The World of Waters, Or, A Peaceful Progress O'er the Unpathed SeaOsborne, David, Mrs. (Fanny)
General
The World of Waters, Or, A Peaceful Progress O'er the Unpathed Sea
Osborne, David, Mrs. (Fanny)
Geography -- Juvenile literature; Voyages and travels -- Juvenile literature
CHARLES. "That might be done at a moderate expense, for they are
delightful islands, with a fine climate, a spacious harbor, good
anchorage, and all essentials,--but they are subject to earthquakes;
therefore it is not advisable to prolong our visit One remarkable
circumstance I had almost forgotten is, that no noxious animal can
exist, or is ever to be found on these islands."
MRS. WILTON. "The Azores are also called the Land of Falcons,
because when discovered there were so many of these birds found tame
on the islands. They are 800 miles from the shores of Portugal, and
belong to that kingdom. Nature appears everywhere smiling; the
plains wave with golden harvests, delicious fruits adorn the sides
of the hills, and the towering summits are covered with evergreens.
But, as Charles observes, they are volcanic; and many new islands
have been raised from the bottom of the sea by volcanic action. In
the year 1720 one of these phenomena took place, on approaching
which next day an English captain observes:--'We made an island of
fire and smoke. The ashes fell on our deck like hail and snow, the
fire and smoke roared like thunder.' The inhabitants of the Azores
are an innocent, honest race, who prefer peace to conquest, and
distinction in industry rather than in arms."
EMMA. "My course is now tolerably plain; but while we are so near
Newfoundland, we may as well look in upon the people. This large
island shuts up the northern entrance into the Gulf of St. Lawrence;
is for the most part barren and unfruitful, and covered with
perpetual fogs."
MR. BARRAUD. "These fogs are, no doubt, produced by the currents
that flow from the Antilles, and remain for a time between the great
bank and the coast before they escape into the Atlantic Ocean."
CHARLES. "Sir, I do not understand how the currents can cause a
fog."
MR. BARRAUD. "It is because these streams, coming from tropical
regions, are warmer than the water surrounding the banks of
Newfoundland, and necessarily warmer than the atmosphere,
consequently they cause a vapor to arise which obscures the island
with a moist and dense air. Newfoundland was for a long time
considered the inhospitable residence of fishermen; but of late it
has doubled its population and industry, and the activity of the
British nation has added another fine colony to the civilized
world."
MRS. WILTON. "Newfoundland is the nearest to Great Britain of any of
our North American possessions. It is rather larger than England and
Wales. Its chief town is St. John's. It was discovered in 1497 by
John Cabot. The fisheries here are the chief wealth of the island,
and consist principally of codfish, herrings, and salmon. The great
Bank of Newfoundland, which appears to be a solid rock, is 600 miles
long, and in some places 200 broad."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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