The southern continent of the Western Hemisphere is joined to North America by the Isthmus of Panama, which at its narrowest part is only thirty miles wide. South America lies almost wholly in the torrid zone, which doubtless accounts for the 806 lack of progress and enterprise manifested throughout this great and powerful continent. Its area comprises roundly, 7,000,000 square miles, nearly twice that of Europe, and one-eighth the entire land-surface of the globe. Iike North America, South America is triangular in form. It is, however, more compact and possesses a smoother coast line, fewer harbors and fewer islands than its northern neighbor. Toward the south, however, a large number of almost useless islands occur. The Terra del Fuego (or fire islands) are a positive injury to the continent, since they imperil shipping, and are well-nigh worthless, with a degraded population. Morajo or Johannes Island, however, is more elevated and furnishes rich pasture-land, as do also the Falkland Islands, which have a good harbor, and belong to Great Britain. The other islands worthy of mention are the Gallapagos Islands (where the largest turtles in the world are found - weighing from 1,000 to 1,500 pounds) and the Easter Islands, the latter situated in the Pacific Ocean west of Chili.

The mountains of South America consist of a series of lofty ridges running parallel, uniting in mountain groups and inclosing long narrow plateaus. They are exceedingly wild and broken. Rushing torrents, deep gorges, jagged peaks, cliffs and impassable chasms abound. Sixty of the mountain peaks are active volcanoes, and the countries within the Andes are subject to frequent and destructive earthquakes. In the extreme South numerous glaciers come down to the water's edge, as they do along the Alaskan coasts of North America. For 3,000 miles along the Andes Mountains engineers say there is no gap or pass where a railroad could be built, and travelers must cross the mountains by winding paths, on foot or with donkeys, or llamas as beasts of burden. The railroad across these mountains in Peru is one of the greatest engineering feats in the world.

The plains and lowlands constitute four-fifths of the continent, and are divided into the Llanos, Pampas, and Selvas.

The Llanos are treeless and very flat. During the wet season as far as the eye can reach the land is covered with the finest of vegetation, and seems like a great sea of grass. Beautiful flowers of every hue lift up their heads. The air is filled with insects. Herds of wild cattle and horses feed over the plains, and in places men on horseback may be seen pursuing them with lassoes When the sun moves away from overhead and the rain ceases to fall, the grass dries up and the vast plain turns brown. The earth becomes dry and hard, and moving hills of sand make clouds of dust. The entire expanse of the llanos is less than 200 feet above the sea. These plains cover an area of 160,000 square miles.

The Pampas are almost perfectly level, without stones and for the most part without trees. Instead of the fine rich grass of the llanos, they are covered with a very coarse grass and with clover and forests of thistle ten or twelve feet in height. The thistle-stalks are sometimes cut down for fuel. Millions of wild cattle and horses roam over these plains.

The Selvas have an area of more than two million square miles. Here are the densest and most extensive forests in the world. The foliage in places is so thick and dark that the sun never penetrates it. A perpetual mist hangs over the lower Amazon, and all the colors of vegetation and of animal life are brilliant in the extreme. These forests present an almost numberless variety of trees, but the still-ness and gloom of their depths are almost painful.

The principal rivers of South America are the Amazon and its tributaries, the La Plata and the Orinoco. The Amazon exceeds in volume every other river on the globe, and discharges more water into the sea than the eight largest rivers of Asia. The name is derived from an Indian word meaning boat-destroyer, from the destructive tidal waves at its mouth. With its tributaries it affords 10,000 miles of interior navigation.

The lakes of South America are few in number. Lake Titicaca is 240 miles in circumference, and is famous as lying at the greatest elevation of any large navigable lake in the world.

The climate of South America is of every variety. In the lowlands near the equator it is always summer; on the high mountains always like winter; on the elevated plains more like the usual spring and early fall of the temperate zone.

The products vary with the climate, and resemble those of the West Indies and Central America, generally speaking. In the torrid zone, where rainfall is great, everything is very luxuriant. The animal life of the continent, like the vegetable, varies with the climate. South America is richer in birds and insects than any other continent. Wild horses and cattle abound on the plains. Beasts of prey are less numerous than in North America, but the tapir, ant-eater, monkey, parrot, alligator, turtle, and condor live and flourish as nowhere else.

Inhabitants

South America was in-habited by Indians when the white man discovered it, and they still number several millions and in the interior are still savage. Indians and mixed races yet form the greater part of the population, but the ruling people are the descendants of the Portuguese and Spaniards who settled the continent. These number about one-third of the population. In Brazil negroes - descendants from former slaves - also form a large element of the population. The Roman Catholic faith is the prevailing form of religion.

Industries

Agriculture, including stock-raising, furnishes the principal employment of the people. Mining is carried on to some extent in the highlands, but the vast mineral wealth of the continent is barely touched. Manufacturing is of meagre importance.

The political divisions of South America consist of ten republics and the provinces of Guiana. The republics are fashioned, like those of Central America, after the United States in their form of government, but their affairs are poorly handled, and few of them are prosperous. Political commotions have

interfered with the advance and success of the people. The countries are jealous and unfriendly in spirit toward one another. Some of the presidents are elected for six years and have practically the same power as monarchs. Revolutions are frequent.

The above are the South American countries, with the latest obtainable statistics concerning their areas and population :

From the above table it will be seen that the population of all South America amounts to about one-half that of the United States. But the great natural resources of the continent, its navigable rivers and fertile soil, make it possible for this continent to become one of the most populous and productive of the earth.