UNITED STATES. . 



Mr. Belknap estimates from the accounts of travel- 

 lers at 10,000 feet.* 



The Alleghany chain therefore can be considered 

 ©nly as a rampart of the mean height of 2000 or 

 2400 feet, about 350 or 400 toises, which differs al- 

 together from the grand chains of our globe, as for 

 instance : 



The Alps, estimated at - - 1500 toises 

 The Pyrenees - 1350 

 The Andest - - - 2500 



Libanus - - 1453 



And it is obvious, that this circumstance must have 

 considerable influence on the meteorology of the Uni- 

 ted States and the whole of their continent, as shall 

 be shown more particularly hereafter. 



All European travellers remark with surprise, 

 ' that the American mountains have more regularity 

 in their direction, greater continuity in their ridges, 

 and less inequality in the line of their summits, than 

 the mountains of their continent. These characteris- 



• History of New Hampshire, by Belki;3p, vol. Ill, p. 49. See als© 

 3. Williams's Work, p. 23. 



i" Agreeably to a very interesting geological delineation of Soutla 

 America, published by Baron Humboldt, since Volney wrote, it a\>- 

 pears that Don Ulloa's measurement referred to the chain of the An- 

 des running north and south; but Humboldt observes, that South 

 America exhibits other cordilieras of primitive mountains, extend- 

 ing east and west, parallel to the equator. Of these, that of Venezue- 

 la, is the highest, but the most narrow. Its greatest height is at the 

 Sierras d^ St. Merida, in lat. 8 deg, 30, mm, 14,000 J&ngUsh feet abevc 

 tlie se^. 



