550 



the geography of plants, but exerts, as we 

 have said above, a great influence on the 

 feeble culture and population north-west of 

 the Lower Mississipi. In the United States, 

 the savannah countries are more slowly co- 

 lonized; and even the tribes of independent 

 Indians, are forced by the rigour of the cli- 

 mate to pass the winter along the rivers, 

 where poplars and willows are found. The 

 basins of the Mississipi, of the lakes of Canada 

 and the Saint Lawrence, are the largest of Ame- 

 rica ; and although the total population does 

 not rise at present beyond three millions *, 

 it may be considered as that in which, be- 

 tween the 29° and 45° of latitude, (long. 74° 

 — 34°), civilization has made the greatest 

 progress. It may even be said that in the 

 other basins (of the Oroonoko, the Amazon, 

 and Buenos Ayres), agricultural life scarcely 

 exists ; it begins on a small number of points 

 only, to replace pastoral life, and that of fish- 

 ing and hunting nations. The plains be- 

 tween the Alleghanies and the Andes of 

 Upper Louisiana are of so vast an extent, 

 that similar to the Pampas -f- of Choco and 



* Vol. vi, p. 142. 

 f The Palm-trees extend towards the south, in the Pampas 

 of Buenos Ayres, and in the Cisplatine province, to 34° and 



35°. (Auguste de Saint Hilaire, Apercu d'vn Voyage ®u 

 jbresil, p. 60.) 



