The elevation of the interior mountain chain of Guy ana has been stated at 2000 feet, from which the rivers have a direct and rather precipitous course, until they fall over numerous ledges of rock, and reach the level of the ocean. The country is consequently divided into three physical sections; first, the interior, mountainous ; secondly, a hilly and broken tract between the mountains and the falls ; and thirdly, the sea and river sand alluvial border. This structure is essentially the same in cha racter with that of the Atlantic slope of the United States, and proves that the far finest part of Guyana, is yet an un cultivated wilderness. In latitude, this part of South America lies between N. lat. l° 20' and 7° 20', and in long. between 18° and 24° 40' E. from Washington City.
Along the flat and in part marshy shores, the Euro pean colonies have been established. The Dutch settle ments of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice form what is now called British Guyana. These settlements con taining 10,000 whites and 80,00) negroes, line the coast from the mouth of Essequibo river to that of Berbice, inclusive, and do not extend above 100 miles along the coast. Starbroek, at the mouth of the Demerara, is the capital, and contains a population of 10,000, amid the most flourishing part of British Guyana. The town and settlements of Essequibo, and Poumaron are of inferior importance. The settlers generally reside on their farms, and are many of them excessively wealthy. Whole popu lation 3151 whites, 3220 people of colour, and 96,349 slaves, Surinam follows the Dutch British settlement of Bcr Mee, and including the whole of what is yet Dutch Guyana, stretches in an cast and west direction from the settlements of Berbice 240 miles to the Marowine river. This flourishing colony is a monument of active indus try; " none of the Antilles," says Matte Brun, " are so extensively or so well cultivated." Parmaribo, or Para maribo, the capital, is built on the western bank of the Surinam. The streets arc lined with orange, shaddock, tamarind, and lemon trees, bearing mingled bloom and fruit perennially. In 1815, the whole number of inhabit ants in Dutch Guyana amounted to 2029 whites, 3075 people of colour, and 51,937 slaves; the whole 57,041.
Cayenne, or French Guyana, is of very inferior conse quence to either the British or Dutch part. Nominally reaching from the south-cast to north-west 200 miles, from the Oyapok to the Marowinc river, the actual set tlements are restricted to the banks of the small river Cauron. The whole number of inhabitants has been estimated at 2000 whites, and 16,000 ncgroes, mulattoes, and mestizoes.
We thus find in the three sections of Guyana only 7180 whites, and 170,581 people of colour and slaves; in all 177,761.
If the whole region from the mouth of the Oyapok to that of the Poumaron is viewed on a map, it will be per ceived that the extremes differ about three degrees of latitude, and lying so far within the tropics as to approach within 5 degrees from the equator, that but little diffe rence of climate or season could exist between the parts, but such uniformity of temperature does not exist. The
dry season lasts at Surinam from the end of July to November, and the rainy season corresponds to the win ter months of Europe ; but the summer and winter, or rainy and dry seasons, begin at Cayenne about two months earlier than at Surinam. At Cayenne, Fahren heit's thermometer does not at any time rise above 82.3°, and in the rainy or winter season ranges below 75.2°. The climate of Surinam is still milder. Mr. Stedman, however, represents the seasons as variable as in any part of Europe. The influence of northern winds during the rainy season, and of the east and south-easterly breezes in the dry months, are felt along the whole coast of Guyana. The effect on health of such a country is ob vious ; malignant and intermittent fevers must prevail, and extend their influence more or less from local cir cumstances; and from what has been stated, it is rendered certain that the fine hilly tract of Guyana above the falls of its rivers, must in the progress of settlement constitute the most healthy, agreeable, and best populated part.
The vegetable productions of Guyana are such as are superinduced by the soil and climate. Sugar, coffee, and indigo are staples of commerce. The fruits of Eu rope, except the grape, fig, and pomegranate, do not flourish : the orange, lemon, sapota, guava, amiona, and others, abound. The forests of Guyana are proverbially dense and specifically numerous.
From those parts of this great continent where civili zation has at least commenced, we now turn to that lengthened peninsula and insular group, which protrudes far into the southern temperate zone. This extensive region, hounded north by Chile and the pros ince of Rio de la Plata, stretches from the river Colorado, S. lat. 40°, to Cape Horn, S. lat. 56°. or through upwards of one thousand one hundred miles north and south. The width varies from 400 miles on the north to a point to the south, but will average a breadth of 400 miles, with an area exceeding 440,000 square miles. Even the coasts are not very accurately known, and the interior has been but defectively explored. The ignorance, or the indif ference of geographers, has designated these southern regions under the names of Patagonia, Terra Magella nica, and Araucania, each applied vaguely. The latter term, however, admits of some precision when applied to the country south-east from Chile, and south-west from the provinces of Rio de In Plata.