History of its discovery.

IT is believed by some, and not without plausible reasons, that America was discovered long before the celebrated voyage of Columbus. In 874 the Norwegians planted a colony in Iceland; in 982 they made settlements in Greenland. Sailing thence westerly they discovered a country, which, on account of the grape vines, they called Vineland. It is presumed this must have been Labrador, or Newfoundland. Vines grow at Hudson's Bay* and in Canada; they bear a small pleasant grape, highly valued by the new settlers, who are destitute of garden and orchard fruit.

In the 12th century, Madoc,† weary of the contentions in the family for the crown of his father, left his country, and sailed from Wales due west, till he discovered an unknown country. He returned, and took a number of companions with him; they have never been heard of since. For a number of years past, travellers and captives, have given repeated accounts concerning a tribe of Welchmen on the Missouri, who have preserved their language and complexion; but from the want of iron, are sunk into the savage state of society. Welch travellers and captives have declared, that they understood the conversation of this people, and on this account received special favours from them.

Some German writers claim the honour of discovering America for their countryman, Martin Behem. He discovered Congo, settled on Fayal, and was the friend of Columbus, but seems to have no claim to be the rival of the Genoese navigator.

* Ellis..

+ Powell.

From his observations, made in a number of voyages, Columbus conceived the idea of sailing west to the EastIndies. After a series of disappointments, in seeking a patron for eight tedious years, a negotiation commenced with Isabella, Queen of Spain, and on Friday, Aug. 3, 1492, he set sail, and on the evening of the 11th of October Columbus discovered a light, and the sound of Land! land! was soon heard. In the morning, they united in a hymn of praise to God. Columbus was the first, who set foot on the New World. His people, as soon as they had landed, devoutly prostrated themselves, and gave thanks to God. The island thus discovered, Columbus called St. Salvador; it is in the cluster, called Lucaya, or Bahama Islands. In his fourth voyage he visited the continent, discovered the Bay of Honduras, and sailed southerly along the main for 200 leagues.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA.

Boundaries and extent.

AMERICA extends from Cape Horn, lat. 56° south, to the frozen ocean, and spreads from the 35th to the 168th of west longitude from London. It is 10,147 miles in length; its mean breadth is about 14 or 1500 miles. It lies between the Pacific ocean on the west, and the Atlantic on the east, containing about 15,000,000 square miles.

Rivers. This continent is watered by some of the largest rivers in the world. The principal are the Rio de la Plata, the Amazon, the Oronoko, in South America; the Missisippi and St. Lawrence in North America.

Gulf-The gulf or bay of Mexico lies on the east side of the continent, between North and South America. Its water is said to be several yards higher, than the water on the western side of the continent, in the Pacific.

Gulf-stream. The gulf-stream is a remarkable current issuing from the gulf of Mexico along the coast of Florida and the United States to the banks of Newfoundlane; hence though the Western Islands to the coast of Africa, and along that coast, till it falls in with the

eastern trade winds, which aivert it a/am to the milli Mexico; thus producing a perpetual corentation. This stream is about 75 miles trom the shores of southern states, the distance ...creasing as : ....Dreeds. north; the width is 40 or 30 miles, expanding ward. the north. It may be known from other parts of ocean by the gulf weed, which tears alone; .:1 WE ters are 8 or 10 degrees warmer than the ocean on each side, and it does not sparkle in the night.

Isthmus The Isthmus of Darien nites, orth and South America, and lies in out lat. 67 morth i da nale rowest part is 37 miles in width.

Straits Bhering's strait separates Americatrom Asia. In the narrowest place it is a) mites brond, mis Davis's strait separates America tom freenland. strait of Magellan separates Le courtoint ot from the stands of Terra tei tego: 12 long, but in come places, cor bread. Mountains-In America are the nest in the world. The principal Hail the Strait of Magellan her extend cific ocean 4600 miles : sence JET New Spain .nto unknown coeESSES OF rocky mountains of North

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From his observations, made in a number of voyages, Columbus conceived the idea of sailing west to the EastIndies. After a series of disappointments, in seeking a patron for eight tedious years, a negotiation commenced with Isabella, Queen of Spain, and on Friday, Aug. 3, 1492, he set sail, and on the evening of the 11th of October Columbus discovered a light, and the sound of Land! land! was soon heard. In the morning, they united in a hymn of praise to God. Columbus was the first, who set foot on the New World. His people, as soon as they had landed, devoutly prostrated themselves, and gave thanks to God. The island thus discovered, Columbus called St. Salvador; it is in the cluster, called Lucaya, or Bahama Islands. In his fourth voyage he visited the continent, discovered the Bay of Honduras, and sailed southerly along the main for 200 leagues.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF AMERICA.

Boundaries and extent.

AMERICA extends from Cape Horn, lat. 56° south, to the frozen ocean, and spreads from the 35th to the 168th of west longitude from London. It is 10,147 miles in length; its mean breadth is about 14 or 1500 miles. It lies between the Pacific ocean on the west, and the Atlantic on the east, containing about 15,000,000 square miles.

Rivers. This continent is watered by some of the largest rivers in the world. The principal are the Rio de la Plata, the Amazon, the Oronoko, in South America; the Missisippi and St. Lawrence in North America.

Gulf.-The gulf or bay of Mexico lies on the east side of the continent, between North and South America. Its water is said to be several yards higher, than the water on the western side of the continent, in the Pacific.

Gulf-stream. The gulf-stream is a remarkable current issuing from the gulf of Mexico along the coast of Florida and the United States to the banks of Newfoundlane; dice ch.ough the Western Islands to the coast of Africa, and along that coast, till it falls in with the

eastern trade winds, which divert it again to the gulf of Mexico; thus producing a perpetual circulation.

This stream is about 75 miles from the shores of the southern states, the distance increasing as it proceeds porth; the width is 40 or 50 miles, expanding toward the north. It may be known from other parts of the ocean by the gulf weed, which it bears along; its waters are 8 or 10 degrees warmer than the ocean on each side, and it does not sparkle in the night.

Isthmus.-The Isthmus of Darien unites North and South America, and lies in about lat. 8° north; its narrowest part is 37 milès in width.

Straits. Bhering's strait separates America from Asia. In the narrowest place it is 39 miles broad, lat. 65° 46′N. Davis's strait separates America from Greenland. The strait of Magellan separates the south point of America from the islands of Terra del Fuego; it is 330 miles long, but in some places, not 3 broad.

From

Mountains.-In America are the highest mountains in the world. The principal chain is the Andes. the Strait of Magellan they extend north along the Pacific ocean 4600 miles; thence they continue through New Spain into unknown countries of the north. The rocky mountains of North America, which separate the streams, that fall into the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, are of immense height. Elevated above the influence of summer, they are white with everlasting snow,

"The gather'd winter of a thousand years." The Alleghany mountains extend from Georgia to Hudson's river.*

Inhabitants.-How the first inhabitants could reach this continent is not, since the late discoveries in geography, considered a problem of difficult solution. They might easily cross Bhering's strait to the N. W. part of America from the N. E. part of Asia; or they might doubtless reach the N. E. part of America from the N. W. part of Europe. One remarkable fact renders it highly probable, that the principal emigrations to this continent were in the high latitudes of these cold regions. Not one animal, which belonged to the warm latitudes of the eastern continent, is found in any part of America. They could not have survived such a cold * Clark. Heron, Encyclopedia.

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