190 GEOGRAPHY. 



still chiefly inhabited by the Indians. Indeed, various Indian tribes 

 are scattered over all its wide territory : but these we have no room to 

 name. It is watered by the Amazon in the north, with its branches, 

 the Negro, Madeira, Topayos or Tapajos, and Xingu or Chingu : in 

 the central part is the Araguay or Tocantins ; and, in the east, the 

 river St. Francisco. The Brazilian mountains extend along the 

 south-eastern coast. The chief cities of this empire are Rio Janeiro, 

 the capital ; Bahia, or St. Salvador, and Pernambuco, farther north ; 

 and between the two latter Sergippe del Rey, all in the eastern part ; 

 Cm/aba, in the centre ; Para and Maranham, in the north ; and St. 

 Paul, in the south. Brazil has rich mines, especially of gold and 

 diamonds. It was formerly a Portuguese colony, but is now an 

 independent monarchy ; and the religion is the Roman Catholic. 



Guiana, north of Brazil, is now limited to the French, Dutch, 

 and British possessions of that name ; the part which formerly 

 belonged to Portugal, being now merged in Brazil. Cayenne is the 

 capital of Cayenne, or French Guiana ; Paramaribo, of Surinam or 

 Dutch Guiana ; and Georgetown is the capital of Berbice, Demerara, 

 and Essequibo, or British Guiana. The commerce of this region is 

 of some value ; but owing perhaps to the climate the people are said 

 to be indolent ; and the greater part of the population are slaves. 



2. The countries in the North Western Division of South 

 America, were all colonized by Spain ; and though now independent, 

 retain the Spanish language and manners, with the Roman Catholic 

 religion. Their governments are all nominally republican ; but 

 imperfectly administered, from the want of general education and 

 knowledge among the people. 



Venezuela, is a part of the recent republic of Colombia, which 

 included also New Grenada and Equador. Its chief river is the 

 Orinoco ; the island of Margarita belongs to this state ; and Lake 

 Maracaybo is near its western border. Its chief cities, are Carac- 

 cas, the capital ; Maracaybo, Coro, and Valencia, west of it, and 

 Cumana, farther east. Venezuela produces domestic animals, sugar, 

 and cocoa, in great abundance ; and the inhabitants are said to 

 be making considerable progress in education and the arts. New 

 Grenada, recently a part of Colombia, and now an independent 

 republic, is rich in the productions of all climates, and has mines of 

 gold and silver. It is traversed by the Jlndes mountains, on which 

 its climate is cool, though in the torrid zone. The Magdalena is 

 its principal river ; and its chief towns are Bogota, (Santa Fe de 

 Bogota), the capital; Popayan, south of it; and Carthagena, and 

 Panama, in the north and west. Coffee, cotton, indigo, and tobacco 

 are among its productions ; but agriculture and the arts are in a 

 backward state. 



Equador, (Ecuador or Equator), the remaining part of Colombia, 

 and now independent, borders on the Pacific Ocean, and lies chiefly 

 south of the equator, from which it derives its name. It contains 

 Chimborazo and numerous other lofty peaks of the Andes, some of 

 which, including Cotopaxi, are volcanoes. In its eastern part, the 

 rivers Ucayale and Tunguragua unite to form the Amazon ; and the 

 Yupura or Caqueta forms a part of its northern boundary. Its chief 



