een FB 
Geographical sponds with the western boundary of the territories, 
Historical 
Surv: 
Wisconsin and Iowa, and of the states, Missouri, 
Arkansas and Louisiana. ‘The other, the western 
section of the United States, extends from this boun- 
dary of civilization to the coasts of the Pacific. On 
the south, merely to give general indications, it is sep- 
arated from Texas by the Sabine River, and from 
Mexico by a line running along the south bank of the 
Arkansas in its upper course to its source in latitude 
42°, and with that parallel westward to the Pacific 
ocean. Toward the north this section bounds on the 
British Possessions. But the northern boundary has 
been fixed by the treaties of 1818 with England, only 
so far as concerns the part east of the Rocky Moun- 
tains, as running on the 49th parallel from the Lake 
of the Woods westwardly to the Rockies. Beyond 
these mountains to the Pacific Ocean the United States 
claim to the Russian Possessions in latitude 54° 10’ 
north by reason of discoveries and ancient treaties. 
By provisional arrangement, England shares with us 
the possession of this region, leaving the dispute un- 
settled. The western portion of the United States, 
which alone concerns us here, is divided into terri- 
tories: on this side of the Rockies we have the North- 
west Territory, Missouri Territory, Arkansas Terri- 
tory; while all beyond to the Pacific Ocean is covered 
by the general name of Oregon Territory. Only 
along the border of this western section, which in 
circumference and area is equal to the eastern sec- 
tion, if not greater than it, has civilization struck any 
