and Quebec are lined with numerous pretty villages, which are rendered conspicuous by their large stone churches, with shining, tin-covered roofs and spires.

NEW BRUNSWICK. This province consists of an extensive tract, comprising 27,700 square miles, the greater part of which is still covered with magnificent forests; population, 193,800. It is bounded on the N. by the Bay of Chaleurs' and the Restigouche' River; S. by the Bay of Fundy; E. by the Gulf of St. Lawrence; and W. by Lower Canada and the State of Maine. The principal settlements are along the St. John's River and its lakes. Lumber and fish are the chief articles of export. St. John, the largest town in the province, and the seat of an extensive trade, is on the river of the same name, near its mouth; and 85 miles above it is Fredericton, the capital.

NOVA SCOTIA peninsula, with the Island of Cape Breton, together form one province, which is bounded N. by the Gulf of St. Lawrence, E., S., and W. by the Atlantic Ocean, and N. W. by the Bay of Fundy. Area, 18,746; population, 216,117. An isthmus 9 miles wide connects the peninsula with New Brunswick. The Bay of Fundy is very peculiar; its shores on both sides are rocky and abrupt; while near its head the tide, pressed and confined within diminished limits, rushes with much violence over extensive and wide-spread mud flats, and rises 60 feet or more perpendicular. The fisheries are valuable and extensive. Halifax, the capital of the province, is pleasantly situated on a slope of ground facing a fine spacious harbor, on the eastern side of the peninsula. It is the chief naval station of Great Britain in North America, and is the British North American station for the Cunard line of steamers, which run between New York, Boston, and Liverpool. Among the other noted places in this province is Annapolis, on the Bay of Fundy; it is the oldest settlement in North America, which was founded by the French in 1604. Pictou and Sydney are noted for their mines of bituminous coal.

NEWFOUNDLAND.

This is a large and valuable island, situated off the S. E. coast of Labrador, from which it is separated by the Strait of Belleisle, 12 miles across. It contains a surface of 35,913 square miles, is very irregular in its outline, its shores being greatly indented. The chief re

tlements. St. John. Fredericton. Nova Scotia, and Cape Breton Isle. Boundaries of Nova Scotia. The Bay of Fundy. Halifax. Annapolis. Pictou. Sydney. Newfoundland. Fisheries. St. John's. Most noted fishing ground. Prince Edward's Isle. Capital.

sources of the population are in the cod, seal, and salmon fisheries, for which it has been long celebrated. The principal fishing grounds are off the S. E. coast, called the Grand Banks. St. John's, the capital, is in the S. E. part of the island. Population of the island, 101,600.

PRINCE EDWARD'S ISLAND.- This is a fine fertile island, lying in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, north of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, from which it is separated by Northumberland Strait. The climate is milder than that of the surrounding British colonies. The soil is fertile, yielding large crops of grain. Area, 2134 square miles; population in 1848 was 62,678. Charlottetown is the capital.

SUGGESTIONS TO THE TEACHER.

VOYAGES AND TRAVELS, performed in imagination by means of maps, are admirably adapted to make the study of geography of practical utility. In describing voyages, the pupils should be required to mention the waters sailed through, the general courses, the islands, coasts, and other prominent objects successively passed, whether on the high seas or coastwise. In travels and transportations inland, whether by railroad, steamboat, or canal, they should specify the direction, distance, and the chief places which are passed on the routes; and the teacher should communicate such additional information in connection with the several places as may serve to aid the memory by the principle of association. Then, as a valuable means for testing the knowledge of a class in topography, narrate to them, with as much minuteness of detail as may be necessary, a voyage or journey, carefully omitting the names of the places, but at the same time requiring the pupils to note down the names in succession which your narrative may suggest.

1. As an example of a voyage, take the following: Describe a voyage from New York to Aspinwall and back, in a steamship. We sail through the "Narrows" into the Atlantic Ocean, and, when we are sufficiently far from the coast, we shape our course southerly for the eastern part of the Bahamas to avoid the Gulf Stream, and pass between Acklin and Inagua Islands, then through the windward passage which separates Cuba from Hayti, and touch at Kingston, Jamaica, having sailed 1640 miles; from Kingston we sail S. S. W. across the Caribbean Sea, 575 miles, to Aspinwall, on the Isthmus of Panama, the whole distance being 2215 miles. Leaving Aspinwall for the homeward voyage, we take a N. N. W. course through the Caribbean Sea and Yucatan Pass, and round Cape St. Antonio, eastward, to Havana, the capital of Cuba, having sailed 1075 miles; from Havana we proceed northerly through Florida Pass, and along the coast

of the United States, to Sandy Hook and New York harbor, a distance of 1260 miles from the last port, making the return route 2335 miles.

2. The following is an example of steamboat and railroad travelling: A trip from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, to Sandusky city, Ohio. We will now step on board one of the many beautiful steamboats which crowd the landing at Pittsburg, and proceed down the Ohio River. Our first stopping place is Steubenville, one of the most flourishing towns on the river; thence we proceed to Wheeling, Virginia, which is situated in the centre of an area, 100 miles diameter, of the most fertile soil any where to be found. We next stop at Marietta, one of the first settled towns in Ohio; and thence to Portsmouth, at the terminus of the Ohio Canal, where we find extensive iron factories, and people busily engaged in receiving and forwarding produce and merchandise. Our next place of landing will be at Cincinnati, where we shall leave the boat and take the cars for the remainder of our journey. Cincinnati is the largest and most commercial city west of the Alleghanies, containing more than 160,000 inhabitants. It is laid out with great regularity, and occupies a portion of two table lands, one elevated from 40 to 60 feet above the other. Steamboats are constantly leaving for Pittsburg, Louisville, St. Louis, New Orleans, and other places, freighted with produce from the interior.

We will now take the cars for Sandusky city. On our route we pass through a beautiful country, abounding in well-cultivated farms, with extensive fields of wheat and corn. At Xenia there is a railroad which passes through Columbus, the capital, to Zanesville. Keeping on in our intended route, we pass through Springfield, Urbana, Bellefontaine, Kenton, and other places, to Sandusky city, which is one of the principal ports on Lake Erie.

3. A narrative of a journey without naming the places visited: "On a small island at the mouth of a beautiful river is a very important commercial city. At its wharves ships of all nations may be found, discharging or receiving their cargoes, and its merchants hold intercourse with every part of the known world. Many who do business in this city reside in another city, a little to the east, and on the western extremity of a fine island. If we should ascend the river we should pass through a beautiful region of country, noted for its wild and romantic scenery, and should see at our left a place from which floats the American flag, to indicate that it is occupied as a military station. It was here that, a long time ago, in the days of the revolution, a man holding a high rank in the army arranged a plan to surrender to the enemies of his country the important position which had been committed to his command. And it was in attempting to pass from this place to the British army, that a young and gallant British officer, with the despatches of the traitor in his possession, was arrested by men, who, though poor in purse, were too steadfast in their integrity to be bribed or bought with gold. Here, too, have been educated some of the bravest officers now in the American army, and some of the most able engineers and scientific men of whom our country can boast. Sailing farther up the river, through a pleasant and fertile country, but much less elevated than that we have left, and passing several pleasant towns and villages, we come to a city which was first settled by the Dutch, and still contains many of their descendants. It is a beautiful city, is the capital of

a large state, and is the terminus of a noted canal, once regarded as one of the most remarkable works of the kind in the world. Nearly parallel with this canal runs a railroad, and over both are every year transported immense quantities of grain, flour, provisions, and merchandise of all kinds which are produced or consumed in the surrounding country, or even in the far west. Above the last-named city, and on the same river, is another beautiful city, that bears the name of one which, centuries ago, when people believed that the gods would come down to take part in the battles of men, was besieged for ten long years, and at last was taken only by stratagem.

Now, what city did I first describe? What name is sometimes applied to it on account of its size and importance? On what island is it? At the mouth of what river? What city to the east of it? It is sometimes called the "City of Churches." Why? As we ascend the river, what mountains do we pass? What military station? What institution there? Who attempted to give this up to the British? When? Why? With what success? What British officer is referred to? What was his fate ? What became of the commanding officer of the fort, and by what name has he since been known? Why is this place so important as a military station? What towns and villages above this on the river? At what city did we arrive? Describe it. What city a little to the north of it? What ancient city is referred to? What distinguished characters and heroes of antiquity took part in the siege? By what stratagem was the city taken ? What was the cause of the siege? What canal is mentioned ? What places does it connect ? &c., &c.

20

CHAPTER III.

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

§ 1. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.

Area in square miles, 3,384,865. Population in 1850 was 23,191,876.

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is a confederacy of sovereign states, occupying the middle portion of North America, between 24° and 49° N. lat., and 67° and 125° W. lon., extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans, and from the British Possessions on the north to the Mexican

republic and the Gulf of Mexico on the south. The greatest length from east to west is 2800 miles; its breadth from north to south is 1900 miles; frontier, 11,000 miles, of which 4400 miles is sea coast and 1600 lake coast. The whole area is estimated at 3,384,865 square miles. The Union originally consisted of thirteen states, but now of more than thirty, together with the federal district, and several territories.

The country is naturally divided, by the Rocky Mountains and the Alleghanies, into three distinct regions; the Atlantic declivity on the east, the basin or Valley of the Mississippi, in the middle, and the Pacific declivity on the west. The Atlantic border is indented with many important bays and sounds; there are but few on the Gulf coast, but on the west coast there are several excellent bays, that of San Francisco being one of the finest in the world. Only two of the great lakes lie wholly within the limits of the United States; they are Michigan' and Champlain'.

The rivers of the United States may be divided into four classes: 1. The Mississippi and its wide spreading tributaries, which drain nearly the whole country between the mountain

Government of the UNITED STATES. Extent. Length. Breadth. Area. Frontier line. Natural divisions of the country. Indentations. Great lakes.