The Marowine rises at N. lat. 1° 30', and flowing thence northward, has a course of about 4 degrees of latitude, and is merged in the Atlantic Ocean one hundred miles cast of the mouth of the Surinam.
The rocky, bold, but narrow slope skirting the Carib bean Sea from the Delta of Orinoco, to the Gulf and Bay of Maracaibo, completes our general survey of South America. From the Gulf of Paria, westward to the strait between the Gulf and Lake of Maracaibo, is 600 miles, but the mean width is probably less than 50 miles. The northern abutment of Colombia is continued west ward of the Gulf of Maracaibo, by the provinces of Rio de la Dacha and Santa Marta. The extreme northern ex tension of South America is found in that peninsula jut ting to the N. E. from the Delta of the Magdalena; Cape Falso, N. lat. 12° 12', long. 08' E. from Washington, is, by Tanner's map of Colombia, the utmost northern cape of that continent, and forms part of a detached slope of about two hundred miles by one hundred. This peninsular declivity takes its name from a small river which falls into the Caribbean Sea at a city of the same name. The mountain torrent Rio de la Hacha, after a comparative course of little more than one hundred miles, forms the harbour of the city of Rio de la Raclin, N. lat. 11° 32', long. 3° 48' E. from Washington City.
We have completed a cursory survey of the natural features of South America, and proceed to a delineation of the political subdivisions of that continent.
Viewed as a whole, South A merica presents on i ts north ern extremity the great Republic of Colombia. Exclud ing the savage regions towards the straits of Magellan, the southern part is occupied by the Argentine Republic, or as it is usually called, the United Provinces of Rio de la Plata ; and on the Pacific Ocean, Chili. In the central Pacific part, spreads Peru and Bolivia. The vast eastern cape terminated by St. Roque, and great part of the ba sin of the Amazon, arc occupied by the Empire of Brazil.
The Republic of Colombia extends from S. lat. 6° 40' to N. lat. 12° 21', and in long. front 4° 2'J' W. to 21° 18' E. from Washington City. The outlines, according to Tanner's map of that republic, commence in North America, at the Bay del Dragon of the Caribbean Sea, and from thence follows the coast of that sea, and of the Atlantic Ocean, about two thousand miles. Across the peninsula from the Bay del Dragon to that of Dulcc is about 100 miles. At the latter indenting of the Pacific Ocean begins a second line of sea coast stretching 1400 miles, and terminating at the mouth of the little river Tumbez, S. lat. 3° 50'. The land boundary, if we begin
the survey on the Pacific, will extend up the Tumbez river 30 miles, from whence inflecting to S. S. E. along a ridge of the Andes 160 miles to the head of the small river Chotu, and down that stream 50 miles to its influx into the Amazon. Thence up the Amazon 50 miles to the village of Balzas. At the latter place abruptly turn ing to nearly E, crosses the main ridges of the Andes, 250 miles to the right bank of the Ucayale river, and down that stream 100 miles. Thence inflecting to nearly N. E. 300 miles again reaches the Amazon at S. lat. and 7° E. front Washington. This great river forms the boundary 400 miles, to the inundated tract formed by its junction with a north-western branch the Jupura. Now leaving the Amazon, and following the Jupura 100 miles, turns to nearly north 120 miles to the Rio Negro, which crossing and thence following the windings of the small river Calaburis 150 miles, reaches an interior chain, the Sierra Turaguaca. Following the dividing ridge of the waters flowing into the Amazon from those entering the Orinoco and Essequibo 800 miles, reaches the extreme eastern extension of the republic. Turning by an acute angle to the north-west, 300 miles, intersects the Essequibo near its junction with the Repumunuri, and again down the former to the influx of the Cuyuni 150 miles. Following the Cuyuni, about 20, and thence by a curve of loo miles in a northerly direction, reaches the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Poumaron river.
Within the lengthened outline of 6580 miles is included an area of 1,180,000 square miles, including the entire basins of the Orinoco and Magdalena, and 412,000 in the north-western part of that of the Amazon, with the narrow but very important slopes along the Pacific, Car ribbcan, and Atlantic coast.
The whole territory of Colombia is divided into twelve departments: 'sump, 'Magdalena, Zulia, Venezuela. Ma turin, Cauca, Cundinamarca, Boyaca, Orinoco, Guya quil, Equador, and A ssuay.
is the north-western department, and lies in North America, along the narrowest part of the isthmus, uniting the two continents, whence its name. It extends in nearly an east and west direction, from the meridian of \Vashington to 6° W. Central lat. 81° N. Including the two provinces of Veraguas and Panama, Istmo em braces a superficies of 24,300 square miles; length from west to east 400, and mean breadth a small fraction above 80 miles, population 100,085. The capital Pa nama, containing a population of 9000, stands at 9° 01' N. lat., long. 2° 31' W. from Washington City.