A pictorial hand-book of modern geography on a popular plan, compiled from the best authorities english and foreign and completed to the present time, with numerous tables and a general index - Softcover

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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1861 Excerpt: ...here. The Tropical Possessions are, the islands of Santa Cruz, St. Thomas, and St. John, in the West Indies; four forts and a factory on the Guinea coast of Africa; and the Nicotar Islands in the Bay of Bengal, described in their respective sections. 17. The Island of Iceland lies in the Northern Atlantic Ocean, about 700 miles W. of Norway, and 200 E. of Greenland; is 200 miles in length, and as many in breadth, and contains about 64,000 inhabitants. In the greater part of the island the winter is intensely cold, and the soil barren. Its exports are sulphur, hides, and salt fish. In this cold country are upwards of thirty known volcanoes, one of which is the famous burning mountain Hecla, and there are several boiling springs, of which the Great Geyser throws a column of hot water seventy or eighty, and sometimes 150 feet high; and at the depth of seventytwo feet is thirty degrees above the boiling point. In this country the Aurora Borealis is seen in all its splendour. The Island is destitute of trees, and no grain of any kind can be raised; but cabbage and potatoes are cultivated. Fish ana birds are the chief support of the inhabitants. 18. Greenland is a dreary extensive region of north-east America, celebrated for' its whale fishery. The climate is very severe, only one month in the year, July, being free from snow, and accordingly but little vegetation excepting mosa is produced. Population about 9,500, nearly all native Esquimaux, who are chiefly employed in hunting seals. 19. Heligoland, or Holy Island, and another adjoining, off the west coast of Holstein, is now a small possession of Great Britain, taken in the year 1807. It served as a great depot for our manufactures during the long continental war, from which they were smuggled into the neighbo...