their natural liberty is almost unimpaired. There is scarcely any subordination either in their civil or domestic government. In most of their tribes, the sachem, or chief, is elective; but a council of old men is chosen, whose advice determines his conduct in all affairs of importance. He neither possesses nor claims any great authority. His office is to propose, rather than command; and all obedience is voluntary. When a war is proposed, a chief arises and offers himself as their leader. Such as are willing to follow him, stand up and sing the war song. The chief has scarcely any criminal jurisdiction. The punishment of offenders belongs entirely to the person or family injured. Their resentments are excessive and implacable. They can neither be extinguished nor abated by any length of time; but are transmitted from generation to generation, until an opportuuity of vengeance is found. Sometimes, however, the offended party is satisfied by a compensation. In case of murder, this commonly consists of a captive taken in war, who being substituted in the place of the person murdered, assumes his name, and is adopted into his family. The American savages are distinguished by their unparalleled contempt of pain and death, by the horrible torments which they inflict on their captive enemies, and the astonishing fortitude with which they suffer the same when they fall to their lot.

Nothing in the history of man forms a stronger contrast than their cruelty to their enemies, and their affectionate regard for their friends. The latter is sufficiently evinced in the lamentations with which they bewail the death of any member of their society; but it is still more strikingly demonstrated in the general feast of the dead, which is commonly celebrated every tenth, but in some tribes, every eighth year. At this pious and awful, but disgusting solemnity, all those who have died during this interval, are disinterred, being sought up from all quarters, and brought to the general rendezvous of carcases. A great feast is prepared to their honour their actions are commemorated. Every thing that • Charlevoix Journal Historique d'un Voyage de l'Amerique, 4to. p. 266, &c. Ibid. p. 309. § Ibid. p. 274.

Ibid. p. 216, 217, &c.

can excite affection is recalled to remembrance; and stran. gers sometimes come many hundreds of miles to join in the general condolence. The solemnity concludes by depositing those venerable remains in the place of general interment, in a large pit dug for that purpose. The whole is conducted with every demonstration of the most pungent sorrow, and every display of savage magnificence. Each person present takes from the pit a little earth, which is preserved as a precious relic, and each one makes an offering to the dead of something that is esteemed most valuable. In regard to religion, it appears that all the American tribes believe the existence of a Supreme Being and of a future state, when those who have been courageous in war, or skilful in hunting, shall be rewarded with endless felicity. This appears to constitute the sum of their faith; the rest of their religious ideas are, as it may reasonably be supposed, various, confused, and indeterminate.

The western coast of North America has been explored, first by the Russians, and successively by Cook, Vancouver, Mears, Dixon, La Peyrouse, and other able navigators; but Mackenzie has the merit of having first reached the Pacific Ocean by a progress from the east. The western interior has never been penetrated by any other traveller; and many ages may pass over before the geography and natural history of those regions be so well known as to become interesting.

SPANISH DOMINIONS,

NORTH AMERICA.

CHAP. I.

Situation.....Extent.....Boundaries.....Face of the Country......Mountains..... Rivers....Canals....Lakes.......Mineralogy.....Mineral Waters.....Soil....Climate..... Vegetable Productions....Zoology.....Natural Curiosities.....Antiquities and Artificial Curiosities.

THE Spanish empire in North America may be considered as extending from 7° 30' to 39° 30' north latitude, reckoning as far as that nation has any settlements. The Spaniards, however, do not willingly admit the idea of a northern boundary, as they lay claim to the whole north-west part of America, which they include in the government of California.*

The North American possessions of Spain consist of three grand divisions :† The principal of these is Mexico, or New Spain: the others are, first, New Mexico; secondly, East and West Florida. New Mexico includes the interior country west of Louisiana; and East and West Florida. The boun. daries between some of these provinces are not precisely indicated. The two Floridas are bounded, the former on the north, and the latter on the east, by the United States of America. For the greater perspicuity and order, it may not be amiss to exhibit separate descriptions of these principal divisions.

*La Peyrouse, vol. 2. ch. 11, &c.

Louisiana is now ceded to the United States.

m [Both Floridas are bounded north by the United States. East Florida is the eastern boundary of West Florida. AM. ED.]

MEXICO, OR NEW SPAIN.

Face of the country.]-The face of the country is in general abrupt and mountainous; but flat and low near the coasts, particularly on the eastern side bordering on the Gulf of Mexico.* The mountains, and many of the plains, are covered with thick forests.

Mountains.-The interior of Mexico is almost every where encumbered with high mountains, of which the ridges run in various directions. The mountain of Orizaba is regarded as the highest in Mexico, and is even supposed to surpass, in altitude, the peak of Teneriffe, being visible not only from the capital, from which it is ninety miles distant towards the southeast, but also at sea, at the distance of 150 miles.† This mountain became volcanic in 1545, and continued in that state for twenty years, till 1565, since which time there has been no appearance of irruption. It is of a conical form: the summit is covered with perpetual snow; and the sides are adorned with beautiful forests of pines, cedars, and other valuable trees, so that it forms a magnificent object.§ The detached mountains, called in the native language Popacatepec, and Iztaccihuati, situated at about the distance of thirty miles to the south-east of the city of Mexico, are both volcanic, and both of them perpetually covered with snow. These mountains supply the capital, and other places, to the distance of forty miles round, with snow for cooling their liquors. The mountain of Juruyo is a singular phænomenon. It was originally a small hill, which, in 1760, burst with furious volcanic shocks, and continued to eject fire and burning rocks till 1766, when it had formed three high mountains, of which the circumference was not less than six miles. But it is not easy to give implicit credit to Clavigero, or to Morse, who

* It may not be amiss to observe, that the Spanish x being pronounced like ch, the true pronunciation of Mexico is Mechico: for this I must own my obligation to Mr. Pinkerton.

† Clavigero, vol. 1. p. 13.

§ D'Auteroche Voyage, p. 37.

Morse's Amer. Geog. p. 574.

Clavigero Hist. of Mexico, vol. 1. p. 14.

copies him, when they tell us that the ashes were thrown to the incredible distance of 150 miles. Many others of the Mexican mountains are of a great elevation; and Morse says, that no fewer than five of them have at different times been volcanos.† That of Guatimala raged furiously in 1773, during the tremendous earthquakes which destroyed that great city, and buried 8000 families under its ruins.

Rivers.]-From the narrow dimensions of the country, extending about 600 miles in length, and not above 150 in medial breadth, between the two seas: the rivers have only a short course, and are not of great importance to inland navigation and commerce. Those of Palmas, Panuco, Tabasco, and St. Juan, fall into the Gulf of Mexico. The Guadalaxara is the largest of those that discharge themselves into the Pacific Ocean.

Lakes.]-In Mexico are several lakes which embellish the country, and afford some convenience to inland commerce. The largest of these is that of Nicaragua, which extends about 170 British miles in length from south-east to northwest, by about half as much in medial breadth; and has, by the river of St. Juan, a grand outlet into the Gulf of Mexico. By a canal from this lake to the Pacific Ocean, it is probable that a complete passage between the two seas, which has been the object of so many fruitless expeditions, might be effected at no enormous expense, and in the most direct course that could be desired. But as almost the whole trade of the Spaniards in those parts centres in the city of Mexico, such a communication might have an unfavourable interference with the interests of that capital; and this may probably concur with their colonial jealousy to prevent such an undertaking. The lake of Chapala, in the north-west part of the province, is also of considerable extent, being about sixty miles in length, by twenty in breadth. The lake of Tetzeuco, joined by a strait with that of Chalco, and both together occupying a great part of the vale of Mexico, being not less than thirty English miles in length, and ninety in circuit, is celebrated on account of the capital being seated on its margin. There are several other lakes of inferior dimensions and importance.

* Clavigero, ubi şupra. Morse, p. 574.

† Morse, ubi supra.