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flock to these shores, and pursue their prey without molestation. Captain Cook discovered Christmas Sound, a good haven for ships that double Cape Horn. Staten Land, a detached island, which may be considered as forming a part of the archipelago, was discovered by Le Maire. The northern and eastern coasts are more favored by nature than the southern and western; towards the Atlantic Ocean, the mountains are not so steep, a rich verdure decks the vallies, and some useful animals are found in the woods and pastures.

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"The natives of these islands," says Capt. Wilkes," are not more than five feet high, of a light copper color, which is much concealed by smut and dirt, particularly on their faces, which they mark vertically with charcoal. They have short faces, narrow foreheads, and high cheek-bones. Their eyes are small, and usually black, the upper lids in the inner corner overlapping the under one, and bear a strong resemblance to those of the Chinese. The nose is broad and flat, with wide-spread nostrils, mouth large, teeth white, large and regular. The hair is long, lank and black, hanging over the face, and is covered with white ashes, which gives them a hideous appearance. The whole face is compressed. Their bodies are remarkable from the great development of the chest, shoulders, and vertebral column; their arms are long, and out of proportion; their legs small, and ill-made. There is, in fact, little difference between the size of the ankle and leg; and, when standing, the skin at the knee hangs in a large, loose fold. In some the muscles of the leg appear almost wanting, and possess very little strength. The want of development of the muscles of the legs is owing to their constant sitting posture, both in their huts and canoes. Their skin is sensibly colder than ours. It is impossible to fancy anything in human nature more filthy. They are an ill-shapen and ugly race." "The children were quite small." "Their canoes are constructed of bark, and sewed with shreds of whalebone, seal-skin and twigs. They are sharp at both ends, and are kept in shape, as well as strengthened, by a number of stretchers lashed to the gunwale." * "The Indians seldom venture outside the kelp, by the aid of which they pull themselves along; and their paddles are so small as to be of little use in propelling their canoes, unless it is calm." * Their huts are generally found built close to the shore at the head of some small bay, in a secluded spot, and sheltered from the prevailing winds. They are built of boughs or small trees, stuck in the earth, and brought together at the top, where they are firmly bound by bark, sedge and twigs; smaller branches are then interlaced, forming a tolerably compact wickerwork, and on this grass, turf and bark, are laid, making the hut quite warm, and impervious to the wind and snow, though not quite so to the rain." These huts are of a circular form, from seven to eight feet in diameter, and four or five feet high, with an oval hole to creep in at. The fire is built in an excavation in the middle of the clay floor. These people almost live on shell-fish, and the usual accompaniment to their hut is a heap of shells. They are armed with slings, and spears of rude construction, with which they strike their fish as well as defend themselves. They are naturally very grave, and seldom express surprise. The facility with which they repeated words was truly wonderful, and their powers of mimicry often became annoying. The women appeared to be modest, but they are extremely ugly, and much begrimmed. The men employ themselves in building huts, obtaining food, and providing for their daily wants. The women are generally seen paddling their canoes, They bury their

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dead in caves.

FALKLAND ISLANDS.

THE Malouine Islands, called formerly by the English geographers, Hawkins' Maidenland, and at present the Falkland Islands, are about seventysix leagues north-east from Staten Land, and a hundred and ten eastward of the Straits of Magellan. The two largest islands are separated from each other by a broad channel, called by the Spaniards the Straits of San Carlos, but better known by the name of Falkland's Channel. They were first seen by Capt. Davis, who sailed under Sir T. Cavendish, in 1592; and next by Sir Richard Hawkins, who called them Hawkins' Maidenland, in honor of Queen Elizabeth. The mountains in these islands are not very lofty; the soil on the heights adjacent to the sea is composed of a dark vegetable mould; copper pyrites, yellow and red ochre, are found below. the surface. Pernetty observed a natural amphitheatre, formed by regular layers of porphyritic sand-stone. No wood grows on these islands; the Spaniards were at the trouble of bringing plants from Buenos-Ayres, but their labor was vain, for every tree perished in a short time. The gladiolus, or sword grass, is very common, and rises to a great height; when seen at a distance, it has the appearance of a verdant thicket. The grass is luxuriant; celery, cresses, and other herbs, have been noticed by travellers. The vegetables are not unlike those of Canada; but the epipactis, the tithymalus resinosus, and a shrub which resemble the rosemary, are much similar to the plants of Chilé. A great variety of seals, to which the common people have given the name of sea-lions, sea-calves, and seawolves, bask in the sword-grass. The Spaniards brought eight hundred head of oxen to these islands in the year 1780, and they increased so rapidly that their number amounted to eight thousand in 1795. These islands are unoccupied, but nominally belong to Great Britain. The Argentine Republic, however, prefers a substantial claim to sovereignty over them.

ISLAND OF GEORGIA.

ALTHOUGH the Island of Georgia does not belong to any nation, we mention it in this place, on account of its vicinity to the Falkland Islands. It was discovered by La Roche in 1675, and afterwards explored by Captain Cook in 1775, who gave it its present name. Georgia, situated about four hundred and twenty leagues east from Cape Horn, consists of horizontal layers of black slate stone. The rocks are generally covered with ice, and no shrub can pierce through the perpetual snow that lies in the valleys; pimpernal, a few lichens, and some tufts of coarse grass, are all the plants that have been observed; and the lark is the only land-bird which has been seen on the island.

SANDWICH LAND, &c.

CAPTAIN COOK discovered Sandwich Land, or the Southern Thule, at a hundred and fifty leagues to the south-east of Georgia, and in the 59th degree of south latitude. Other groups extend to the southern pole, and occasion, perhaps, the icebergs and variations in the course of currents, which have too often inisled the adventurous navigator.

SOUTH SHETLAND, and several of the groups of islands extending from 60 to 64° south latitude, were discovered in 1820. These contain little worthy of notice. The low grounds are sterile, and the hills and rocks covered with eternal snows. The seas in the vicinity abound with seals and other animals common to the Antarctic regions. Recent observations render it probable that similar islands extend to the southern pole.

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126

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Des Moines River.......
Detroit..

.562 Dunn's Lake.

Columbia..

Columbia....

Columbia.

.277 Danville...

.215 Danville.

..299 Dardanelles..

..195 Darien.....

..314

Columbia, District of.....
Columbia River..
Columbian Archipelago; situ-
ation; extent; divisions;
mountains; climate; pro-
ducts; animals; aborigines;
commerce, &c.
Columbia, Republic of........ 425
Columbus...
.233
Comayagua..
Commerce.

.441-444

.286

.79

Commerce, Statistics of.... ..352
Commercial Statistics, (British,) 70
Commercial Statistics, (French,) 73
Concord.
Concepcion
Congregational Denominations.367
Congregationalism, Progress of.367
Connecticut River..
Connecticut, State of; situa
tion; extent; boundaries;
surface ; soil; climate;
coast; harbors; Long Isl-
and Sound; rivers; mine-
rals; counties; population;
agriculture; manufactures;
commerce; fisheries; educa-
tion; schools; religions; in-
ternal improvements; cities;
history; finances; govern-
ment; people, &c
Coosa River..
Cooper River
Copiapo..
Coppermine District
Coppermine River..
Coquimbo..
Cordova.
Cornwall.

Cornwall Canal.

Cornwallis Island.

Corrientes
Coteau du Lac..

Davidson College..
Dayton.

Debt of the United States.... 388
Delaware, State of; situation;
area; surface; rivers; cli-
mate; counties; population;
agriculture; manufactures;
commerce; fisheries; banks;
education; religions; pub-
lic works; finances; gov-
ernment; judiciary; cities;
history.
Delaware River.
Demerara
Demerara River.
Deseret, State of-

Dickinson College..

Eyafiord...
Eyrarbacka..

FAIRFIELD..
..185-189 Falkland Islands
..77 Fall River..
....606 Falls of Cohoes..

Dictatorship of Paraguay.
Dismal Swamp.
District of Columbia.
District Courts..

Dominica; situation; history;
features; soil; climate; gov.
ernment; commerce; towns.467
Donaldsonville..

Dover..

...147-152 Dover

.277 Dubuque...
.212 Duck Creek.

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222-227

.52

.131

.252

260

..276

French Colonies, Statistics of.. 73
608 French West Indies...

.572 Dutch West Indies............492 Frederick

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193

.206

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.601

.210 Essequibo River...

606

.233 Estero, Santiago del..
Ethiopic Races...
Evansville..

.572

...5

237

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staples; manufactures; com-
merce; education; churches;
railroads; constitution; finan-
ces; towns; history..
.412 Fort Erie..

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