406 
GEOGRAPHY. 
rica, has not only been in long and general acceptation, 
but is ftrongly marked by the hand of nature, in an ifth- 
mus more narrow than that which feparates Afia from 
Africa, and by a great diverfify in the languages and 
manners of the original inhabitants. The fouthern li¬ 
mit of tlie American continent is clearly eftimated from 
the hrait of Magellan. But the northern extent is not 
afeertained with equal precifion. But amidfl every 
geographical uncertainty, it will befufficient to eftimate 
the length of America from the feventy-lecond degree of 
north latitude to the ftraitof Magellan,or the fifty-fourth 
degree of foutlr latitude ; afpace of one hundred andtwen- 
ty-fix degrees, or feven thoufand five hundred and fixty 
geographical miles. In South America the greatell 
breadth is from Cape Blanco in the weft, to that of St. 
Roque in the eaft; which, according to the befi: maps, 
is forty-eight degrees, or two thoufand eight hundred 
and eighty geographical miles. But in the north the 
breadth may be computed from the promontory of 
Alalka to the moh eaftern point of Labrador, or even 
of Greenland, which would add more than a third part 
to the eftimate. In Britifh miles the length of Ame¬ 
rica may be eftimated at eight thoufand eight hundred ; 
and fuppofing the breadth of North America three 
thoufand eignt hundred and forty geographical miles, 
it will, in Britiih miles, be about four thoufand four 
hundred. 
North America Includes the United States, Spa- 
nift) America, Britifh America, and the independent 
Indian nations. The inland feas of North America are 
the gulfs of Mexico, California, and St. Lawrence j 
with Hudfon’s Bay, and Davis’s Straits. 
The gulf of St. Lawrence is clofed by the ifland of 
Newfoundland, and the great fand bank, about four 
hundred miles in length, celebrated for the cod fifhery. 
The Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Wennipeg, and 
Slave lake, are the grandeft in the world, and might, 
with propriety, be denominated feas. The rivers are 
.alfo on a grand and exten/ive fcale. Of thefe, the 
principal are the Miffouri or Miftiftippi, the Ohio, and 
the St. Lawrence. 
The moft celebrated mountains are the Apalachian, 
palling through the territory of the United States. 
Among thefe the Ohio has its rife. Excepting the 
Apa lachian, all the mountains in North America lie 
weft of the United States. 
United States. —Thefe are lituated on the eaftern 
part of North America ; and are bounded on the eaft by 
the Atlantic, and Ofrthe weft by the river Miftiftippi: on 
the northern boundaries; are the river St. Lawrence and 
the lakes; and on the fouth the United States are 
bounded by the Floridas. v Louifiana has lately been 
united to thefe ftates by purchafe. Before the ceftion 
of Louifiana, the United States lay befiveen the fixty- 
fifth and ninetieth degrees weft longitude. The Iquare 
acres have been eftimated at fix hundred and forty mil¬ 
lions, including fifty-one millions of acres of water. 
The population is eftimated at fix millions. 
The United States are celebrated for the excellence 
of their conftitution, which provides for political liber¬ 
ty and individual fecurity. The inhabitants are juftly 
famed for their ardent love of freedom, for their hofpi- 
tality and induftry, and for the great attention which 
they pay to agriculture and commerce. Their ample 
territory is divided into northern, middle, and fouth¬ 
ern, The northern ftates are Vermont, New Hamp- 
fhirc, Maifachufetts, Connedlicut, and Rhode Ifland. 
The middle ftates are New York, New Jerfey, Pennfyl- 
vania, Delaware, and the territory on the north-weft of 
the Ohio. The fouthern ftates are Maryland, Virgi¬ 
nia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Georgia, and the conn- 
try fouth of Kentucky. The chief cities and towns 
are Waftiington, the capital, Philadelphia, New York, 
JBofton, Baltimore, and Charieftown, 
Thefe ftates are in a very flourifhlng and ilhproving' 
condition, and promife eventually to become one of the 
moft powerful and happy communities in the world. 
They export to Europe iron, copper ore, timber, 
pitch, potalli, fkins, corn, tobacco, rice, cotton, &c. 
British America. —Thefe pofleftions confift of 
Canada, New Brtinfwick, Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, 
Newfoundland, and the Bermudas or Somer Iflands. 
Canada, the principal part of Britifh -Vmerica, is di¬ 
vided into Upper and Lower ; the former is the weftern 
divifion, on the north of the great lakes ; while the 
lower divifion is on the river St. Lawrence towards the 
eaft. They are fituated between forty-five and fixty- 
five degrees north latitude, and between feventy and 
one hundred and forty weft longitude. 
Thofe parts of North America which belong t» 
Great Britain, are very extenfive; but the population 
cannot be eftimated at more than two hundred thoufand 
fouls, of which, in the year 1784, that of Canada 
amounted to one hundred and thirteen thoufand. The 
chief towns are Quebec and Montreal. 
T his part of North America is mountainous and bar¬ 
ren ; abounding, however, with lakes, rivers, and bays, 
that afford plenty of fifli. The fur trade and fiflieries 
render thefe colonies exceedingly valuable to Great 
Britain. 
Spanish Dominions in North America.— 
Thefe confift of Eaft and Weft Florida ; New Mexico ; 
and Old Mexico, or New Spain. This territory is fitu¬ 
ated between feven and thirty-eiglit degrees of north 
latitude, and between feventy-nine and one hundred and 
twenty degrees weft longitude. Its population is efti¬ 
mated at fix millions, of whom the greater part are na¬ 
tive Indians. The chief towns are Mexico, Acapulco, 
and Santa Fe. 
The leaft fertile part of thefe dominions is faid to pro¬ 
duce two crops of corn in a year; the valleys are ex¬ 
tremely rich, and produce fpontaneoufly fruits and ve¬ 
getables common to the moft fruitful parts of the 
United States. Mexico is the capital of all Spanifh 
America. The chief river in Spanifli North America, 
is Rio Bravo, and the principal lake is Nicaragua. 
West Indies. —The moft important of thefe iflands 
are Cuba, and Porto-Rico, Spanifh; St. Domingo, or 
Hipaniola, at prefent an independent black empire, cal¬ 
led Hayti; and Jamaica, Flnglifh. North of St. Do¬ 
mingo and Cuba, are the Bahamas, the principal of 
which is Providence Ifland. The Caribbee iflands ex¬ 
tend from Tobago in the South, to the Virgin iflands in 
the north. Thofe belonging to Great Britain are Bar- 
badoes, Antigua, St. Chriftopher’s, St. Vincent, Do¬ 
minica, Grenada, and Trinidad, Montferrat, Nevis, 
and the Virgin ifles. 
The French Caribbee iuands are Martinique, Guada- 
loLipe, St. Lucie, and Tobago. The two laft (1806) 
are in the poireflion of the king of England. 
The Danes pofl'efs St. Croix and St. Thomas, St. 
Bartholomew belongs to the Swedes, and Euftatia to the 
Dutch. From thefe iflands are procured fugar, rum, 
cotton, indigo, fpices, cocoa, and coffee. 
South America. —This divifionof the New World 
is beft known for its gold and filver mines, which have 
been wonderfully productive to Spain. The choiceft 
gums and drugs are likewife found in various parts of 
this immenfe continent. 
South America comprehends Terra Finna, Gui¬ 
ana, Amazonia, Peru, Brazil, Paraguay, Chili, and 
Patagonia. 
Amazonia and Patagonia are not under the dominion- 
of any European power ; they are divided into feveral- 
kingdoms, each of which has its chief. The inhab^ 
tants worfhip the images of their departed heroes, but 
have no temples or prielts. This country boafts of no 
inkftd 
