north by the Arctic Sea and Baffin's Bay, east by the Atlantic, south by the United States, and west by Russian America and the Pacific Ocean.

6. The first people who formed settlements in America, to the northward of the present limits of the United States, were the French. Nearly three hundred years ago, they were in the habit of sending fishing-vessels to this coast.

7. In 1524, a Frenchman, named James Cartier, sailed up the St. Lawrence, and built a fort, in which he passed the winter. Settlements were soon after formed in Canada and Nova Scotia. King Henry the Fourth of France appointed the Marquis de la Roche to be governor-general of Canada and the neighbouring territories.

8. The city of Quebec was founded in the year 1608. It stands on the river St. Lawrence, about five hundred miles from the sea. Its foundation is on a rock of marble and slate.

9. The French settlers were on very friendly terms with the Indians. They purchased the furs which the red men obtained in their hunting expeditions. These were sent to Europe, and sold at a great profit. Some of the French were married to Indian wives.

10. When the English began to form settlements to the southward of Canada, the French incited the savages to make war upon them. Parties of French and Indians would sometimes come from Quebec or Montreal, and burn the New England villages. The inhabitants were killed, or carried captive to Canada.

11. In 1629, Sir David Keith, a British officer, took Quebec; but it was afterwards restored to the French. The people of New England made several atttempts to get it back again.

12. In 1711, the British government sent a strong fleet up the St. Lawrence under the command of Admiral Sir Hovenden Walker. There was an army of seven thousand men on board the ships.

13. If they had landed in safety, they would probably have succeeded in taking Quebec. But when they were entering the river, the vessels became involved in a fog. A strong wind began to blow, and drove eight or nine of them upon the rocky shore.

14. The next morning the French found the dead bodies of a thousand men in scarlet coats, heaped among the rocks. These were the drowned English soldiers. This sad event caused the English to give up the design of conquering Canada.

QUESTIONS.-1. When was Iceland discovered? What of it? Mount Hecla? 2. When was Christianity introduced into Iceland? People? What of Greenland? 3. Colony at Greenland? When was it last heard of? Colony in the south? The people? 4. What does British America consist of? 5. How large is it? Boundaries? 6. What of the French? 7. What was done in 1524? Who was appointed governor of Canada? 8. When and where was Quebec founded? 9. What of the French and Indians? 10. In what way were the English treated by them? 11. When and by whom was Quebec taken? 12, 13, 14. What was done in 1711? Give an account of the expedition. What was the object of it?

CHAP. CLXX.-AMERICA continued.

THE FRENCH COLONIES CONQUERED BY THE ENGLISH.

WHENEVER there was war between France and Old England, there was likewise a war between New England and the French provinces in America. The French built strong fortresses, and the English, or Americans, made great efforts to take them.

2. The French had carefully fortified the city of Louisbourg, on the island of Cape Breton. In 1745, the New England people formed a project of taking it. They raised a strong army, and gave the command to a Boston merchant, named William Pepperell.

3. The army sailed under the escort of an English fleet, and landed on the island of Cape Breton. General Pepperell's men were merely farmers and mechanics; and he himself knew little about taking fortresses.

4. But if the New Englanders had no skill, they had plenty of courage. They erected batteries and cannonaded the city for about a fortnight; and then the French commander hauled down his flag. The conquest of Louisbourg was considered a very brilliant exploit.

5. Louisbourg was restored to the French, at the close of the war. But it was again taken by General Wolfe in 1758. The same general soon afterwards led an army against Quebec.

6. This city was so strongly fortified, that it appeared almost impossible to take it. It had a citadel, which was built on a rock, several hundred feet high; and there were strong walls all around the city. And besides the French garrison within the walls, there was a large French army on the outside.

7. But General Wolfe was determined to take Quebec, or lose his life in the attempt. After trying various other methods, he led his army from the shore of the river up a steep precipice. When they reached the top, they were on a level with the walls of Quebec.

8. This bold movement was performed in the night. As soon as the Marquis de Montcalm, who commanded the French army, heard of it, he marched to meet the British. A battle was begun immediately.

9. General Wolfe put himself at the head of his troops, and led them bravely onward. Though he had received two wounds, he refused to quit the field. At last, a ball struck him in the body, and stretched him on the ground.

10. A few of his soldiers carried him to the rear. But, though the hand of death was on him, General Wolfe thought only of the battle that was raging around. He heard a voice shouting, "They run! they run!" and he asked who it was that filed.

11. "It is the French! said a soldier. "They are beaten ! The victory is ours!" A glad smile appeared on the general's face. "Then I die happy!" he cried, and expired.

12. The victory was complete. The Marquis de Montcalm was mortally wounded. In a few days after the battle, Quebec was surrendered. The whole province, and all the French possessions in the north, soon fell into the hands of the British.

13. They have ever since continued under the British government. When the other American territories of Great Britain became independent, these old French colonies continued attached to the crown of Britain.

QUESTIONS.-1. What was the consequence of a war between France and England? 2. Where was Louisbourg? What was done in 1745? Describe the capture, of Louisbourg. 5. When was it restored to the French? When taken by General Wolfe? 6. Describe the capture of Quebec. 8. Who commanded tho French army? Describe General Wolfe's death. 12. Consequence of the victory. French possessions. 13. To what are the old French colonies attached?

CHAP. CLXXI.-AMERICA continued.

DESCRIPTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

1. We will now proceed to talk of America; but in the first place, let us go to a map, for the first step in studying the history of a country should be to learn its situation, boundaries, shape, rivers, mountains, &c.

2. The United States, then, are bounded on the north by the British possessions, east by the Atlantic Ocean, south by the Gulf of Mexico and the States of Mexico, and west by the Pacific Ocean. The whole country is about as extensive