The Shasta courier., 1864-08-20
Curiosities of Geography.

There are p mountain peaks in the world
laat are lo,U60 feet, and upward high OF
these: are In South America. , in Africa.
and Is IN Asia. OF this number, 16 are found
IN the Himalaya range. The number of
mountain peaks in the world that are between
lu.oU0 and 20. 600 feet, are lol-of which %
belong to North America. Is to South Amer.
lea. 81 to Europe, % to Asia and 0ceaniea,
and TO Africa.
At inconoso, in South America, on the
route itom Santa Fe to pepazan, cAasm Of
immense profunlity is crossed By natural
arch ~ feet in length, SO feet in breath, and
5ls seet above the stream SGmn,a paz. whish
passes t'iseugh i. Sixty-four feet below
this bridge there is g second arch, composed
oi disiodged masses of rock, which have SO
fallen as to support each other. The dark
abyss below is harnted By nocturnal birds.
whose doleful cries increase tie frightfuln0ss
of the spot. Another celebrated curiosity is
the natural bridge that passes over Cedar
Creek, in Virginia, at the height of 2lO feet
above the water.
The North American lakes comprise more
than one-half of the fresh water of the earth IS
surface. The waters of the Mediterranean
sea are four times salter IL an the waters Of
OF the Atlantic Ocean, a fact attributable to the
extensive evaporation.
The hottest permanent springs know are
those of the Fegee Islands, which, according
to Wilkes, have temperature of 200 to 20l
degrees Fair. Those of Bath County, Vir-
glnia, have temperature of loo degrees :
and those of Arkansas a temperature of ITO
to lis degrees Fahr
The Nile river in Africa is remarkable for
not receiving single branch between its
junction with the Teeazze and the Mediter.
ranean, distance of 800 miles, a fact with.
out parallel elsewhere. The river Gaudiana
in Spain, is lost for about 2l miles in sandy
and marshy ground.
The height Of the atmosphere is supposed
to extend to about so miles, vet by far the
great portion of it is within 16 or 20 miles of
the earth's surface, and at much less distance
1t becomes SO rarifed as to be incapable of
supporting life
Theelouds are most frequently higher with
IN the tropics than in the temperate zone, and
In the temperate zone they are commonly high
er In the summer than in the winter. The
highest clouds frequently range from 3 to 5
miles above the earth, SO that the tops of the
high mountains are frequently above the
clouds
The rainless portions of the New World
comprise sections of California and Guatama-
la; the Mexican table lands and the coast
line OF Peru. Those of the Old World COM
prehend an immense territory stretching from
Morocco through the Great Desert. part of
Egypt, Arabia and Persia, into Belochistan.
with another great one commencing nor of
the Hindoo Koosh and Himalaya Mountains,
including the table-land of Tibet, the Desert
of Cobb, and a part of Mongolia. In these
tracts there is either no rain, or only few
drops. and so seldom occurring as to be quite
an execution.
The whole of America north of the Gulf of
Mexico, and the whole Of Europe, are includ
ed in the snow region, but it becomes more
abundant the farther the locality from the
ocean. In February, 1886, fall of snow oc-
CURED at Canton, in China, in latitude % de-
grees north-a fact without precedent in the
memory of the Oldest Chinarhan