are Santa Cruz, St. Thomas and St. Johns. The Dutch islands, Curacoa, St. Eustatia and St. Martin. St. Bartholomew is a Swedish island.

QUESTIONS.

Where are the W. Indies situated? Into how many groups are they divided and what are they? Which cluster is on the N.? Which on the E.? Which on the S.? Which island farthest W.? Are there any mountains in the W. Indies ? What is said of the seasons ? Of the climate in the summer? In the autumn ? In the winter? What of the soil? Of the chief productions? What proportion of slaves in most of the islands? Which island is independent? To whom do the other islands belong? Which are the principal British isles? Which are the Spanish? The French? The Danish? The Dutch? The Swedish island?

CUBA.

Extent 56,000 sq. miles. Pop. 705,000. Slaves 256,000.

Cuba is the largest of the W. India isles, being between 7 and 800 miles long, and nearly equal in size to the state of Georgia. The chief towns are Havana, Matanzas and St. Jago de Cuba. Havana is the most distinguished port in the W. Indies. The harbour, though approached by a narrow channel, is one of the best in the world; being capable of containing 1000 ships, and is defended by almost impregnable fortifications. The commerce of Havana is immense, and the exports of great amount and value. Population, 140,000.

HAYTI, FORMERLY CALLED HISPANIOLA, OR ST. DOMINGO.

Extent 28,000 sq. miles. Population, 935,000.

Hayti is the second West India island in size, and is about half as large as Cuba. The island, in general, exhibits a great fertility of soil, and a rich variety of productions, suited to the climate. It was formerly divided between the French, who held possession in the Western part, and the Spaniards, in the Eastern. The French were expelled by their slaves. The inhabitants of the island now constitute the Haytian Republic, whose independence was established in the year 1801. The chief towns are St. Domingo, Port au Prince, and Cape Henry, which is the seat of government. St. Domingo is the oldest city built by the Spaniards in America, but its importance has become small. Population 12,000. Port au Prince, the former French capital, contains a population of 25,000.

JAMAICA.

Extent 6,500 sq. miles. Pop. 386,000. Slaves 330,000. Jamaica is next to Hayti in size, and is a rich and important island. It is diversified by lofty mountains and extensive declivities and plains, exhibiting much excellent soil and delightful scenery. It is cultivated with skill and enterprise, and abounds in sugar cane, coffee and other valuable agricultural products. Spanishtown is the capital. Kingston is a place of active commerce. Population 33,000. Port Royal was formerly very wealthy and celebrated; a thousand ships might be accommodated in its harbour; but, by an earthquake, a fire and a hurricane, it has been reduced, and is now a place of little importance, except as a naval

station.

BAHAMA ISLES.

Pop. 16,300. Slaves 10,000.

The Bahama Islands are numerous, but are generally small, rocky and barren, with few inhabitants. Turks Island is noted for the salt ponds which have produced large quantities of excellent salt. Guanahani or St. Salvador, is remarkable for being the land first discovered by Columbus in the New World. The channel between the Bahamas and the coast of Florida, is distinguished for the violence of its currents, and is the scene of many dreadful shipwrecks.

BERMUDAS.

Pop. 11,000. Slaves 5,000.

The Bermudas or Somers Islands belong to Great Britain, and are generally reckoned among the W. India Isles, though their situation is at a distance N. from them. They are in number about 400, lying 600 miles E. of Cape Hatteras, and are in general very small, rocky and uncultivated. Many of them are uninhabited and without names. St. George, the largest island, is 15 miles long, and has a capital of the same name. The climate of these isles is very salubrious and inviting. There is no winter here, but spring prevails in almost perpetual mildness and verdure. Hence the Bermudas have become a common resort for invalids in the pursuit of health. Large quantities of valuable timber are found here, and the leading employments of the people relate to ship building and navigation.

Martinique and Guadaloupe are among the richest and most important of the Caribbee Isles. The capital of the former is St. Pierre, and is built in a style of European elegance. The seat of government, in the latter, is Basse Terre. Population 12,000.

Barbadoes is at the Eastern extremity of the W. Indies, and has Bridgetown for its capital, whose population is 18,000.

Trinidad is the farthest South. Its capital, Port Spain, has 13,000 inhabitants.

QUESTIONS.

Which is the largest of the W. India Isles and the farthest W.? What are the latitude, the extent and population of Cuba? What are the chief towns? Where is Havana situated and how described? In what part is Matanzas and St. Jago de Cuba? What large island is next E. of Cuba? What are the extent and population of Hayti? What of the soil and productions? Between what two European powers was this island formerly divided? What is the government of the whole island now called and when did it become independent? What are the chief towns ? What is the situation of St. Domingo ? Of Port au Prince? Of Cape

Henry? Which is the third W. India island in size? Which way is Jamaica from Cuba and from Hayti? How many square miles and people in Jamaica ? How is its surface diversified? How cultivated and in what does it abound? In what part is Spanishtown the capital? Kingston and how described? Port Royal and what is said of it? Where are the Bahama islands and how described? For what is Turks island noted? What is St. Salvador remarkable for? For what is the Bahama channel distinguished? Where are the Bermudas? To whom do they belong? How many of them and how described? Which is the largest? What is said of the climate of these isles? What of the principal business of the people ? What is said of Martinique and Guadaloupe? What are their capitals? Which is the most eastern of the W. India isles? Which the most southern ? What the capital of each ?

SOUTH AMERICA.

Length 4,600 ms. Extreme breadth 3,000 ms. Extent, 6,500,000 sq. ms. Pop. 15,000,000.

QUESTIONS. (See the Map.)

What are the boundaries of S. America? What cape is at its northern extremity, near the gulf of Venezuela? What strait and island at its S. extremity? What cape at its most eastern point? What cape at the most W. point? Ans. Cape Blanco? What is its length from the isthmus of Darien to the straits of Magellan? What is its extreme breadth from Cape Blanco on the W. to Cape St. Roque on the E.? What is its average breadth ? Ans. About 1,500 miles. Between what degrees of latitude and longitude is S. America situated? Ans. Between 12° N. latitude and 54° S. latitude, and between 35° 45′ and 81° W. longitude. To which of the zones does it chiefly belong? What islands near the N. coast of S. America? What three islands in the Pacific ocean near the S. W. coast? What islands near the S. E. extremity? What number of square miles and the population in S. America ?

GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

PART FIRST.

CIVIL DIVISIONS--MOUNTAINS---RIVERS---SURFACE-CLIMATE-SOIL-PRODUCTIONS.

The grand civil Divisions of S. America are eight, viz. Colombia, Guiana, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, United Provinces, Chili and Patagonia. That part of the great American chain of ́mountains which is included in S. America, is called the Andes. It extends along the Pacific shore about 5,000 miles in length, from the straits of Magellan to the Isthmus of Darien. It generally follows the direction of the coast, and its distance from the ocean is between 100 aud 200 miles. The principal ridge or ridges of the Andes are reckoned among the highest on the globe. They are literally,