CHAPTER IT. . 



CENTRAL AMERICA. 



EAVING the continent of North America, which may 

 be said to terminate at the southern end of Mexico, 

 we enter that extremely irregular portion of land 

 which, now widening, now narrowing again, stretches in a 

 south-easterly direction till it unites with the southern half of 

 the American continent at the Isthmus of Panama. We find 

 in Central America three marked centres of elevation. The 

 first we reach is the great plain, nearly 6000 feet above the 

 level of the sea, on which the city of Guatemala is situated. 

 Numerous volcanic peaks rise from its midst ; from it also 

 flow several large rivers, some falling into the Gulf of Mexico, 

 others eastward into the Gulf of Honduras, while smaller 

 streams send their waters westward into the Pacific Ocean. 

 The banks of these rivers are mostly covered with the richest 

 tropical vegetation — the scenery of the river Polochie in Guate- 

 mala being especially beautiful. Another high plain occupies 

 the centre of Honduras, and extends into the northern part of 

 Nicaragua. From it also rise numberless streams, some empty- 

 ing themselves into the Caribbean Sea, and others into the 

 Lakes of Nicaraci^ua and Manaoua. Further south rises the 



