For a short history of the progress which the Spa niards made in the American continent, under Cortes and Pizarro, we refer to the articles MExtco and PER U, it here the reader will likewise find some observations on the inhabitants of those countries, and the state of knowledge, and of the arts among them, at the time of the Spanish conqu,•sts. For an account of the animals, vegetables, and minerals. which hidong to the New World, see the articics, Myr ORYCTOGNOSY, and the other branches of Natural History.
When we cast our eyes on the western world, or, at least, on those parts of it which are habitable, the first thing which strikes us is its extraordinary magnitude. 11 we compare it with Europe, Asia, or Africa, the known' divisions of the eastern hemispheie, we shall hod that it is no less distinguished Iron' them by its size, than by other appearances which are peculiar to Excepting the Gild' of Mexic.i, it is broken by no sea to which the name of Mediterranean can be ap plied : but its rivers are large and rapid, beyond those of the ancient continent, and, alter falling into the ocean, they give rise to currents which are perceptible at a very great distance irons their mouths. The Marag non, or River of the Amazons, the Oroonoco, and the Plata, in South America, and the Mississippi and St Lawrence, in North America, are all conspicuous for the width of the channels in which they now, and the prodigious mass of waters which they roil into the ocean. The mouth of the river La Plam is 150 miles in breadth, and that of the Maragnon is still more ex tensive. In the western continent, the operations of nature seem to have been conducted on a larger scale, and with a greater proportion of materials, than in any other quarter of the globe. All is noble and magnifi cent. The Alps and Pyrenees sink before the Andes, whose bases, in many places, reach nearly the same height with the most elevated land of the eastern hemi sphere. Chimboraco, the loftiest point of the Andes, is 2o,280 feet above the level of the sea, and sow feet higher than Mont Blanc. As the mountains of the New World are elevated and grand, so its plains are exten sive and beautiful. In some places, and at certain sea sons of the year, the eye feels its imperfection when it attempts to look over the verdant surface, and the travel ler wisnes in vain for rocks and woods to relieve his sight. In other places, the forests, composed of the largest trees and the thickest brushwood, are widely extended, and almost impenetrable, except to the ani mals which occupy them, or to the savages by whom those animals are pursued. Its lakes are equally re markable. In North America, a chain of lakes extends from east to with which the Old World has no thing to compare. They ought rather to be called in land seas than lakes. Each of them rivals the Caspian in magnitude; and, that sea excepted, the lakes of a se cond, or even of a third class in America, equal, if they do not excel, the greatest collection of water of which the Old World can boast. (h) If the continent of America be distinguished from the Old World by the grandeur of its general features, it exhibits a contrast not less remarkable in the wide di versity of its climate. On this interesting subject much has been written, and many loose and fanciful theories advanced ; but amidst all the profusion of remarks, we seek in vain for any thing like accuracy of detail. Me teorology, as a science, is yet in its infancy ; several in struments of essential importance are still wanting, or very little known; and the delicate art of observing seems to make a slow and doubtful progress. Concern
ing the nature of the climate of America, we must, therefore, content ourselves at present with a meagre and unfinished outline. Yet from a close examination of such imperfect facts as arc within our reach, we shall, pc, haps, he able to dispel sonic of the obscurity tied hangs over the subject, to correct certain erroneous opinions which have prevailed, and to place the whole matter in a light which will better harmonize with the general laws (31 nature.
It is well known that islands, from the proximity of the balancing influence of the ocean, enjoy a more equa ble temperature than extensile continents. But the continent of America suffers the impress tons of heat and cold in their widest range, and with their most rapid changes. In most parts or that vast region, the sum mers are extremely sultry, and the winters proportion ally severe. Nor are the transitions less extraordinary. The magnificent rivers of North America are not un frequently frozen over iii a single night. Even in the state of Virginia, which is advanced so far towards the south, an intense frost will often, within the space of twenty-four hours, succeed to oppressive heats. Tra vellers, who have visited that country, relate with asto nishment, that, after passing a sultry day, and retiring to rest, they have sometimes awakened at an early hour, benumbed with cold, and have found the part of the co verlet which was exposed to their breath, crusted over with solid ice.* In Virginia, and the more southern states of America, a curious phamomenon at times oc curs in winter. The rain congeals the moment it fulls; the lofty forests of pine and cedar soon groan under a load of pendant icicles ; and while the rays of a yield sun play among those lustres, the whole assemblage of ob jects forms a spectacle of the most dazzling brilliancy and enchanting magnificence. Towards the northern parts of the American continent, the summers are still hot, but of very short duration; the winter sets in early, and with excessive rigour. About Hudson's Bay, in the depth of the season, the snow appears not in flakes, but resembles the finest sand, which, if blown against the face, gives such an acute sensation as to excoriate the skin. In that remote settlement, the rivers are frequent ly covered with ice eight feet thick. Nothing can resist the intense action of the frost; the strongest liquors are converted into a solid cake, and trees are sometimes split with violent explosion. Nor arc these effects compen sated by the return of a transient summer. The frozen ground is only thawed to the depth of two or three feet, and below that has a perpetual bed of ice. " In the New World," says Dr Robertson, " cold predominates. The rigour of the frigid zone extends over half of those re gions, which should he temperate by their position. Counties, where the grape and the fig should ripen, are buried under snow one half of the year; and lands situ ated in the same parallel with the most fertile and best cultivated provinces in Europe, arc chilled with per petual frosts, which almost destroy the power of vege tation. As we advance to those parts of America which lie in the same parallel with provinces of Asia and Africa, blessed with an uniform enjoyment of such ge nial warmth as is most friendly to life and to vegetation, the dominion of cold continues to be felt, and winter reigns, though during a short period, with extreme se verity. If we proceed along the American continent into the torrid zone, we shall find the cold prevalent in the New World, extending itself also to this region of the globe, and mitigating the ( xcess of its fervour.