Acapulco on the west. The Spanish inhabitants of Mexico are clothed in silk, their hats being adorned with belts of gold and roses of diamonds; even the slaves have bracelets and necklaces of gold, silver, pearls, and gems. The ladies are distinguished for beauty and gallantry.

The city of Mexico is celebrated for its floating gardens, which are made of willows and marsh plants, formed into a platform, and twisted so firmly together, as to support a coat of earth. They are about 8 rods long and 3 wide, and their elevation from the surface of the lake is less than a foot. On these floating gardens are cultivated herbs and flowers of every description.

LA VERA CRUZ is the grand port of Mexico, and the natural centre of the treasure that is transported from America to Spain. It is situated on the gulf of Mexico, in the eastern extremity of the province of Los Angelos, 215 miles southeast of the city of Mexico. Most of its houses are built of wood. The number of its Spanish inhabitants is about 3000. It was near this place that Cortes landed, in 1518, when, being determined to conquer or die, he sunk the ships that transported him thither.

ACAPULCO is in a bay of the Pacific ocean, 220 miles southwest of Mexico. It is the chief port on that sea, and is defended by a castle. It is a mart for all the merchandize from the Philippine Isles, and at certain seasons is thronged with merchants from all parts of Spanish America.

GUADALAXARA, the capital of the province of the same name, is a large and beautiful city, built in 1531. It is an episcopal city, and has 30,000 inhabitants.

There are many other large cities in Spanish North America, among which are St. Jago, Chiapa, St. Andero, Durango, St. Fe, and St. Juan, the chief town on the peninsula of California.

History. The empire of Mexico was subdued by Cortes, in the year 1521, With 600 men, 18 horses, and a few field pieces, he conquered its emperor, Montezuma, the most powerful monarch of the New World. This unfortunate prince was afterwards killed by his own followers, in attempting to mitigate their rage for the insults he had received from the Spaniards.

He was succeeded by his nephew Guatimozin, who, for

a while, made a vigorous opposition to the assaults of Cortes. After a noble defence, he was also taken prisoner, but not till he had previously caused all his treasures to be thrown into the lake. Being put to the torture to make him discover his riches, he bore, with invincible fortitude, the refined cruelties of his tormentors. While extended, with one of his chief favorites, on a gridiron, over burning coals, his fellow sufferer, overcome by the violence of the pain, turned a dejected eye towards his master, as if to implore his permission to reveal the secret. But the indignant prince reproached his weakness by asking him, "Am I reposing on a bed of flowers?" The affectionate minister persevered in dutiful silence, and died. Cortes, ashamed of a scene so horrid, prolonged the life of the royal victim, for new indignities. was afterwards hanged.

SOUTH-AMERICA.

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THIS division of America is an extensive peninsula, joined to the northern division by the Isthmus of Darien. Extent. South-America extends from about the 12th degree north, to the 54th degree of south latitude, without including the island of Terra del Fuego; making a length of about 4600 miles. Its extreme breadth is 3340 miles. From this extent, however, it diminishes both ways. Toward the southern extremity, it is very narrow. Climate. The climate of South-America has great varieties. In the southern parts, the inhabitants experience severe frosts, and almost perpetual winter. In the torrid zone, the mountains are so lofty, that the greatest inconvenience is the extreme cold of the mountains, and the moisture of the plains. The provinces contiguous to the equator are subject to excessive heat, and to violent storms of rain, thunder, and lightning.

Face of the Country. The face of this country is overspread with mighty rivers, which flow through immense tracts of verdure and fertility. The sea-coast is very little broken by gulfs or inlets, except such as are formed by the mouths of the rivers. Though a country of spacious plains, its mountains are the most lofty on the

globe; and volcanoes, which are numerous, are terrible and sublime.

Mountains. The most extensive chain of mountains is the Andes, which may be traced the whole length of South America, from north to south, 4600 miles. Chimborazo, the highest point in this chain, nearly under the equator, is 20,280 feet above the level of the sea, and 5000 feet higher than any mountain in the eastern hemisphere. Catapaxi, a volcano, 25 miles southeast of Quito, is 18,600 feet in height.

There are other remarkable chains of mountains, beside the Andes, which run from west to east. The first is that of the Northern Coast, between nine and ten degrees of north latitude. The highest points of this chain, are 14 or 15,000 feet above the level of the sea. Several of its summits are covered with perpetual snow, and often pour down torrents of boiling sulphureous water.

The second range, or that of Parima, between three and seven degrees north latitude, is but little known. It stretches from the Andes east towards Popayan, forming numerous cataracts in the waters of the Oronoko.

The third chain, or that of Chiquitos, unites the Andes of Peru and Chili with the mountains of Brazil and Paraguay. The highest summits are between 15 and 20 degrees south latitude.

Lakes. South-America has no inland seas, and but few lakes, and those are small compared with the iminense lakes of North-America. In Amizonia and Brazil, there are none. Titicaca, in Peru, is the most important piece of water in South-America; its figure is oval, its circumference about 240 miles, and its depth 70 or 80 fathoms.

Rivers. The river Amazon, called also the Maragnon, is the largest river in the world. A number of rivers which rush down with amazing impetuosity from the eastern declivity of the Andes, unite in a spacious plain, and form this noble river. In its progress, it runs 3300 miles from west to east across South America, and falls into the Atlantic ocean under the equator, by a mouth 150 miles broad. It is interspersed with a vast number of islands, which are too often overflowed to admit of culture.

Some of the rivers, which fall into it, are very

broad and deep. The chief of these, from the south and southwest, proceeding from the mouth westward, are Uragua, Paratina, Madeira, Purus, Yula, Yulacina, Ucayal. From the north and northwest, progressing from its mouth, are Parima, Negro, Yupura, Issa, and Napo. It received the name of Amazon from Francis de Orillana, who was deputed in 1516, to explore the courses of this river. He penetrated to a considerable distance, and fought several nations of Indians, till his passage was opposed by a band of female warriors, armed with bows and

arrows.

The second river in size is the Rio de la Plata, or River of Silver. It flows into the Atlantic ocean between Capes St. Anthony on the south, and St. Mary on the north, which are about 150 miles apart. At some distance above the mouth of this, as well as of the Amazon river, the shore cannot be seen from the middle of the stream.

It is chiefly composed of two great streams, the Parana and Paraguay. The navigation is dangerous. The waters are of a petrifying quality, and are said to be a specific against rheums and defluctions.

The Oronoko, or Oronoque, including its windings, takes a course of 1380 miles, and preserves the freshness of its waters twelve leagues from the mouth of that vast and deep channel within which it was confined. It may be considered however as having many mouths, formed by the islands that lie before its opening towards the ocean. This river is remarkable for its regular rising and falling, once a year. It begins to swell in April, continues rising for five months, and, during the sixth, remains at its greatest height. From October it begins gradually to subside till March, throughout the whole of which it remains in a fixed state of its greatest diminution. These alternate changes are regular and invariable.

The other rivers of South-America, belong more to particular districts, in the description of which they will be noticed.

Botany, Zoology, and Mineralogy. The plants and animals of South-America, exhibit the same generic and specific differences from those in the old world, that were mentioned in the account of the northern portion of this continent, but are still more numerous and luxuriant in growth, in consequence of the greater warmth of the

climate. In a general view, it may be remarked that there exists in South-America several animals which bear a similarity to kinds in the old world, but are inferior in size. Thus, the camel has a representative in the ilama; the hippopotamus in the tapiir; the lion in the puma, or cougar; the leopard, in the jaguar. It is affirmed, however, that the South-American tiger is as large and formidable as any beast of prey whatever. Monkies are extremely numeroustand various in the American forests, and there is a great variety of the squirrel, weasel, and opossum tribes. The splendor of the plumage of the birds is only rivalled by that of the birds of India. The serpents and alligators of its streams and marshes are of enormous magnitude. In metallic treasures, it is well known to surpass every region, that of Mexico perhaps excepted.

Divisions. The whole of this extensive country, except that occupied by the aborigines, was lately divided into colonial governments, belonging to Spain, Portugal, Holland, and France. The possessions of Holland and France have fallen to England. Some of the provinces of Spain have declared themselves independent, and others are in a state of revolt, and if Spain is subdued will certainly become independent. Portugal is removed to Brazil, and the province has become, and probably will continue, the principal country.

The Spanish territories are divided into viceroyalties, audiences, provinces, governments, departments, and missions, or parishes, established among the Indians. The enumeration of them is unnecessary. The grand divisions are three viceroyalties; that of New-Granada, on the north; of Peru, including Chili, on the west; and of Buenos Ayres, on the southeast.

TERRA FIRMA, or CASTILE DEL ORO.

THE northernmost province of South America, is 1400 miles long, and 700 broad, situated between the equator and 12° N. lat. and between 15° E. and 7° W. lon. It is bounded on the E. by the Atlantic ocean, and Surinam; S. by Amizonia and Peru; W. by the Pacific ocean; and N. by the province of Veraguay, in North America, and the gulf of Mexico, here denominated the North sea.