MOUNTAINS. 19 



appear insurmountable to all but the boldest and the most 

 persevering. 



MOUNTAINS. 



On the western side of the continent rises gradually from 

 the Polar regions the mighty chain which runs throughout 

 its whole length— a distance of altogether 10,000 miles. 

 The northern portion, known as the Rocky Mountains, runs 

 for 3000 miles, in two parallel chains, to the plains of Mexico, 

 flanked by two other parallel ranges on the west, — the most 

 northern of which are the Sea Alps of the north-west coast, 

 and on the southern, the mountains of California. At the 

 north-western end of the Sea Alps rises the lofty mountain of 

 Mount Elias, 17,000 feet in height — the highest mountain 

 in North America — not far from Behring Bay ; while 

 another range, the Chippewayan, stretches eastward, culmi- 

 nating in Mount Brown, 16,000 feet in height, and gradually 

 diminishing, till it sinks into insignificance towards the Arctic 

 Circle. Point Barrow is the most northern point of America 

 on the western side. It consists of a long narrow spit, com- 

 posed of gravel and loose sand, which the pressure of the ice 

 has forced up into numerous masses, having the appearance of 

 rocks. From this point eastward to the mouth of the Mac- 

 kenzie River the coast declines a little south of east. The 

 various mountain ranges existing on the eastern side of the 

 continent, including the chain of the Alleghanies, form what 

 is called the Appalachian system. It consists of numerous 

 parallel chains, some of which form detached ridges, the 

 whole running from the north-east to the south-west, and it 

 extends about 1200 miles in length — from Maine to Alabama. 

 Besides the Alleghany Mountains in the western part of 

 Virginia and the central parts of Pennsylvania, it embraces 



