river, the largest in the world, is not less than 3,300 miles. The second river of S. America is that which, formed by the union of the Paraguay and other streams, in the centre of the country, flows in general south easterly, and is lost in the Atlantic, by the broad firth of La Plata, so called from the Spanish term signifying silver, of which great quantities are brought down these rivers to be embarked for Europe. The third American river is the Orinoco, which, after a winding spiral course, discharges itself into the Atlantic by many mouths, opposite to the island of Trinidad. So level is that part, of America where the Orinoco and the Maranyon bend their course, that no less than three communications by different branches have been traced leading from one river to the other; these rivers, and many others in S. America, also periodically ⚫verflow the adjacent country, as do the Nile, the Ganges, &c. but to a far greater extent on both sides of the stream.

The lakes of this part of the world are neither numerous nor considerable; that of Parima, in the northern parts, is about 100 miles long, by 50 broad. The lake, or lagoon, of Maracaibo, although communicating by a broad channel with the Caribean sea, is a body of fresh water, above: 100 miles in its greatest extent. On the eastern shore is a spot producing mineral pitch, or bitumen asphaltum, usefal for tarring ships' bottoms, and for other purposes; and the inflamed vapours arising from it serve as a light-house to vessels navigating the lake. Titicaca is the most extensive lake in S. America; it is situated on the eastern skirts of the Andes, and is 240 miles in circumference, being generally from 70 to 80 fathoms in depth; the water is not salt, but tainted with sulphur and bitumen.

SPANISH DOMINIONS.-These are comprehended in the three great governments, or viceroyalties, of New Grenada, Peru, and La Plata. New Grenada occupies the N W.. parts from S. lat. 3° 30′ to N. lat. 12°, extending nearly,

1,000 miles from N. to S. and in general about 240 from W. to E. and is subdivided into twenty-four provinces. The chief towns are Santa Fe de Bogota, in the heart of the country, the seat of government, and a handsome place, containing 30,000 people. Quito, situated nearly under the equinoctial line, is supposed to contain 58,000 inhabitants of all descriptions: it was in the vicinity of this town that the measurement of a degree on the earth's surface was performed by Spanish and French mathematicians, about seventy years ago. Guayaquil is a port of considerable trade in the southern parts of the government, where an arsenal has been constructed for the use of the navy. Panama, on the south side of the isthmus of Darien, with Portobello on the north side, and Carthagena on the southern continent, were once more remarkable for commerce than at the present day.

Caracas.-Along the northern shores of S. America, from New Grenada to the Atlantic, extends the government of the Caracas, divided into five provinces, viz. Venezuela, Maracaibo, Cumana, Spanish Guiana, the island of Margarita Caraca, the principal town, is situated a dozen miles from the sea, in the midst of mountains, a considerable place, containing upwards of 40,000 people. By the town runs the small river La Guayra, forming at its entrance into the sea the harbour or road of the same name. Porto Cavello is a convenient harbour to the westward of La Guayra,

Peru. This part of the Spanish dominions extends along the shore of the Pacific, from S. lat. 3° 30' to 21° 15', in a south easterly direction, about 1,400 miles; but the breadth is very irregular, the medium being about 200 miles. It comprehends forty-two provinces; the capital, Lima, with a population of above 50,000 inhabitants, lies a couple of leagues up from the sea, the port, since the overthrow of Callao by an earthquake, in 1747, being Bellavista,

in S. America: the inhabitants have been estimated at about 100,000, of whom nearly one-third may be Europeans or their descendents. Considerably farther to the southward, on the river called in Portuguese Rio Janeiro or January river, stands Sans Sebastian, or, as it is usually but improperly called Rio Janeiro, on a capacious and secure harbour, now become the place of the greatest trade in Brasil; the surrounding country, besides a great abundance of the productions commonly found in similar climates, furnishing gold ingreat quantities, besides diamonds of an inferior sort to those of India, being often of a brownish obscure hue.

Brasil is in general a tract of uncommon fertility; but the interior is mostly incumbered with forests: it affords, however, even in its present neglected state, prodigious quantities of sugar, cotton, coffee, chocolate, ginger, pepper, capsicum, jalap, with many other aromatic and medicinal plants: the Brasil wood, and various other dye-stuffs, are likewise produced in abundanee.

DUTCH POSSESSIONS.-These occupy a tract of about 300 miles along the coast of the Atlantic, between the mouths of the Orinoco and the river of Amazons: the extent back from the coast is very irregular, but along the rivers it amounts to about 150 miles. The country towards the coast is one unvaried plaia, intersected by many considerable rivers, which render the soil extremely fertile; but the heats and moisture of the climate render it peculiarly unfavorable for Europeans. The chief towns are Paramaribo on the river Surinam, from which the colony itself is often called Surinam, although the Essequibo be a greater stream: Demerara is another settlement on a river of the same name. The principal productions, are sugar, coffee, cocoa, and cotton. These possessions have for some years been in the hands of the British.

FRENCH POSSESSIONS.-Adjoining to the eastern boun

dary of the Dutch settlements lies that part of Guiana beonging to France: its length along the shore is about 360 miles, but the interior is still entirely in its natural state and unoccupied. The chief and indeed the only town is Cayenne, situated on the extremity of an island 15 miles in length, at the mouth of two rivers there falling into the sea; and from this town the colony itself is usually called Cayenne; the harbour, although but indifferent, is the best on that tract of coast. This colony furnishes abundantly that species of capsicum, which is known in Europe by the name of Cayenne pepper; other vegetable productions are the quassia, a very powerful bitter, the ricinus which affords the castor oil,balsam of capivi,ipecacuanha, &c. the substance called Indian rubber elastic gum or caoutchoue is the thickened milky juice of a tree the growth of the same colony.

Patagonia. The southern extremity of S. America is hitherto an unconquered and an unknown country, amongst the inhabitants one race has occasioned much curiosity, as if they were a nation of gigantic stature. Of this race the most authentic description is to be found in the account published by the Spanish government of a voyage performed in the end of 1785, and begining of 1786, for the purpose of once for all determining the propriety of vessels bound for the Pacific ocean attempting to pass through the strait of Magellan, which separates the continent of S. America from the cluster of isles called in general Tierra del Fuego.

The officers employed on that expedition have, in the following passage of their narrative, put an end to all further discussion on this subject. "The Patagonians," say they, "so first named by Magellan, are certain tribes of wandering uncivilized people, occupying the vast tract of of country stretching from the river La Plata to the strait; their ordinary abode is in the interior of the country; but in the hunting season they approach the strait where we had various

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opportunities of observing and carrying on intercourses with them. Their stature, without controversy, exceeds that of the generality of Europeans; we measured carefully some of the tallest, and found their height to be 7 feet 14 inch Spanish measure",[equal to 6 feet 6 inches English,] " and the ordinary height was from 6 feet 6 inches to 7 feet Spanish", [or from 5 feet 11 inches, to 6 feet 4 inches English,]"the stature of this race of people is therefore not so remarkable as the size of their bodies, many of which are not less than 4 feet 4 inches", [nearly 4 feet English]"round the breast; their arms and legs are not, however, in proportion to their size; but their head is comparatively large and broad for even their uncommon bulk."

Islands of S. America.-The most remarkable islands on the coast of S. America are the groupe called Tierra del Fuego, the land of fire, not from any volcanoes observed, but from the frequent fires lighted up on both sides of the strait, as the Spaniards in November 1520, under the enterprising Magellan, passed through from the Atlantic to the Pacific on the first circumnavigation of the globe. These islands are in general covered with perpetual snow, and are inhabited by a few wretched wanderers in the very lowest stage of civilization; and in many particulars closely resembling the corresponding savages of New Holland.

On the western coast of S. America lies Chiloe, an island extending about 120 miles in length, by 25 in breadth. In a more genial climate, and at the distance of 400 miles from the nearest land, lie a couple of islands called in common those of Juan Fernandez, discovered by the Spaniards in 1675. The largest, about 15 miles in length and 6 in breadth, is a beautiful and fertile island, but chiefly remarkable as the solitary abode of Alexander Selkirk a Scotchman, who on a voyage round the world