Mocntains the most conspicuous and Sxa most 
durable lara’ of the land; they are the immediate 
offspring of the globe, and owe an origin less to 
‘here are three classes, which show that they have been 
produced by different causes. The first are those which 
have been produced by deeply-seated action, without any 
gra 
upwards to the older porphyry, or to the more indurated 
species of the slaty or stratified rocks. 
ogy there are those which appear to have under- 
ter or less degree of the action of combustion, 
which begin with porphyry and end with the more recent 
lavas which have been ejected from voleanoes. They may 
be termed igneous rocks, for though they have not, of 
course, been produced by fire, they show marks of its 
action. 
> 
y, there are stratified rocks, including, among 
others, the limestones, some of which are of crystalline 
h 
texture, showing that they have been subjected to stron 
heat, under very great pressure. e whole of this third 
division may be regarded as consisting of debris, produced 
and accumulated by surface action; the limestones, gene- 
rally apeaking, and also some of the others, having been 
form: the oce 
Besides their sgt composition, and the grandeur 
which they add to the landscape, mountains are exceed- 
ingly useful in the grand economy of terrestrial nature. 
If they rise to lofty elevations, and have their escarpments 
steep and precipitous, they are not in themselves fertile; 
bat they are the causes of fertility in haces surrounding lands. 
gs, and 
ter in all directions; the overflowing of these streams 
fertilizes the soil of the places which their waters flo 
and the mountains elaborate out of the atmosphere a con- 
stant supply of water for them. 
Tn most of the continents, and many of the islands, there 
are en ree oe rise gist ie o— of - 
‘Te snow one oi a meueriny eit, “deatiag the diy and 
; m of ti ar, and thus gives out annual 
poet sae ale of water. In high latitudes, where 
the elevation of the snow-line is less, and the melting of 
the snow produced more quickly, destructive floods often 
result, and carry everything before them; but, in all the 
more ag places of the earth, the effect is generally 
Wisitaine are thus most interesting subjects for study, 
| waranty districts. The hills are the bones of a country, 
and determine its form just as the bones of an animal do; 
fers. oo to the direction of the hills must be the 
rivers. If the hill 
long way from the sea, the rivers are long and compara- 
tively gentle. But rivers of the latter sort are generally 
navigable, and become large enough, near the sea, to be 
capable of receiving ships of great size. Here, then, cities 
will be = and these will become rich and populous, and 
so will re popular importance. On the nature of the 
hills ome the mineral riches of a country; if th 
composed of granite or apse they may contain gold, gue 
tin, and copper; if t re composed of limestone, they 
are very likely to “shoe hat stv if of sand or gritstone, 
it is probable that there will be coal at no very great dis- 
tance. On the contrary, if they are made up of the yellow 
limestone, or of chalk, or of clay, it is quite certain that 
will contain neither coal, nor lead, nor any valuable 
whatsoever. But on the mineral wealth of a 
country, and preety on its oo — or a depends 
y are 
in a civilized 
Thus, — on ore direction and composition of the hills 
ofa Sonneey depends, first of all, the size and character of 
ts rivers. On the character of its rivers depend the situa- 
sion and importance of its towns, and its beens or less 
facilities for internal communication and foreign trade. 
And again, on the composition of the nite depends the 
employment of the people, their number in a given space, 
and in a great degree the state of morals, intelligence, and 
- pelitical independence. 
Wigh as many 2f the mountains of the globe appear to 
~ ager ene * —_ iat with any well-known 
ith its general 
mass. Sir hapa Herecell cnmpared the inequalities on 
MOUNTAINS OF THE WORLD. 
protuberance of not more than the 1-100th part of an 
inch. Now as there is no entire continent, nor even any 
ro extensive tract of land known, whose general eleva- 
ve the sea is anything like half ‘aie piece fon it 
porsln that if we could construct a correct model of our 
earth, with its seas, continents, and mountains, on a globe 
sixteen inches in diameter, the whole of the land, with the 
exception of a few prominent points and ridges, must be 
comprised on it within the thickness of thin writing paper, 
and the highest hill would be represented by the smallest 
visible grain of sand. 
Baron Huenboldt has shown, by the closest calculation, 
at the entire range of the lofty Alps, which cover an area 
of 45,000 square miles, would, if reduced to powder, and 
effect of raising the same continent six feet; while the 
aatest table-Jand of Spain, the greatest height of which 
s only 1920 feet, would, if applied to the same purpose, 
raise the general land of Europe to the altitude of seventy- 
siz feet. 
The mean height of Europe has been ea to be 
671 feet above the level of the sea; Asia, 1154 feet; and 
the united continent of America, 949 feet. ce America, 
separated from the northern portion, maintains a general 
elevation of 1151 feet—about the same as that of Asia. 
THE PRINCIPAL MOUNTAINS IN THE WORLD, WITH THEIR 
EIGHT IN FEET. 
MOUNTAINS OF NORTH AMERICA. 
Name. Country, Height in rs 
Mr. Sr. cst Russian America 
PopocaTePEtL, Mexico 17, 700 
)RIZABA ( Peak), Mexico........ seeddnettussbveriesesenuuees 17,370 
ZTACIHUATL, Mexico 15,700 
{r. Hoven, hen Eanes 15,680 
EVADA oF To 15,500 
gon evans, Mes 5,450 
it: , Rocky Mountains, Laks ae fatveacdnens eesoee 15,800 
fr. Panwnarnh, Russian 15,000 
"rimont’s Peak, merey Mousdele We Fe wee esceesse- 33/670 
Pancte, exic: 13,416 
,0NG’S PEAK, Rock} Mountains, U. 8. Gjacaademmanve 13,400 
JAuEGn Peano age eiatadwomeetane 11,500 
sARAMIE PEAK, we easceaecenavekes 11,000 
TERRA DE CoBReE, 50 
ERRANIA GRANDE 9,000 
= Per nae Rocky Meeln i. 8 7,489 
LU Jamaica 4§ 
ve 
aps — or Mr. wold lata North Carolina, U.S. 6,476 
Roan Mr. , Nor th Carolina 6, 
RANDFATHER Mr 
T. WASHINGTON, White Mountains U.S 
“ 
h Carolina 
tT. ADAMS 
Tt. J EFFERSON, . s 
tT. Mapison, + « 
T. Monroe, Ley “ 
tT. FRANKLIN, - _ 
tT. PLEASANT, # ba 
t. Marcy, New ayes 
+ MciIxrrre, New. York 5,200 
tx’s PEAK, 5,175 
Ir. SEWARD, 2 5,150 
ir. McMartin, 5 5.000 
ANTANONI Mr., 554 5,000 
SUFA DE COSIHUIRIACHIC, =~ ender Mexico... 7,918 
a% ays a Green Mts., Vermon 4,279 
EAKS 0 er, Virginia »260 
LOUND Fag “Catskill Mountains. achat epebesrsasbasisiece, aeoUU 
lign Peak, 3,700 
ADDLE-Back Mr, POR eis isisineugint cone, “SED OD 
MOUNTAINS OF SOUTH AMERICA. 
lea Crleneny; Chilian Andes 23,915 
HIMBO qu 21,427 
aerisn i PPesnee livi 21,286 
Nev Inu ag Bolivia 21,145 
igang (voleatio), Prt ciciisioccoss vccncesscdenecavse dente lyd 
CoTropax quador 18,890 
Touma Teslenuoh New Grenada 8,000 
fit pe Por eens, 2 Bolivia 16,150 
ICHINCHA, Equad 15,94 
SILLA pe CarRaccas, nig settee 8,700 
Orean Mrs., Brazil 7,458 
Mr. Sarmiento, Terra del Fuego 6,82 
Cape Horny, Terra del Fuego 1,870 
MOUNTAINS OF EUROPE 
Mr. Exvsrovz,* Caucasian Mts 17,700 
Mr. Kassercx, 15,3: 
Mont Buane, Alps 15,781 
Mont Rosa, “ 15,585 
* Elbrouz and Kasbeck, the two greatest elevations of the Cau- 
Name. Country. Height in ft. 
Ortier Spitze, Alps 15,430 
CeRVIN, « 14,837 
Furea, -“ 14,040 
JUNGFRAU, +“ 13,72 
f ee bad 13,397 
Ce “ 346 
aaae Sr. Bernarp, Alps 11,000 
IMPLON, Alps....... whee 11,000 
T. GoTHARD, Alps 975 
ATTLE St. BERNARD, Alps 594 
i ULACHAZEN, Spai 11,673 
-ERDU Pyrenees 11,28 
we Era (rplenne),. Sicily...... 10,963 
Bane, 10,20 
in Seanovs, Balkan MOG EAIEN os sins scsicoccasssscons 19,000 
17z, Carp 3,540 
RB rit us, ag 50 
GUADARRAMA, Spain 8,49 
VELINo, Naples 8,397 
SNEEHATTAN, Norway , 8,125 
Ska@rToLten, “ 8,097 
ohhh 4,875 
Mr. PARNASSUS, ‘Greeee 8,000 
J = s Mr., 7,900 
i “ 6,7 
Mr. ki, - 6,500 
HELIcon, “ 5,74 
JELPHI, 5,725 
tT. ANGELO, Lipari Tela 
prinstane x (volean), Lived Islands 
EF 
UY DE eae E, 
EN ahha Scotland 
5,260 
3,000 
5,100 
4,750 
4,418 
EN NEvIs, 4,358 
IRN GORM, “ 4,050 
EN LAWERs, “ 8,944 
EN More, 3,900 
EN WryvIs, 3,720 
fr. VE ESUVIUS (vlean), SUMMON ices chccs seccet peters eee a. 3,978 
fr. Hecua (volcano), Iceland 3,970 
owDo 3,558 
ADER Ipi1s, 8,55 
KIDDAW, England 3,022 
HEVIOT Huis, England 2,658 
APs oF Jura, Scotland 2,470 
LINLIMMON, Wales 2,460 
SNAEFELL, Isle of n doecers 2000 
PENTLAND HILLs, eg »700 
WALVERN Hiuus, Englan 1,450 
Rock or GIBRALTAR, { am deedé edunabpesersaceee Pusevesp Ajhoy 
MOUNTAINS OF ASIA. 
K ienisaa Himalaya. M. UN CAINS 3. cscs ececsieesps 20) 109 
DPR WARAGHINN, 20 ee ure 28, oe 
JEWARIR, i 
JAMNOUTRI, m ebbees suheubawes 2 sap 
JHAIBAN, He) 2 iipeseeuaacouaa’ ” 24, 740 
Hrxvoo Koos stsevesccusivwoss 20) sd 
HUMALAREE, Thibet 23,930 
ft. A atl rme 17, 100 
KLIOUTSHERSKI, schatka 16,512 
AWATSKA oleae), ‘aaah 8,760 
tT. LEBANON, phar 9,520 
fr. OLyw 9,100 
{r. Hens dsabia Petes. eeseeue’ ie iasevetwe seansase| 0,000 
fr. Sinat, 7,500 
org cane Coston 8,280 
fr. MELIN, 8,200 
JESSO PEAK len 7,68 
Apams’s Peak, Ceylon 7,420 
Mr. Ip ia Minor..... 5, 
Mr. Sron, Palestine 2,700 
Mr. Carmen, “ 2,255 
Mr. Tazpor, “ 2,050 
MOUNTAINS OF AFRICA, 
Mr. Krumanpsor. ‘ ineaes ~ 000 
Mr. K 19,500 
Mr. Kanon, echaahaag isubuscabskebie oxeskeeukaetieet seveee 15,000 
vl TEN vlad Canary Islands 2,170 
Wits Micon 11,200 
CLAREN oe Peak, “Fe erna 10,650 
N1EUVEL obi efi of Good ae secveesveeee conces sesees 10,000 
Compas 10,000 
Foso Peak, oo Verde Islands. 9,15 
Voucano Mr., Isle of Bourbon 7,680 
Frigo, Canary Islands 7,4 
Peak oF Pic “4 Azores 6,900 
KomBere, a of Good Hope 5,000 
TasBie Mr. 3,582 
Devi’ 3,3 5 
GREEN Mr, Tele of Ascension 2,868 
DIANA He 2,692 
Care pA Suk JAUPE 1,00 
{ 
MOUNTAINS OF OCEANICA. 
Movuna Kra, Sandwich Nalanda ccssi kissed tects 100 
Mowna Roa 16,020 
Moura Ki “a eae « 5,173 
tT. OPHIR, 13,840 
Sumatra 
rman Deue (voleano), Sumatra 
12,465 
Peak, Otaheite, or Tahiti 0.89. 
Ben Lomonp, Van Diemen’s Land 4,200 
RES South Wales 3,776 
* This mountain, a a gece ding nal ak wledge goes, may be 
globe; Dhawalaghiri, form 
Shend the tighest es have favk te oe ieee ae ee 
Seaealicad, meer it is said, al 
gives this mountain the 
rank among all snow-capped mountains hls mountatn the Sa 
LENGTH OF THE PRINCIPAL MOUNTAIN-CHAINS N THE WORLD, 
ITH THE HEIGHTS OF THEIR CULMINATING PO.NTS. 
Length. Culminat- Tteicht 
Miles. ing Points. in feet. 
225, Pic Nethou, 11,168 
800, Monte Ccrno, 9,523 
e . 
ers sof Soc nial Pie d+ 450, Mont Blanc, 15,756 
morte 
ScanpDIn a Bren , taking 
a. he na mea 0 
Thu chi ere and Kae- 
Piety Motntaine 
URAL, common 
aay from th Arctic “Ocean 1250, er tga —— 
the river Ural, where itf = = mem .ecccc 5,387 
ows from east to west.......+. 
Atal, forming the - - 
boundary ia, fr 
884, Bieloukha.. 11,063 
ai <a. 
Tu1an-CHAN, from the intersec- 
tion with the Bo lor to the 
RE oi creas 20,000 
1600, Karakorum, 18,000 
| 2800, 5 i 
soocae 20109 
800, Tutucan- 
ont anes the Hima- + Moutcani, 20,480 
2 ? 
e Kouenlun to 
Lenora 
Aras, from C ea ehr, on the | 
red re = ie. adanticn to 2 #1402 
Sidra, on the Med + 2000, Miltsin ...... 11,400 
erranean 
ANDEs, shine oa Horn to the) 
Pe eeeseecees 
gpa Aconcagua, 23,915 
Mage: 
he Sea 
‘Alpe of Ca fon aaa of the 
North-west Coa: 
3000, Mt. St. Elias, 17,780 
ELEVATION OF SEVERAL REMARKABLE LOCALITIES, WITH SOME 
OF THE HIGHEST ALTITUDES ATTAINED BY MAN, 
—_ 
fee 
bie ener. S any of the Globe, Kunchinginga, 
28,178 
Ase a3 Gre n, at London, in 1833, —e the : 
gen ates height ever attained y a balloon...... 27,000 
Calminating oa of the Western Continent, ree. n- 
915 
Ascent 0 of’ oa These! in a balloon, at Paris, ‘in : 
900 
Highest flight of the Condor of the Andes........... 000 
~— point reached by Humboldt on Chinbecaee 
508 
Manering vies in the Himalaya, crossed by Captain 
1 
Highest a une of the Himalaya 16,500 
Mines of P 16,080 
ighest Pass oe Andes, in Boliv 6,000 
crop! 16,009 
meee prrenn of man in pei Old World—table- 
Highest inhabited spot on the Andes, farm of ‘Anti- 
si, sialon square of the ci si fon 
Titiencs Lake, Bolivia, South 
rae oath ng point of the Aniartie. aa Mount 
supposed to be a volcan0.........00. e+ vat 
yen found by Gerard, in ae Himalaya, 12 feet 
in girt 12,000 
Cuzco, ancient Capital of Peru 11,380 
— coh sing Pass, that of Mont Cervin, Pen- é 
11,10 
Rio Ars 10,800 
Highest growth of Pancha bark 9,590 
Quito, 9,540 
Pass of ao Maria, house, highest permanent habi- 
n Europe 9,272 
Givatoat height o of the Lar oie a he — walnut, 
growing luxuria’ ro 9,000 
Highest cat - oe across "Mont ag 
wio, Felenetian (Alpe citisiecee lec iaiietcepcstlecdee 850 
Sorat ps de Bogota, Columbia. 0c. covces sesooe sosveres 8,650 
Pas Bev! hie imsel, Bernese Alps......ssseccecrsereeee 8,400 
Quito, p I 8,000 
Hospice, St. Bernard 7,965 
Mexico, city 7,470 
Hospice, St. Go 808 
6, 
Highest vitesse of Seni Soglio, in the Grisons.. 6,714 
4, 
ource of the Loire 593 
Culm warring. point of Great Beieatsy Ben Nevis, re 
Colm nating point of England and Wales, Snow- ms 
Culm iiatlog sec of f Srejend, @urrane Tual Hagil- 
lieuddy Ree 440 
lear ating Hager — Sca-Fell, “Cumber- pee 
Longwood House, residence of te, St. He- 
lena eee Eee e THe Hee HeeEe 2,000 
578. 
. ee 
PPPRRG, METV cdscenccscacscceessassoney sovescus 
: : 
