in 1825, and found that, of the fifteen original male settlers, twelve had died by violence, one by accident, one naturally, and one survived. THE MARQUESAS lie on both sides of the 10th parallel of S. latitude, about 900 miles N. E. of Tahiti, and 2000 miles S. E, of Hawaii. They comprise thirteen islands, the largest of which is Nukaheeva, with an area of 200 square miles. The population of the group is supposed to be about 20,000, while the French estimate the area at 508 square miles. They are of volcanic formation, with mountains rising to a height of 5000 feet; while the interior is fertile, producing yams, pulse, Cocoa-nuts, sugar-cane, and wild cotton. They derive their name from the Marquis de Mendoza, viceroy of Peru, who sent out Mendana, their discoverer, in 1595. The inhabitants are Malays, and are the least civilised of all the natives of Polynesia. They carry on war with the most savage ferocity, and practise cannibalism. The French, since 1843, have occupied the two largest islands, and claim the whole group as a colonial territory. ANTARCTICA. Such is the name given to those extensive tracts of land, recently discovered within the Antarctic Circle, by British, French, and American navigators, and supposed to form portions of a great continent round the South Pole. As the leading features of this inhospitable region have been described in our remarks on the "Antarctic Ocean" (p. 25), we here merely remark, that should the explored tracts be found to be continuous, and the existence of a Southern Continent put beyond doubt, we shall then have seven continents-viz., Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Australia, and Antarctica; and seven corresponding oceans-viz., the Arctic, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Indian, North Pacific, South Pacific, and Antarctic Oceans! THE END. |