SOUTH AMERICA
General
South America is a peninsula likewise of triangular form. Its greatest length from north to south is 4550 miles; its greatest breadth 3200; and it covers an area, as already mentioned, of 6,500,000square English miles, about three-fourths of which lie between the tropics, and the other fourth in the temperate zone. From the configuration of its surface, this peninsula also may be divided into five physical regions:
1. The low country skirting the shores of the Pacific Ocean, from 50 to 150 miles in breadth, and 4000 in length. The two extremities of this territory are fertile, the middle a sandy desert.
2. The basic of the Orinoco, a country consisting of extensive plains or steppes, called Llanos, either destitute of wood or merely dotted with trees, but covered with a very tall herbage during a part of the year. During the dry season the heat is intense here, and the parched soil opens into long fissures, in which lizards and serpents lie in a state of torpor.
3. The basin of the Amazon, a vast plain, embracing a surface of more than two millions of square miles, possessing a rich soil and a humid climate, It is covered almost everywhere with dense forests, which harbor innumerable tribes of wild animals, and are thinly inhabited by savages, who live by hunting and fishing.
4. The great southern plain, watered by the Plata and the numerous streams descending from the eastern summit of the Cordilleras. Open steppes, which are here called Pampas, occupy the greater proportion of this region, which is dry, and in some parts barren, but in general is covered with a strong growth weeds and tall grass, which feeds prodigious herds of horses and cattle, and affords shelter to a few wild animals.
5. The country of Brazil, eastward of the Parana and Uruguay, presenting alternate ridges and valleys, thickly covered with wood on the side next the Atlantie, and opening into steppes or pastures in the interior.
Edition 1
CHINCA
A port-town of Peru, in South America, situated in an-extensive valley, on a river of the fame name, about sixty miles south of Lima: W. long.
ANAQUITO
A country of Peru, in South America, in the government of Quito.
ABROLKOS
The name of certain Ihelves, or banks of fandj about 20 leagues from the coast of Brazil ABRON, a river bf France which falls into the Loire not far from Nevers ABRONO.
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Most mentioned country
Peru
Edition 2
CHALCIDIUS
A famous platonic philosopber, in the third century, who wrote a commentary, which is esteemed, on the Timteus of Plato. This work has been translated from the Greek into Latin.
NAGERA
Or Nagara, a town of Spain, in Old Castile, and the territory of Rioja, with the title of a duchy and fortress; famous for a battle fought in its neighbourhood in 1369. It is situated in a fertile country, on a brook called Naferilla. W. Long. 2.20.
COROMANDEL
The eastern coast of the peninsula on this side the Ganges in Alia. It is bounded on the north by Golconda, on the call by the bay of Bengal.
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Most mentioned country
Peru
Edition 3
CAMBAYES
In commerce, cotton cloths made at Bengal, Madras, and some other places on the coast of Coromandel. They are proper for the trade of Marseilles, whither the Enghsh at Madras fend great numbers of them. Many are also imported into Holland.
MASULAPATAN
A populous town of Asia in the East Indies, and on the coast of Coromandel, in the dominions of the Great Mogul. It carried on a great trade.
ROSTOCK
A town of Germany, in the circle of Upper Saxony, and duchy of Mecklenburg, with an university and a very good harbour. It is the heft town in this country; and has good fortifications, with an arsenal. The duke has a strong castle, which may be looked upon as a citadel It is divided into three parts, the Old, the New, and the Middle Towns.
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Most mentioned country
Brazil
Edition 4
PANAMA
The capital city of the province of Darien in South America, where the treasures of gold and silver, and the other rich merchandises of Peru, are lodged in magazines till they are lent to Europe.
CALLISTRATUS
An excellent Athenian orator. Demosthenes was so struck with the force of his eloquence, and the glory it procured him, that he abandoned Plato, and resolved from thenceforward to apply himself to oratory.
QUITO
A town of South America, in Peru, seated between two chains of high mountains called Cordillera de los Andes, on much higher ground than the red of habitable Peru. It is 300 yards higher than the level of the sea according to the exacted observations.
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Most mentioned country
Brazil
Edition 5
GRANTOR
A Greek philosopher and poet, was born at Solos in Ciiicia. He left his native country where he was admired went to Athens, and there studied with Polemon under Xenocrates.
BADELONA
A town of Catalonia in Spain, seated on the Mediterranean. Lord Peterborough landed here in 1704, when, with Charles then king of Spain, he laid siege to Barcelona, from which it is ten miles distant. E. Long. 2. 20. N. Lat. 41. 12z.
HAVANNA
A seaport town in the island of Cuba, in the Weft Indies, and on the north-weft part of it, opposite to Florida. It is famous for its harbour.
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Most mentioned country
Brazil
Edition 6
ADOWA
The capital of Tigre in Abyssima, is situated on the declivity of a hill, on the weft fide of a small plain, which is surrounded on every fide by mountains.
ORLEANOIS
A province of France, now forming the department of Loiret, and including the feveral distridts of Orleanois Proper, Beauce-Proper or Char- train, Dunois, Vendomois, Blaifois, the greateft part of Gatinois, and Perche-Gouet. The principal rivers of it are the Loire, the Loiret, the Cher, the Laconic, the Aigle, the Hyere, the Yonne, and the Eyre. There are alfo fome remarkable canals, particularly thofe of Briare and Orleans.
CUSCO
A large and bandsome town of South America in Peru, formerly the residence of the Incas.
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Most mentioned country
Brazil
Edition 7
DIANIUM
In Ancient Geography, a town of the Contestani, in the Hither Spain j famous for a temple of Diana, whence the name: now Dema, a small town of Valencia, on the Mediterranean. Also a promontory near Dianium : now FI Cabo Martin, four leagues from Denia, running out into the Mediterranean.
EMBARCADERO
In commerce, a Spanish term, much used along the coalts of America, particularly thole on the fide of the South sea. It fignifies a place which serves some other considerable city farther within land, for a port or place.
PLATONISM
The philosophy of Plato, which was divided into three branches, theology, physics, and mathematics. Under theology were comprehended metaphysics and ethics, or that which in modern language is talked moral philosophy.
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Most mentioned country
Brazil
Edition 8
LEICESTER
The capital of a county of the fame name in England, upon the river Leire, now called Soure, From its situation on the Fosse way, and the many coins and antiquities discovered here, it seems probable that it was a place of some note in the time of the Romans.
PATAGONIA
A country of South America, comprehending all that country extending from Chili and Paraguay to the utmoft extremity of South America, that is, from 350 almost to 540 of latitude: being surrounded by the countries just mentioned, the South and North seas, and the straits of Magellan, which separate it from the island called Terra del Fuego, and extend about 116 leagues in length from sea to sea, but only from half a league to three or four in breadth.
TUCUMAN
A province of Paraguay, in South America, bounded on the north by the provinces of Los Chicas and Choco; on the east by Choco and RiodelaPlata, on the south by the country of Chicuitos and Pampes, and on the weft by the bishopric of St Jago.