North America extends from the Isthmus of Darien , N. lat. 8°to the utmost known regions of the north, and spreads from Beh-ring’s Straits to those ofBellisle, or rather, to embrace Greenland . Its breadthis very irregular, not exceeding 15 or 20 miles near Panama ; whilst from Beh-ring’s Straits to the Straits of Bellisle, it extends to a distance of 3,300 geo-graphical, or 3,800 English miles, bearing N. 76° W. From the Straits ofBellisle to the isthmus of Darien, is 4,500 geographical, equal to 5212 English miles.
North America is traversed by two great chains, and several minor „
j o * Mountflins
ranges of mountains. The Appalachian or Alleghany mountains,
extend through the United States from NE. to SW. from the state of New York
to Georgia , Alabama , and Mississippi , with a mean width of about 50 miles.Several detached ranges or groups rise NE. off the Hudson, and SE. off theSt. Lawrence. The Masscrne, or Ozark mountains, extend from the centre ofthe state of Missouri towards Texas , in a direction nearly parallel to the Appa lachian chain. The length of the Appalachian is about 900 miles, with a meanelevation of from 1,200 to 2,000 feet. The extent of the Masserne chain, isnot very accurately known, but must exceed 600 miles; its mean height can-not, in the present state of geographical knowledge, be estimated with any ap-proximate degree of accuracy. The great spine of North America , is the Chip-pewan, Rocky, or as it is termed in Mexico , that of Anahuac. This immensechain reaches from the peninsula of Tehuantepec, N. lat. 16°, to the FrozenOcean at N. lat. 68°, or through upwards of 50 degrees of latitude; encirclingnearly one-seventh part of the globe. In neither the Appalachian , or Massernechains, nor in any of their neighboring groups, have any active or extinct vol-canoes been discovered; but in the southern part of the great central chain, animmense range of volcanoes or volcanic summits rise to from 10,000 to 17,700feet. It is generally supposed that the mountains of the isthmus of Darien, arecontinuations of the chain of Anahuac; but there is strong reason to believe,that ihe former are distinct and unconnected with the latter. A nameless rangeskirts along the Pacific Ocean , which, from the defective surveys yet taken,cannot be very distinctly delineated. That part of North America west of theChippewan mountains, and north of Colorado river, except the central parts ofthe valley of Columbia, remains either imperfectly or entirely unknown.
North America has five great sx r stems of rivers ; that of the At-
c? v * Rivprs
lantic Ocean; that of the Gulf of Mexico ; that of the Frozen Ocean;that of Hudson’s Bay ; and that of the Pacific Ocean . In the Atlantic system,the principal rivers are, St. Johns of Florida , Altamaha, Savannah , Santee,Pedee, Cape Fear, Roanoke , James, Potomac , Susquehanna, Delaware, Hudson,Connecticut , Kenebec, Penobscot, St. John’s of New Brunswick , and St. Law-rence. In the system of Hudson’s Bay are included, besides many streams oflesser note, Rupert’s, Albany , Severn, and Sashasshawin rivers. Into the North-ern Ocean, M’Kenzie’s river is the only stream of considerable magnitude yetknown, to enter from the continent of North America . The rivers of the cen-tral valley of North America , are discharged into the Gulf of Mexico , amongstwhich the Mississippi presents its overwhelming flood; but besides that vastriver, the Appalachieola, Mobile, Colorado of the Gulf of Mexico , Rio Grandedel Norte, and several others, are streams of great magnitude. The Santiago,Hiaqui, the Colorado of the gulf of California, and the Columbia, are the only