2 SOUTH AMEEICA— THE ANDES EEGIONS. 



observers in the last century. Favourite subjects of comment have been the 

 contrasts offered by the three continental regions of the southern hemisphere to 

 those of the north, not only in their more massive outlines, less indented by 

 marine inlets, less diversified by great peninsulas, but also in other salient physical 

 features, as well as in their respective geographical positions. Attention has like- 

 wise been called to the hai'monious correspondence in the general disposition of 

 Africa and South America, their great fluvial basins facing each other, their most 

 advanced headlands of Upper Guinea and Brazil projecting from either side of 

 the Atlantic as if to meet in mid-ocean. 



Nor have physical geographers failed to notice the resemblance in the contour- 

 lines of the two main sections of the New World itself, both of triangular form, 

 with apex pointing southwards, and with orographic and hydrographie systems 

 presenting many features in common. Here the chief contrasts between the 

 northern and southern divisions are, in fact, mainly due to the differences of latitude, 

 compared with which the diversities of outline are of relatively slight importance. 

 Such diversities, however, require to be carefully noted. South America, with 

 far more clearly marked periphery, is sharply limited in the north-west by the 

 fluvial valley of the Atrato, which is connected by a very low pass with the 

 marshy gulf of San Juan, Thus the continent, taken as a whole, may be regarded 

 as a vast insular region somewhat analogous to Australia. 



Far more irregular in its broad outlines is the North American continent, 

 which tapers southwards through the long sinuous stem of Central America form- 

 ing a prolongation of the Mexican uplands. At its opposite extremity the northern 

 coastlands are intermingled with a labyrinth of large islands and archipelagoes, 

 clothed for the greater part of the year with a snowy mantle, and soldered 

 together by a continuous icecap. In this direction the dimensions of the North 

 American seaboard can scarcely be accurately determined, the extremely vague 

 estimates of its actual extent depending on summary and in part contradictory 

 surveys. In fact, the northern regions are merged, so to say, in the mysterious 

 waters of the Arctic seas. Hence the northern division of the New World, although 

 occupying a larger superficial area, is inferior to the southern continent in the 

 extent of its habitable lands. Not more than two-thirds of its surface is really at 

 the service of civilised man. 



The Seaboakd. 



Till recently all geographers, in common with Carl Ritter, pointed to the more 

 diversified character of its coast-lines as a great advantage enjoyed by the northern 

 over the southern continent. One-half of its seaboard abounds in islands and 

 peninsulas, such as the Polar Archipelago, the Aleutian group, the West Indies, 

 California, Florida, and Central America, whereas the southern continent presents 

 a scarcely indented coast-line, with but few and small peninsulas, unless thePata- 

 gonian extremity itself may be considered as a sort of peninsular region. The 

 islands, nowhere numerous except on the austral coasts, are disposed close to the 

 mainland, so as to scarcely disturb the general uniformity of the shore- lines. 



