The Geography Class; How to Interest It

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1897 edition. Excerpt: ...and rush toward the sea, always seeking the lowest land. Not only is it true of this continent, but of every other, that, with but few exceptions, the steepest mountain chains are nearer the west coast; hence the land slopes in every direction but westward, and, consequently, no long rivers flow west. _ Notice the many streams that rise in-the Atlantic highlands, that cross the Atlantic plain to reach the ocean. These rivers, although not great in the sense of length, yet in usefulness far surpass many longer streams. Call attention to the great St. Lawrence, which is second only to the Mississippi River in commercial importance and carries to the sea the waters of the Great Lakes. In the Central plain observe how the height of land keeps the waters of the Arctic plain from mingling with those of the Mississippi valley. The Arctic plain has many large lakes, and the great sluggish Mackenzie is the outlet of many of them. Contrast the lakes and rivers of the Arctic plain with those of the Mississippi valley. Notice how the waters from both Atlantic and Pacific highlands rush to pay homage to the King of Rivers--the Mississippi, the largest river on the globe, when measured from the source of the Missouri, and not only the largest but the most important river of the World. What would the Central states do without this great artery? No other river can approach it in commercial importance, flowing as it does through so great an extent of territory, fed by so many streams, draining more than twenty states, and winding its way through such a variety of climate that the lumber and wheat of the North may by means of its waters be exchanged for the sugar and cotton of the South. This river affords a greater amount of inland navigation than all the...