AN EPITOME

OF THE

ARTS AND SCIENCES.

CLASS V....LESSON I.

OF GEOGRAPHY.

2. WHAT is geography?

A. Geography is the science which describes the extent and subdivisions of the surface of the earth, the parts of which are land and water. 2. Explain in what the parts consist?

A. The land consists of continents, islands, peninsulas, and isthmuses; and the water of oceans, seas, gulfs, straits, rivers, and lakes.

There are properly only two continents; for Europe, Asia, and Africa, are separated but by geographical lines; and the other consists of North and South America, which are connected by the narrow isthmus of Darien.

An island is a portion of land surrounded by water, such as Cuba, Bermuda, Long Island, Great Britain, Ireland, Jamaica, and Borneo.

A peninsula is a tract of land almost surrounded with water, as East Florida, Malacca in Asia, and the Morea in Greece.

An isthmus is a neck of land which joins a peninsula to a continent, or two continents together, as the isthmus of Suez in Egypt, which joins Africa to Asia, and the isthmus of Panama or Darien, which joins North to South America.

There are four oceans; the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Northern Ocean.

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A sea is a smaller collection of water, as the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.

A gulf or bay is an arm of the sea, which runs a considerable way into land, as the gulf of Mexico, the gulf of Guinea, and the bay of Biscay.

A strait is a narrow part of the sea, forming a passage from one sea to another; as the strait of Gibraltar, the strait of Magellan in South America, and the straits of Babelmandel in the Red Sea.

A cape or promontory is a point of land jutting out of the sea; as Cape Henlopen, Cape Comorin, the Cape of Good Hope, and Cape Horn. 2. What of the ear in general?

A. The earth is a large globe, the diameter of which is nearly eight thousand miles (79353) and its surface contains nearly two hundred millions of square miles, (199,512,595) of which near three fifths are covered with water.

The land occupied by upwards of a thousand millions of human beings, is divided into four great nominal parts, sometimes called quarters; Europe, Asia, Africa, and America.

2. What proportion does the land bear to the water in the different parts of the globe?

A. The following is the estimated amount of square miles to each section of the earth:

OF EUROPE.

2. As Europe is the most celebrated, give some account of that quarter of the world?

A. Europe, though the smallest of the grand divisions or quarters of the world, is inhabited by the most active and intelligent race of people. It comprehends numerous nations, which are thus named at present....Lapland, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Denmark, Saxony Prussia, Bavaria, the confederation of the Rhine, Austria, Turkey, France, Switzerland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Great Britain and Ireland.

2. What is its extent ?

A. From N. E. to S. W. about 3000 miles; its breadth, East and West, about 2500 miles; and is situated between 35 and 71 degrees, north latitude.

2. What in the natural history of those countries is remarkable ?

A. The three grand inland seas; which are the Mediterranean, the Baltic, and the White sea.

Its principal islands are Great Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Zealand, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, and Candia.

Its principal rivers are the Wolga, the Danube, e Neiper, the Rhine, the Rhone and the Elbe. Its most elevated mountains are: the Alps, which separate Italy from Germany, Switzerland, and France. The Pyrennees, between France and Spain. The Defrafeld mountains, between Nor way and Sweden. The Carpathian mountains, which bound Hungary to the north and east.

The principal capes in Europe are, the North Cape, the Naze, the Land's End, Cape la Hogue, Cape Clear, the Lizard, Cape Finisterre, St. Vincent, and Metapan.

What is Lapland?

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A. Lapland is divided into Danish or North Lapland; and Russian or East Lapland; and is principally covered with immense forests, chiefly of fir, and with pastures abounding with reindeer. In some parts of Lapland (near the north pole) the sun is absent for about seven weeks; but from ten in the forenoon, till between one and two in the afternoon, the twilight is sufficient for persons to read without a candle; the stars are visible at noon, and the moon shines without intermission. In the summer, on the contrary, the sun never sets for seven weeks together. 2. Inform me concerning Norway.

A. Norway is dependent upon Denmark; and divided into four general governments, viz. Ag gerhuys, Bergen, Drontheim, and Wardhuys; the chief town of Norway is Bergen. Norway is the most mountainous country in the world; the inhabitants have neither cornfields nor gardens, but subsist chiefly by hunting and fishing.

The chief wealth of Norway lies in its fir timber, with which foreign nations are supplied. It possesses quarries of excellent marble and mines of various metals.

2. Is there not a celebrated whirlpool on the coast of Norway?

A. Yes; the vortex called the Maelstroom, which is heard at a great distance, and forms a whirlpool of a vast depth and extent, and sa violent, that if a ship come near it, it is drawn in and shattered to pieces.

2. Describe Denmark to me?

A. Denmark proper is a comparatively small country, containing only the peninsula of Jutland, and the islands of Zealand, Funen, &c. at the entrance of the Baltic; Copenhagen, the capital city, is in the island of Zealand; and at Elsinore all foreign ships that trade to the Baltic pay toll.

Q. What is remarkable beside in Denmark? A. Iceland, subject to Denmark, abounds in sulphur, subterranean fires, and volcanoes; mount Hecla is a volcano one mile high, and its sides are always covered with snow.

Greenland and the Ferro islands are subject to Denmark.

A volcanic island recently rose to the south of Iceland, but it quickly disappeared again. Extent of Denmark 170,000 square miles. Population 2,150,000; 12 to a square mile. 2. Give some account of Sweden ?

A. Sweden was divided into Sweden proper, Gothland, Finland, Swedish Lapland, and the Swedish islands; the capital is Stockholm, which is built on seven rocky islands, and united by bridges; the other principal towns are Upsal, famous for its university: Gothenburg, in Gothland; Tornea, in Lapland; and Abo, in Finland. But in the late war with Russia it has lost three fourths of Finland.

The chief wealth of Sweden arises from its mines of silver, copper, lead, and iron; which are so very spacious as to form a kind of subterraneous world.

The country of Sweden is mountainous, and contains lakes of great extent, and rivers numerous and navigable, issuing principally from the Norwegian mountains.

2. What is there remarkable in Sweden?

A. In the Baltic Sea there are no tides, though there is a current constantly running from it into the Northern Ocean. The islands about the Baltic amount to several thousand, most of them inhabited and abounding with natural curiosities, and singular and sublime scenery.

Extent 209,000 square miles; population 3,000,000; persons to a square mile 14. 2. What of the Russian empire?

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