Page 239 - Third Book of Reading Lessons

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THIRD BOOK OF
h/ is name. It is naturally divided into two great portions, called by geographers, North and South America. Its mountains, rivers, rests, and lakes, are on scales of the rst magnitude; and, as a whole, it is the longest mass of land on the globe, extending om Cape Horn to the Arctic Ocean, a distance of nearly 9,000 miles.
2. North America extends in length om ten de­ grees north latitude towards the polar regions, 4,500 miles; its breadth om east to west is nearly 3,500 miles. Its super cial area, including the West India Islands, may be estimated at about nine millions of square miles, or more than double the size of Europe. Its principal divisions are, Russian America, British America, United States, :Mexico, Guatimala, and the West India Islands. South America reaches from the Caribbean Sea to Cape Horn: its length om north to south is 4,600 miles; its breadth om east to west, 3,160; and its super cial area, including Tierra del Fuego and other islands, is computed at eight millions of square miles. It comprises Colom­
bia, Guiana, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia or Upper• eru, Paraguay, Banda Oriental, La Plata,. Chili, and
Patagonia.
3. The stupendous mountain-chain which traverses
this continent om north to south, is composed of several great groups and series of chains, enclosing vast plains. The great rivers of both divisions have their sources in the mountains, and the intermediate plains rm the basins of these immense currents of esh water. The valleys of the Iississippi and Mis­ souri are bounded on the west by the Rocky Moun­ tains, and on the east by the Alleghanies. The Rio de la Plata (River SilveT) ows in a great central
.