Brazil wood; the last is of a red color, hard and dry, and is chiefly used in dying, but not the red of the best kind. Here is also the yellow fustic, of use in dying yellow and a beautiful kind of speckled wood, made use of in cabinet work. Here are five different sorts of palm trees, some curious ebony, and a great variety of cotton trees.

This country abounds in horned cattle, which are hunted for their hides only, 20,000 being sent annually into Europe. There is also a plenty of deer, hares, and other game. Among the wild beasts found here, are tigers, porcupines, janouveras, and a fierce animal, somewhat like the greyhound; monkies, sloths, and the topirassou, a creature between a bull and an ass, but without horns, and entirely harmless; the flesh is very good, and has the flavor of beef. There is a numberless variety of fowl, wild and tame, in this country.

Mines. There are gold mines in many parts of this country, which have been wrought with considerable profit to the government. There are also many diamond mines, which have been discovered here; they are of all colors, and of almost every shade.

Commerce. The trade of Brazil is very great, and increases every year. They import 40,000 negroes annually. The exports from Brazil are diamonds, sugar, tebacco, hides, drugs, and medicines; and they receive in return, woollen goods of all kinds, linens, laces, silks, hats, lead, tin, pewter, copper, iron, beef, and cheese. They also receive from Madeira a great quantity of wine, vinegar, and brandy; and from the Azores, 25,000l. worth of other liquors.

Chief Towns. ST. SALVADOR is the capital of Brazil. This city, which has a noble, spacious, and commodious harbor, is built on a high and steep rock, having the sea on one side, and a lake forming a crescent on the other. 'The situation makes it, in a manner, impregnable by nature; and they have besides added to it very strong fortifications. It is populous, magnificent, and beyond comparison, the most gay and opulent city in all Brazil.

RIO JANEIRO is a rich and populous city, having many elegant churches and other buildings, situated within a large bay, and containing 200,000 inhabitants.

Religion. Roman Catholic

Natives. The native Brazilians are about the size of the Europeans, but not so stout. They are subject to fewer distempers, and are long lived. They wear no clothing.

History, &c. The Portuguese discovered this country in the year 1500, but did not plant it till the year 1549, when they took possession of All Saints Bay, and built the city of St. Salvador, which is now the residence of the viceroy and archbishop. The Dutch invaded Brazil in 1623, and subdued the northern provinces; but the Portuguese agreed, 1661, to pay the Dutch 8 tons of gold to relinquish their interest in this country, which was accepted. The Portuguese remained in peaceable possession of all Brazil till about the end of 1762; when the Spanish government of Buenos Ayres, hearing of a war between Portugal and Spain, took, after a month's seige, the Portuguese frontier fortress, called St. Sacrament; but, by the treaty of peace, it was restored. In 1807, the regent and royal family of Portugal emigrated to Brazil, where the Portuguese monarchy is now established.

AMAZONIA,

THIS large country has never been perfectly explored by any European nation. It is supposed to be about 1400 miles long, and 900 broad; situated between the equator and 20 degrees south latitude. It is bounded north by Terra Firma, and Guiana; east by Brazil; south by Paraguay and west by Peru. It receives its name from the river Amazon, which, with its innumerable branches, waters the whole territory.

The air is cooler in this country than could be expected, considering it is situated in the middle of the torrid zone. This is partly owing to the heavy rains, which occasion the rivers to overflow their banks one half of the year, and partly to the cloudiness of the weather which obscures the sun a great part of the time he is above the horizon. During the rainy season, the country is subject to dreadful storms of thunder and lightning.

The soil is extremely fertile, producing cocoa nuts, pine apples, bananas, plantains, and a great variety of tropical fruits; cedar, red wood, `pak, ebony, log wood,

sugar canes, cotton, potatoes, balsam, honey, &c. The woods abound with tigers, wild boars, and game of various kinds; the rivers and lakes with fish. The crocodiles and water serpents render fishing a dangerous employment.

'The natives of Amazonia are of a good stature, have handsome features, long black hair, and copper complexions. They spin and weave cotton cloth, and build their houses with wood and clay, and thatch them with reeds. Their arms are darts and javelins, bows and arrows, with targets of canes or fish skins. The several nations are governed by their chiefs, or caciques.

In reading the history of South-America, it is pleasing to reflect that any part of it has escaped the ravages of European conquerors. Amazonia remains unsubdued; and the original inhabitants still enjoy their native freedom and independence.

PATAGONIA.

THIS country is less known than any other part of South-America. It lies south of Paraguay and Chili, and is bounded east by the Atlantic ocean; south it is divided from Terra del Fuego by the straits of Magellan, leading into the Pacific ocean, which limits it on the west.

The climate is much colder in this country than in the north, under the same parallels of latitude. It is almost impossible to say what the soil would produce, as it is not cultivated by the natives. The northern parts are covered with wood; but, towards the south, there is not a single tree large enough to be of use to mechanics. There are good pastures, which feed incredible numbers of horned cattle and horses.

There are some rivers and bays on the coast of this country, but they are little known.

Patagonia is inhabited by a variety of Indian tribes, among which are the Patagons, from whom the country takes its name; the Pampas and the Cossores. They all live upon fish and game, and what the earth produces spontaneously. Their huts are thatched, and notwithstanding the rigor of the climate, they wear no other

clothes than a mantle made of seal skin, or the skin of some beast, and that they throw off when they are in action. They are exceedingly hardy, brave and active, making use of their arms, which are bows and arrows headed with flints, with amazing dexterity. They always bury their dead on the eastern shores, looking towards the country of their fathers. They are supposed to have emigrated originally from Africa.

The Spaniards once built a fort upon the straits of Magellan and left a garrison in it, to prevent any other European nation from passing that way into the Pacific ocean; but most of the men perished by hunger, whence the place obtained the name of Port Famine; since that fatal event, no nation has attempted to plant colonies in Patagonia.

As to the religion or government of the Patagonians, we have no certain information. Some have reported that they believe in invisible powers, both good and evil; and that they pay a tribute of gratitude to the one, and deprecate the wrath and vengeance of the other.

SOUTH-AMERICAN ISLANDS.

THE FALKLAND ISLES lie near the straits of Magellan, a little to the northeast of the utmost extremity of South-America, between 51° and 53° S. lat. and between 24° and 25° of E. lon. They were discovered by Sir Richard Hawkins, in 1594, the chief of the two islands he called HAWKINS' MAIDENLAND, in honor of queen Elizabeth The soil of these islands is bad, and the shores are beat by perpetual storms. A British settlement was made here, of which they were soon after dispossessed by the Spaniards, 1770. The Spaniards now send criminals from their settlements on the continent, to these inhospitable shores.

TERRA DEL FUEGO, or Land of Fire, lies at the southern extremity of South-America, is separated from the main on the north, by the straits of Magellan, aud contains about 42,000 square miles. It consists of several islands, which receive this name on account of the vast fires and smoke which the first discoverers of them perceived. The island of Staten Land lies on the east of

the principal islands. They are all barren and mountainous; but there have been found several sorts of trees and plants, and a variety of birds on the lower grounds and islands, that are sheltered by the hills. Here are found winter's bark, and a species of arbutus, which has a very well tasted red fruit, of the size of small cherries. Plenty of celery is found in some places, and the rocks are coyered with very fine muscles. A species of duck is here met with; also geese and falcons. The natives are of a middle stature, with broad, flat faces, high cheeks, and flat noses. They are clothed in the skins of seals. villages consist of a few miserable huts, in the form of a sugar loaf. The only food seems to be shell fish. Though these countries are only in latitude 56 degrees south, they are colder than Lapland in 70 degrees north.

The

GEORGIA. To the eastward of Terra del Fuego, in latitude 54 degrees south, and about 39° 30' east longitude, is a cluster of barren islands, called SOUTHERN GEORGIA. One of them is between 50 and 60 leagues in length. It is a dismal region, the land of ice. The vales are destitute of shrubs; coarse grass, burnet, and linchen are the only vegetables.

CHILOE, 150 miles long, and 21 broad, is separated from the coast of Chili by a narrow sea, forming a bay. It is between 42 and 44 degrees south latitude. The island produces all necessary provisions. Ambergris, in great quantities, is found on the coast. It has an indifferent fort, called Chocas. Castro, the chief town, stands between two brooks, with a small castle, which commands the harbor. The houses are few and scattered.

JUAN FERNANDES is situated in the Pacific ocean, 390 leagues west of the continent, latitude 33 degrees south, longitude 4 degrees west. It is supposed to have been inhabited by a Spaniard, whose name it retains, although long since abandoned by him and his nation. It is more remarkable for having been the residence of Alexander Selkirk, a Scotchman, whose life and adventures furnished materials for the celebrated novel of Robinson Crusoe. The harbor is in Cumberland bay, on the north side of the island. It is represented by those who have visited it, as earthly paradise. On the southwest is a small isle,

an