sippi. Its principal tributaries from the west are the Platte, the Kansas, and the Osage. The obstructions to the navigation of the Missouri are the same as those of the Lower Mississippi, but they are more numerous and formidable. Islands and sand-bars make the channels intricate, and in many places navigation is hazardous, from the rafts, snags, falling banks, &c. The other tributaries of the Missouri, not hitherto mentioned, are the Little Missouri, Shienne, Quicourt, Gasconade, Jaques, Sioux, Grand and Chariton, the length of the streams of which average from 500 to 800 miles, and are of great volume.

The OHIO is, next to the Missouri, the most important of the tributaries of the Mississippi. This river is formed by the union of the Alleghany, 350 miles long, and the Monongahela, 300 miles, at Pittsburg, from which place to the Mississippi it has a course of 950 miles, receiving, in its progress, numerous navigable streams from both sides; from the north the Muskingum, the Big Beaver, Sciota, Miami and Wabash, and from the south, the Kanhawa, Big Sandy, Kentucky, Greene, Cumberland and Tennessee. The whole region drained by this fine river includes an area of 200,000 square miles, rich in the most useful natural productions, and enjoying a mild and healthful climate. The breadth of the stream varies from 400 to 1,400 yards, and the annual range between mean water and flood is more than 50 feet. The floods occur in December and on the melting of the snow in spring. The navigation is usually impeded by ice in the winter, and, in the upper part of the river, by drought in summer; but during the other seasons the stream is covered with steamers and river craft, carrying on an active trade.

The ARKANSAS exceeds the Ohio in size, but its course is generally through an almost desert country, which diminishes its importance. The navigation is insecure, and in summer, in many parts, the stream is dried up. Steamboats ply only from its mouth to Fort Gibson, 420 miles, while its whole length is estimated to be 2,500 miles. Its source is in the mountains of New Mexico, whence its course, in which it receives the Canadian and other great rivers, is eastward and south to the Mississippi, which it joins near the 34th parallel.

The RED RIVER rises in the Mexican Cordillera, and hence pursues a course south and east to the Mississippi, forming in part the north boundary of the State of Texas. The obstructions which formerly impeded navigation have been partly removed; steamboats ply on its bosom the whole length of its navigable course.

The ILLINOIS is formed in the north part of the state of the same name, by the junction of the Kankakee from Indiana and the Des-Plaines from Wisconsin, from which it flows 200 miles to the Mississippi. It is navigable to the Falls of Ottawa. In some places the river expands to such a width as to have the appearance of a lake; and one expanse of this kind, 20 miles long, has received the name of Lake Peoria. The Kankakee rises within two miles of the St. Joseph, which falls into Lake Michigan, and in the wet season boats may pass from the one to the other. The DesPlaines runs for some distance along the shores of the lake, with which there is a natural communication through Chicago, which has been improved by a canal, finished in the year 1848. Boats now pass regularly from the lake to the Illinois River, and so communicate with the rivers of the west.

The other tributaries, which debouch into the Mississippi, and not hitherto mentioned, are the St. Peter's (500 miles long;) the Penaca or

Turkey (200;) Iowa (350;) Chacaguar (200;) Desmoines (600,) St. Croix (300;) Chippewa (300;) Wisconsin (600;) Rock River (450;) Kaskaskia (300) Salt (250;) Maramec (200;) St. Francis (450;) White (600;) Hatchy (200;) Yazoo (300;) and Big Black River, 200 miles in length.

II. The mighty ST. LAWRENCE, the outlet of the great northern lakes and receptacle of all the rivers of Canada, will next claim description. It flows from the north-east extremity of the Lake Ontario, where its stream, for the first forty miles, is divided by a multitude of islands, some merely bare rocks, some covered with pines, and others presenting the richest meadows and verdant pastures. This space is termed the Lake of the Thousand Isles ; but the real number of islands is said to be 1692. About 100 miles from the lake, a number of rapids interrupt navigation, but they are now passed by the Cornwall Canal, and below the Lake St. Francis, are the Cedar Rapids and the Cascades, difficulties, which are surmounted by the Military Canal. The Ottawa now meets the St. Lawrence, and forms, at their junction, the Islands of Montreal, Jesus and Perrot. Between Montreal and the southern shore, is the Sault St. Louis, which is passed by means of the Lachine Canal. From this point there is no material obstruction, but the current is, in some places, still rapid. Midway, between Montreal and Quebec, the river expands into the Lake St. Peter, but further down the width continues regular, till it passes Quebec, below which it encircles the Isle of Orleans, and then gradually and regularly expands into a wider estuary, which terminates with the Island of Anticosti, about 700 miles from Lake Ontario. At Quebec, the river is only 1314 yards wide; at the mouth of the Sanguenay, 120 miles further down, it is 18 miles; at Cape de Monts, 130 miles more eastward, 25 miles, and where at last it opens into the gulf, the estuary is nearly 105 miles across. The tide is perceptible 450 miles above Anticosti vessels of 600 or 700 tons reach Montreal. In winter, the river, in its upper course, is frozen over; but below Quebec, the navigation is never obstructed, except by the large masses of ice brought down by the current. The principal tributary of the St. Lawrence, is the Ottawa, which flows from Lake Temiscaming, and much resembles the St. Lawrence itself in its great breadth and lake-like expanses. At its union with this river, it spreads out into the Lake of the Two Mountains, and 30 miles up its stream are the Long Sault Rapids, which are passed by the Grenville Canal. Steamers ascend to Bytown and Hull, at the foot of the Chaudieres or Kettle Falls, the principal of which is 60 feet high. Above these are numerous rapids. The other affluents are on the left bank-the St. Maurice; the Batiscan; the St. Anne; the Jaques Cartier and the Sagueney, a large and broad river, the outlet of Lake St. John; and on the right bank-the Oswegatchie, La Grasse, the Raquette, and St. Regis, from New-York ; the Chateauguay, above Montreal; the Richelieu or Sorel, the outlet of Lake Champlain; the Yamaska, the St. Francis and Nicolet, at Lake St. Peter; the Besancour, Gentilley, Du-Chêne, Chaudière and Etchemin, between St. Peter's and Quebec.

III. The other rivers of North America, which are neither so immense nor important as the Mississippi and St. Lawrence, will be fully examined under the descriptions of the several nations through whose territories they have their course. The principal of these streams, are:

Those flowing into the Atlantic, or the gulfs and bays intersecting he lands which border on that great ocean, proceeding from north to south they are:

All which, except the three first, are within the territories of the United States.

The rivers flowing into the Gulf of Mexico, proceeding from east

to west, are:

which, in its course, divides Mexico from the United States. There are few others, of any magnitude, emptying into the gulf. The rivers of Eastern Mexico have, in general, short courses, and chiefly rise from the table lands formed by the Cordilleras. The principal are the San Fernando; the Santander; the Tampico, formed by the union of the Panuca and Montezuma; the Alvarado; the Huascualco; the Tobasco, all in Mexico; and the Rio Hondo, which separates Yucatan from the British settlements at Balize, and the Balize River, wholly within the British possessions. The rivers of Central America are inconsiderable streams, except the San Juan, which connects Lake Nicaragua with the Caribbean Sea, and which, at some future day, may become a part of the water communication projected between the

two oceans.

The rivers flowing into the Pacific Ocean, from the mountain chains of Western America. The largest, beginning at the south, are as follows:

The rivers which fall into the Arctic Ocean and Hudson's Bay. These are but little known, and can never be extensively used for the purposes of commerce. They are.

The COASTS OF NORTH AMERICA are more indented than any other of the great divisions of the globe, with immense gulfs and arms of the sea. One of the principal of these, in the north-east part of the continent, consists of what Balbi has not unaptly termed the Sea of the Esquimaux, from its coasts being everywhere occupied by tribes belonging to this peculiar race it consists of two great divisions, Davis' Straits and Baffin's Bay, separating Greenland from the main land, and Hudson's Bay lying more to the south and west, but connected with the former by numerous channels, some of which have been only recently discovered. The navigation of these seas and inlets, even in the most favorable seasons, is extremely difficult, from their being constantly encumbered with ice; and it is only during a short period of the year that it can be attempted. The next great inlet of the sea is the Gulf of St. Lawrence, so called from the great river of the same name which falls into its south-west extremity. Passing over the numerous inlets and noble bays on the coast of the United States, we come to the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. This vast Mediterranean is separated from the Atlantic by the Peninsula of Florida and the islands of the West Indies. The latter are, as it were, a continuation of Florida, and are, it is probable, the only remaining points of what was once a broad belt of land, which has been broken to pieces and partly submerged in some of those tremendous convulsions to which the earth has been subject. But however this may be, this great inland sea is divided into two portions by the Peninsula of Yucatan and Cape San Antonio, at the western extremity of the Island of Cuba, which approach within a comparatively short distance of each other; that to the north being called the Gulf of Mexico, and that to the south the Caribbean Sea, or the Sea of the Antilles. The Gulf of Cortez or California, separating the peninsula of that name from the main land, is the most important inlet of the sea on the west coast of North America.

To abridge the tedious and dangerous voyage round Cape Horn, and give to navigation a direct and safe access to the eastern shores of the Pacific, has been a favorite scheme, for centuries, of scientific exploration and of mercantile hope. For a long time its practicability at any point was disputed. The best inquiries left it in doubt. Every narrow portion of the continent of America has undergone examination, and has for a while been regarded with preference, and has been again abandoned. Difficulties sprang up as to each; and a comparison of their relative advantages, affected more or less by the desire of the respective inquirers and explorers, to render the junction of the two seas specially serviceable to their own countries, excited apprehensions as to all. Still all are satisfied that the project is not only practicable, but practicable at a comparatively small amount of labor, and at a moderate cost.

Five principal routes for crossing the isthmian portion of the continent have been especially regarded with favor, and have received the highest testimonials as to practicability:

First-By the Isthmus of Panama.

Second-By the Isthmus of Darien.

Third-By the Lake Nicaragua and River San Juan.
Fourth-By the river Atrato, in New Granada; and
Fifth-By the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

The present day has been reserved for the accomplishment of the great works the plans of inter-oceanic communication involve. The construction of the first, third, and fifth of these have been undertaken, and already are the highways of travel and commercial activity.

The Isthmus of Panama will be surmounted by a railroad, which has already been commenced and partially completed by an American company. No portion of the line is so formidable as to oppose any serious obstacles to the attainment of the proposed mode of transit, and for the greater part of its length the levels are remarkably favorable.

The route by the Rio San Juan is regularly traversed by steamers belonging to an American company, and the short distance between the lake and the ocean will be overcome either by railroad or canal. This is the only serious difficulty encountered in the transit, and is at the present time overcome by a mule ride of a few hours. The Pacific terminus of the route is San Juan del Sul, at which point the Pacific lines of steamships touch on their passages to and from the Isthmus and our Pacific ports.

Americans have also undertaken the Tehuantepec route, and surveying parties have been on the ground. The American company derives its charter from Garay, to whom the Mexican Government had some years ago granted the right of way. Some difficulties, indeed, have sprung up between the present authorities of Mexico and the parties undertaking the works, which has caused a temporary suspension of operations. The completion of the route, however, is too important to admit of long delay, and there is little doubt but that the Mexican Government will eventually yield to the desire of commercial nations to have the passage effected.

The routes proposed to be carried over the Isthmus of Darien and by the Rio Atrato, are at present in abeyance. Both could be easily constructed. It is improbable, however, that any steps will at the present day be taken towards opening them, as the routes now in course of construction are perhaps more eligible, and at least are sufficient for the present amount of transit and transportation from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

The relative merits of the three routes which American citizens have undertaken, can scarcely be defined-each has its advantages and disadvantages. The Panama route is short, but on the eastern side of the country, the climate is hot, moist, and deadly; the San Juan route is through a luxurious country, and its climate is comparatively healthy, but the river is beset with difficult falls and rapids, and there is no good port on the Pacific; and the Tehuantepec route is rugged and much longer than that of Panama, it is nearer, however, to the United States, and through a country as salubrious as could be desired. These advantages and disadvantages will be considered, and the merits of one or the other must be deduced therefrom; but a great deal will depend on individual preference and prejudice, not on rational deduction, for their paying success.

Of the cost of completing these works, no close calculation has been made. Their importance to commerce would warrant any expense, nor is it to be supposed that expense could become an element in retarding their progress. If the cost of the works should amount to hundreds of millions, the commercial intercourse they would initiate with the isles of the Pacific and the rich countries of Asia would fully repay the outlay.