④ Buenos Ayres (Bo"nus A"riz ; but the Spanish pronunciation is Bwa"noce I"rez ), seceded from the Argentine Confederation in 1853; but they were reunited in 1862. Argentine means pertaining to silver (from. Lat argentum , sliver). This and the name La Plata (plate), given first to the country, and afterwards to the estuary, were suggested by the silver and goldwhich the Spanish discoverers received from the natives. They supposed, but erroneously, that they were the produce of the country.
⑤ Strait of Magellan.-This strait was first passed through by Magellan (Fernando de Magalhaens), a Portuguese navigator, in 1521. He gave the Pacific Ocean its name on account of its calmness when he first entered it.
⑥ Weathering Cape Horn.-See ROYAL READER No. V.
⑦ Pizarro.-The Spaniard who conquered Peru in 1532.
QUESTIONS
Where is Southampton? How does it communicate with the English Channel? Where is Portsmouth Harbour? What ocean routes start from Southampton? What is the most important branch of the Mediterranean route? For what other purposes is it employed?
At which of the Cape Verd Islands does the East Indian mail call? How far are these islands from the African coast? To whom do they belong? Which is the next station on the Cape route? To whom does it belong? What town is on it? As what is it convenient? How far is St. Helena from Ascension? What is the chief interest attaching to it? What was Napoleon"s residence? Where is it situated? What is the next place visited after St. Helena? Why is it so called? When did Cape Colony become a British possession? What does it bear traces of? What island is next visited? After whom was it named? From whom did Britain take it? When? What is its capital? What is the next station? Where is Point de Galle? What routes there meet? What branch mails proceed thence? What route de ships returning from Australia prefer? Why? What islands lie in the ship"s course after doubling Cape Horn? What is abundant on these islands? For what do ships visit them? Where do the homeward and outward routes meet? What has then been accomplished?
Where does the West Indian mail sail from Southampton? Why has that port been selected as a mail station? To whom does the island belong? Where does the steamer go from St. Thomas? What other route is there to Kingston? What does Shakespeare call these islands? Why are they so valuable to Britain? Where does the mail route proceed after Kingston? And from Navy Bay? What is the distance to Panama? When was the railway opened? What has been its effect on Panama?
Where does the South American mail start from? What places in Europe does it call at? What islands lie in its course between Portugal and Brazil? For what is Madeira famous? To whom do the Canaries belong? Which is the most conspicuous of them? What are the towns first visited on the Brazilian coast? What is the capital of Brazil? How is it situated? Where does the steamer go after leaving Rio? What towns on the Pacific coast are visited? What island is west from Valparaiso? For what is it interesting? What is the port of Lima? Who founded Lima? What reputation does it possess? By what other route may the traveller return to England?