1. _What productions are found in greater perfection in_ AMERICA, _than
in the other parts of the earth?_ 2. What are the principal divisions
of South America? 3. In what part is Amazonia? 4. By what name is the
northeastern part of the Republic of Colombia known? 5. By what name is
the western part distinguished?
6. How is Colombia situated? 7. Peru? 8. Bolivia? 9. Guiana? 10.
Brazil? 11. The United Provinces? 12. Chili? 13. Patagonia? 14 to 21.
How are these countries severally bounded?
22. What range of mountains extends the whole length of South America
from north to south? 23. Near which coast is this range? 24. _What are
the names of the highest peaks?_ 25. In which country is Chimborazo?
26. _What mountains are there in the world higher than Chimborazo?_ 27.
Which way from Chimborazo is Cotopaxi? 28. _Is Cotopaxi a volcano?_ 29.
In what direction is Pichinca from Chimborazo?
30. How is Lake Titicaca situated? 31. Which way from it is Lake
Nicaragua in North America? 32. Where is Lake Parima? 33. Lake
Maracaibo?
34. How is the Bay of Panama situated? 35. Bay St. Joseph? 36. Bay All
Saints? 37. How is Gulf St. George situated? 38. Gulf of Guayaquil? 39.
Gulf of Darien?
40. What large river discharges its waters into the Atlantic, under
the equator? 41. Where does it rise? 42. What is its course? 43. What
rivers flow into it from the south? 44. What from the north? 45. In
what country is the river De la Plata? 46. _Which is the largest river
in the world, and what is remarkable concerning it?_
47. What is the latitude of the mouth of the river St. Francisco? 48.
What is its course? 49. What river runs between Colombia and Guiana?
50. Between Bolivia and Brazil?
51. _Which of the Grand Divisions of the earth is most celebrated for
the magnitude of its lakes and rivers?_
52. Where are the Straits of Magellan? 53. What land do they separate
from Patagonia? 54. With the waters of what oceans do they communicate?
55. What is the northern cape of South America? 56. The eastern cape?
57. The southern cape? 58. The western cape? 59. Where is Cape Pillar?
60. Cape Orange? 61. Cape St. Antonio? 62. What capes are near the
mouth of Parayba river?
63. What Peninsula is situated on the eastern coast of Patagonia? 64.
What on the western coast?
65. Where is the island Trinidad? 66. What is its latitude and
longitude? 67. What islands in the Pacific ocean are near the Equator?
68. What is their longitude? 69. What islands lie east from the
Caribbean sea?
70. What is the situation of the Island Chiloe? 71. Juan Fernandez,
or Robinson Crusoe’s island? 72. What islands are east from Terra del
Fuego? 73. What is the latitude and longitude of the islands Felix and
Ambrose? 74. Where is Sandwich Land?
75. In what country is Cayenne? 76. Carracas? 77. Popayan? 78. La Paz?
79. Valparaiso? 80. Lima? 81. Assumption? 82. At the mouth of what
river is Buenos Ayres? 83. What is the latitude of Quito? 84. What
volcanic mountains are in its vicinity? 85. What town in Bolivia is on
the coast? 86. In what portion of Brazil is Paraibo? 87. Rio Janeiro?
88. What river flows into the Atlantic ocean, half way between Caite
and Seara?
89. In what zone are the United Provinces, Chili, and Patagonia?
90. In what zone does the larger portion of South America lie? 91.
Potosi is celebrated for its silver mines; where is it? 92. Which is
more northwardly, Paraguay or Banda Oriental? 93. Peru or Chili? 94.
Colombia or Bolivia? 95. What would be the course of a ship in sailing
from the Galapago islands to the mouth of the Amazon river?
South America is an exceedingly rich and fertile country, producing in
abundance gold and silver, and the necessaries and luxuries of life.
The most prominent feature of this country is the range of mountains
which extends through the western part from north to south. The region
to the west from this range is an immense plateau, elevated twelve
thousand feet above the level of the sea; owing to this elevation,
this tract enjoys a cool and healthy climate. To the east from these
mountains is an extensive marshy and sandy plain, intersected by
immense rivers.
The Andes mountains are most interesting on account of the
inexhaustible treasures which they contain. One mountain alone has more
than three hundred openings from which silver is obtained.
_Colombia_ is a republic, with a government similar to that of the
United States. The face of the country is greatly diversified with
mountains, valleys, and immense plains. The climate of the plains
and coast is unhealthy; that of the more elevated parts, salubrious.
Cotton, grain, coffee, tobacco, gold, silver, and tropical fruits are
produced.
_Guiana_ is a level and fertile country, with an unhealthful climate.
The productions are sugar, cocoa, coffee, indigo, &c.
_Peru_ possesses a mild and healthy climate and fertile soil, except
along the sea coast, where it is level, barren, and unhealthy. The
east part consists of immense plains, called _pampas_, covered with
grass. These pampas resemble the prairies of the United States. The
productions are gold, silver, sugar, grain, and Jesuit or Peruvian
bark, celebrated for its medicinal qualities.
_Bolivia_ became an independent country in the year 1825, with a
republican government, and was named after Simon Bolivar, the first
President. It was once a part of Peru, and, in its climate, soil, and
productions, resembles that country.
_Chili_, being bounded on the east by the lofty and snow capped Andes
on one side, and the ocean on the other, never feels excessive heat,
though situated nearly in the torrid zone. The climate therefore is
cool and healthy, and the soil is fertile. The seasons in this country
are different from those of the United States. Spring begins in
September, summer in December, autumn in March, and winter in June. The
productions are gold, silver, copper, tin, corn, wine, maize, sugar,
sweet potatoes, and a variety of fruits.
[Illustration: ARAUCANIAN VILLAGE.]
In the southern part of Chili there still exists a tribe of Indians,
which the Spaniards have not yet been able to conquer. These are called
the Araucanian Indians. They are a warlike and brave people, residing
in scattered villages. They possess excellent horses, which are trained
to martial use.
_Patagonia_ is a cold and inhospitable country, of which little is
known. It is inhabited by a race of Indians who are of a gigantic
size. The first discoverers, called them _Pata-gones_ which means
_clumsy-hoofed_. From this circumstance the country derived its name.
The _United Provinces_ abound in pampas, some of which are one hundred
miles in extent, which are inhabited by wild Indians, and afford
pasturage to herds of wild cattle. The climate is salubrious, and most
of the fruits and vegetables of the torrid and temperate zones are
produced.
_Brazil_ is the largest of the countries of South America, and is level
and fertile, producing tobacco, sugar, indigo, coffee, and pepper.
Diamonds are found here. In the interior, vast herds of wild cattle
abound. They are hunted for their hides, which form the chief export
article of the country.
[Illustration: EUROPE
_Published by Robert S. Davis, Boston. H. Morse Sc._]