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Sect, v.] 



GEOGRAPHY. 



131 



marl, or clay, ?-s the appearance of the country will often 

 depend greatly on this circumstance. Another important 

 characteristic is its general form and extent, and the 

 natural features by which it is hounded, whether moun- 

 tains, rivers, or seas; how many miles wide, and how 

 many long ; whether extending parallel with the coast, 



or running up between hills into the interior. 



Manv of these characteristics, it will be observed, 

 belong equally to the other forms which constitute the 



count 



nav b 



character of tlie district. An 



barren, wooded, or cultivated ; it may be arid, or watered 



by streams, &c. The undulations may be abrupt, or only 



gently swelling, and this may be in a great measure 



owing to the nature of the subsoil, whether it consists of 



gravel, or sand, or rock ; but a country of this description 



is easily described, A hilly country, on the other hand, 



is more comphcated. Not only is the term vague and 



uncertain, but other features have to be considered. 



Neither hills nor mountains can exist without valleys, 



and these also deserve to be considered and described. 



Then, again, the hills themselves m-ay be of various 



forms and characters ; do they extend in long parallel 



chains or ranges, or are they detached and isolated ? Do 



they radiate or converge ? 



Do they rise abruptly or 



gradually from the low country? and how are the}' 



wooded ? 



W 



do the rocks 



which constitute their 



nucleus con?ist of ? If possible, it is desirable to ascertain 

 their height, which, in the absence of complicated instru- 

 ments and barometers, may be very fairly obtained ap- 

 proximatively by marking the exact point at which pure 

 fresh water boils. Of course the same accuracy cannot 



I 



