NORTH AMERICAN. 185 



It is inhabited by a few Esquimaux Indians, and Danish colonists, 

 who have settlements on the western coast. There are Moravian 

 missions at Lichtenfels, New Hernhut and other places ; but Pagan- 

 ism still prevails. The coasts of Greenland are occasionally visited, 

 in the summer, by ships, in pursuit of whales and seals, and the oil 

 of the former, and skins of the latter, supply the natives, in part, 

 with food and clothing. 



Russian America includes that portion which lies west of the 141st 

 degree of west longitude ; and the Russians lay claim to the coast as 

 far south as 54 40' of north latitude. This territory includes the 

 peninsula of Alaska, and the Aleutian or Fox Islands, sometimes 

 called the Northern Archipelago. The principal settlement is said 

 to be Sitka (Sitcha) or Neto Archangel, on one of the islands of the 

 Georgian Archipelago, south of Mounts St. Ellas and Fairweather. 

 A few of the inhabitants are Russians ; and the rest, Esquimaux 

 Indians, in a barbarous state, subsisting chiefly by hunting and 

 fishing. These possessions are valuable to Russia chiefly on account 

 of the fur trade, which is carried on there, to a great extent, with the 

 Indians. 



British America, comprehends New Britain, and the five Pro- 

 vinces of Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward's 

 Island, and Newfoundland. Each of these provinces has a Lieute- 

 nant Governor, Executive Council, and Legislative Assembly ; and 

 the whole is under a Governor General, appointed by the British 

 Crown. New Britain comprises the whole country extending from 

 Russian America, eastward, around Hudson's Bay, to Baffin's Bay, 

 and the Atlantic Ocean. The eastern coast, bordering on the Atlantic, 

 is called Labrador ; and the region between this and Hudson's Bay 

 is called East Main; while the region west of Hudson's Bay is 

 termed New South, and New North Wales. New Britain is tra- 

 versed by the Rocky Mountains ; and contains Mackenzie's River, 

 which flows northward from Slave Lake, receiving the waters of 

 Lake Athapescow (or Athabasca) ; and Nelson River, which flows 

 from Lake Winnipeg, north-eastward into Hudson's Bay. Prince 

 William's Land, north of Hudson's Strait, as also Boothia Felix, 

 farther west, and the North Georgian Islands, including Melville 

 Island, may be considered as a part of New Britain. Among the 

 places of trade, are Forts Albany, Severn, York, and Churchill, on 

 Hudson's Bay. Among the Indian tribes which inhabit this region, 

 are the Esquimaux, in the north and east ; the Chippewayans 

 towards the west ; and the Knisteneaux in the more southern and 

 central parts. New Britain is attached to the government of Lower 

 Canada ; and it is the seat of an extensive fur trade, carried on by the 

 Hudson's Bay Company, with which the old North West Company 

 is now united. 



Of the Five Provinces, above named, constituting the more im- 

 portant part of British America, the St. Lawrence is the chief river; 

 and the lakes Superior, Huron, St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario, form 

 a part of their southern boundary ; lying between Canada and the 

 United States. The extent and population of these provinces, is 

 nearly as follows : 



24 Q2 



