The ancients boasted of their SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD. These were the Pyramids of Egypt, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Aqueducts of Rome, the Labyrinth on the banks of the Nile, the Pharos of Alexandria, the Walls of Babylon, and the temple of Diana at Ephesus. But the WONDERS known to those of the present day, may be counted by hundreds: wonders of Nature, wonders of Science, wonders of Art, and Miscellaneous wonders; each department full, to overflowing, of themes of the richest instruction and deepest interest.

To present some of the most striking of these wonders, in a manner that shall be acceptable to the man of science and profound research, and at the same time full of interest to the general reader, and the family at the fireside, has been the aim of the editor of the following pages. The exaggerated and marvelous stories which the mischievous fancy of travelers has too often imposed on the credulity of the weak, as well as the foolish fables founded in bigotry and superstition, which were too often received as truths in the dark ages, have been carefully avoided, and, where the narrative permitted, exposed; and nothing has been brought forward that has not been confirmed by the concurrent testimony of enlightened travelers, and men of science, and extended observation. On the subjects in which Nature, in her various departments, displays her most wondrous magnificence and beauty; or in those in which Science and Art have sought out their most wondrous inventions, and wrought out the most wondrous results, the best authorities have been carefully consulted. And the endeavor has been, so to assemble and arrange the multiplied objects of wonder and delight, as to confer a lasting benefit on the rising generation, and on families, and at the same time to present a work that shall commend itself to those whose lives have been wholly devoted to researches among the sublime wonders of nature, science and art. Believing that the standard of general reading is constantly rising higher, and that the sphere of intellectual tastes and pursuits is constantly growing wider, the writer has endeavored to prepare a volume that shall have more than the interest of fiction, and, at the same time, the ripe and rich instruction of the book of travels, or the work of science or descriptive art. The table of contents makes manifest how extensive the range of the topics presented; while the list of engravings may show how profusely and richly the enterprise of the publishers has illustrated a work, which it is hoped may meet with universal acceptance.

J. L. A.

CONTENTS.

PAGE.
Preface [3]
List of Illustrations [8]
MOUNTAINS.
The Andes [9]
Chimborazo [12]
Cotopaxi [13]
Pichincha [14]
Mount Etna [15]
Mount Vesuvius [21]
Mount Hecla [28]
The Geysers [32]
The Sulphur Mountain (Iceland) [36]
Mont Blanc [37]
The Glaciers, or Ice Masses [51]
The Mer de Glace [51]
View from the Buet [55]
Montserrat [57]
The Peak of Teneriffe [59]
The Souffriere Mountain, (St. Vincent, W. I.) [69]
Peter Botte’s Mountain, (Mauritius) [73]
Kilauea, (Sandwich Islands) [74]
The Peak of Derbyshire [82]
Mountains of Great Britain [97]
Stromboli [101]
Lipari [103]
Vulcano [104]
The Himalaya Mountains [105]
Asiatic Volcanoes [115]
Islands which have risen from the Sea [119]
SUBTERRANEAN WONDERS.
The Grotta del Cane [131]
The Grotto of Antiparos [136]
Caverns in Hungary and Germany, containing Fossil Bones [139]
The Mammoth Cave [141]
The Great Cavern of Guacharo [157]
Fingal’s Cave, or Grand Staffa Cavern [161]
Other Grottos and Caverns [164]
MINES, METALS, GEMS, &C.
Introductory [168]
Diamond Mines [169]
Gold and Silver Mines [178]
Quicksilver Mines [193]
Iron Mines [195]
Copper Mines [204]
Tin Mines [209]
Lead Mines [211]
Coal Mines [212]
Salt Mines [223]
PHENOMENA OF THE OCEAN.
Introductory [230]
Saltness of the Sea [231]
Congelation of Sea-Water [234]
Ice-Islands [235]
Icebergs [244]
Luminous Points in the Sea [245]
Tides and Currents [246]
CATARACTS AND CASCADES.
Introductory [252]
Falls of Niagara [253]
Falls of the Montmorenci [270]
The Tuccoa Fall [272]
Falls of the Missouri [272]
Catskill Falls [274]
Trenton Falls [275]
Waterfall of South Africa [275]
Cataracts of the Nile [276]
Cataract of the Mender [276]
Other Cataracts [277]
SPRINGS AND WELLS.
St. Winifred’s Well [280]
Wigan Well [282]
Dropping Well at Knaresborough [283]
Broseley Spring [284]
Hot Springs of St. Michael [284]
Hot Springs of the Troad [285]
Other Springs [286]
BITUMINOUS AND OTHER LAKES.
Pitch Lake of Trinidad [290]
Mud Lake of Java [291]
Salt Lake of Utah [292]
ATMOSPHERICAL PHENOMENA.
Meteors [294]
Aerolites [307]
Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis [312]
Lumen Boreale, or Streaming Lights [314]
Luminous Arches [316]
Ignes Fatui, or Mock Fires [317]
Specter of the Brocken [319]
The Mirage [322]
Fata Morgana [323]
Atmospherical Refraction [324]
Parhelia, or Mock Suns [328]
Lunar Rainbow [330]
Concentric Rainbows [330]
Thunder and Lightning [331]
Remarkable Thunder-Storms [334]
Hail-Storms [338]
Hurricanes [339]
The Monsoons [341]
Whirlwinds and Waterspouts [342]
Sounds and Echoes [348]
BURIED CITIES.
The Yanar, or Perpetual Fire [350]
Pompeii [351]
The Museum at Naples [360]
Herculaneum [362]
Pompeii [365]
The Museum [375]
Herculaneum [379]
EARTHQUAKES.
Introductory [384]
Earthquakes of Ancient Times [389]
Earthquake in Calabria [389]
The Great Earthquake of 1755 [391]
Earthquake in Sicily and in the Two Calabrias [401]
Earthquakes in Peru [409]
Earthquake in Jamaica, 1692 [411]
Earthquake in Venezuela, 1812 [412]
CONNECTION OF EARTHQUAKES WITH VOLCANOES.
Island of Java [413]
BASALTIC AND ROCKY WONDERS.
The Giant’s Causeway [417]
Basaltic Columns [422]
NATURAL BRIDGES.
Natural Bridges of Icononzo [424]
Natural Bridge in Virginia [427]
PRECIPICES AND PROMONTORIES.
Besseley Ghaut [432]
The Cape of the Winds [433]
The North Cape [435]
Precipices of San Antonia [436]
GEOLOGICAL CHANGES OF THE EARTH.
Introductory [438]
Extraneous Fossils [446]
Fossil Crocodiles [448]
Large Fossil Animal of Maestricht [449]
Fossil Remains of Ruminantia [450]
Fossil Remains of Elephants [451]
Fossil Remains of the Mastodon [453]
Fossil Remains of the Rhinoceros [454]
Fossil Remains of the Siberian Mammoth [455]
Fossil Shells [457]
Subterranean Forests [458]
Moors, Mosses and Bogs [460]
Coral Reefs and Islands [465]
WIDE AND INHOSPITABLE DESERTS.
Asiatic Deserts [469]
Arabian Deserts [470]
African Deserts [470]
Pilgrimage across the Deserts [474]
Sands of the Desert [486]
WONDERS OF ART.
The Pyramids of Egypt [491]
The Tombs at Sakkara [506]
The Sphinx [509]
Ruins and Pyramids of Meroë [511]
Pyramids and Ruins of Merawe [516]
Egyptian Temples and Monuments [520]
Bathing in the East [526]
Egyptian Temples, Monuments, &c. [527]
Other Ruins in Egypt, &c. [554]
The River Nile [562]
The African Birds-nest [568]
Ruins of Palmyra [569]
Ruins of Balbec [570]
Ruins of Babylon [572]
Babylonian Bricks [579]
Later Discoveries at Babylon [580]
Ruins of Nineveh [582]
The Ruins of Persepolis [587]
Royal Palace of Ispahan [589]
The Temple of Mecca [589]
THE HOLY LAND.
Jacob’s Well [591]
Bethlehem [592]
Nazareth [594]
The Holy Sepulcher at Jerusalem [594]
Mount Tabor [596]
The Mount of Olives [598]
Other Revered Sites [599]
Mount Carmel [599]
Mount Ararat [600]
WONDERS OF ART RESUMED.
The Mosque of Omar [601]
Mosque of St. Sophia at Constantinople [602]
Ruins of Carthage [603]
The Plain of Troy [604]
Athens [607]
Temples of Elephants [610]
Temples of Salsette [612]
Mausoleum of Hyder Ali [614]
The Taje Mahal [614]
Great Wall of China [616]
Porcelain Tower at Nankin [618]
The Shoemadoo at Pegu [618]
Colossal Figure of Jupiter Pluvius, or the Apennine Jupiter [621]
The Leaning, or Hanging Tower of Pisa, in Tuscany [624]
The Coliseum at Rome [627]
The Pantheon [630]
Roman Amphitheater at Nismes [632]
Trajan’s Pillar [634]
Column of Antonine [635]
Naison Carré, at Nismes [635]
The Pont du Gard [636]
Ancient Aqueduct near Rome [637]
The Roman Forum [638]
St. Peter’s of Rome [642]
The Soil of Rome [646]
Eddystone Light-house [647]
Bell Rock Light-house [649]
Stonehenge [652]
Rocking Stones [654]
The Round Towers of Ireland [656]
St. Paul’s Cathedral [657]
First Church in England [661]
Westminster Abbey [662]
Cathedral of Notre Dame [665]
Strasburg Cathedral [665]
Cathedral of Cologne [669]
Church of St. Mark, at Venice [669]
The Cathedral of Milan [670]
The Tower of London [671]
The Bank of England [674]
Monument of the Great Fire of 1666 in London [675]
The Louvre [676]
The British Museum [679]
Madame Tusseau’s Museum [686]
The Palace of Blenheim [689]
The Palace of Versailles [691]
The Palace of St. Cloud [693]
The Crystal Palace in New York [697]
The Crystal Palace in London [702]
The Capitol at Washington [712]
The Smithsonian Institute [714]
The Washington Monument [715]
The Column of Vendome, Paris [718]
The Bunker Hill Monument [719]
The Arc de Triomphe (Paris) [721]
The Cooper Institute (New York) [723]
Vergnais’s Improved Bridge over the Seine at Paris [725]
Railroad Bridge at Portage, New York [726]
The Britannia Tubular Bridge, over Menai Strait [728]
The Suspension Bridge over the Menai Strait [730]
Great Railway Suspension Bridge at Niagara Falls [731]
Other Immense Bridges [732]
The High Bridge at Harlem [733]
The Boston Reservoir [734]
Aqueduct at the Peat Forest Canal (England) [735]
The Thames Tunnel [737]
Railroad Tunnels [739]
The Colossus at Rhodes [741]
MISCELLANEOUS WONDERS.
Youle’s Shot-Tower [744]
The Emperor Fountain [746]
The United States Mint in Philadelphia [747]
The Air Balloon [749]
The Progress of Navigation [755]
Steam Navigation [758]
Chinese Junks [766]
The Artesian Well of Grenelle [767]
The Banyan-Tree [768]
The Wedded Banyan-Tree [771]
The Cocoa-Tree [771]
The Reindeer Sledge [772]
The Upas or Poison-Tree [773]
The Prairie on Fire [775]
The Mammoth Tree of California [776]
Other Mammoth Trees in California [778]
The Palm-Tree [778]
The Bamboo-Tree [781]
The Manna-Tree [783]
Continental Money [783]
The Milk-Tree [784]
The Signal Telegraph [786]
The Electro-Magnetic Telegraph [787]
The Art of Printing [788]
The India-Rubber Tree [793]
The Round Tower at Newport [795]
Diving Armor [796]
Tree House in Caffraria [799]
The Raining-Tree [800]
The Traveler’s Friend [800]
The Camphor-Tree [801]
The Cinnamon Plant [802]
The Tree Temple at Matibo in Piedmont [803]
The Termites, or White Ants [804]
Huts in Kamtschatka [806]
The Whale [807]
Landing of the Pilgrims [808]
Plymouth Rock [809]
A Wonder of Art [811]
The Whale Killer [812]
A Pile of Serpents [813]
American Ruins [814]
Insect Slavery [815]

List of Illustrations.

PAGE.
The Cordilleras, or Andes, near Quito[10]
Crater of Mount Etna[16]
The “Castano de Cento Cavilli,” or Great Chestnut Tree of Mount Etna[18]
Mount Vesuvius[22]
Mount Hecla and the Geysers[29]
Mont Blanc and the Glaciers[38]
The Peak of Teneriffe[59]
Peter Botte’s Mountain[74]
Bridge over the Wye[92]
Source of the Jumna[109]
St. Michael’s Volcano[122]
Sabrina Island[125]
Grotto of Antiparos[136]
The Mammoth Cave[141]
Diamond Washing in Brazil[171]
Discovery of Silver in Peru[179]
Silver Mine at Königsberg, Sweden[185]
Gold Washing in California[188]
Place where Gold was first discovered in Australia[190]
Copper Mine in Cornwall[207]
Thin Plates of Coal[213]
Great Salt Mine of Cracow[225]
Icebergs, or Ice-Islands[236]
The Maelstrom[250]
Niagara Falls[256]
Niagara Falls on the American side[259]
Suspension Bridge over Niagara River[265]
Falls of Montmorenci[270]
Catskill Falls[274]
Dropping Well at Knaresborough, England[283]
The Emigrant Family[293]
Specter of the Brocken[320]
Ship refracted in the Air[327]
Waterspout on the Ocean[346]
Temple of Isis at Pompeii[356]
Papyri[361]
Earthquake at Lisbon[394]
Natural Bridge in Virginia[428]
Skeleton of the Siberian Mammoth[456]
The Sphinx and Pyramids[492]
Entrance to one of the Pyramids of Gizeh[499]
Entrance to the Tombs of Sakkara[507]
Great Gallery of the Tombs of Sakkara[510]
Cleopatra’s Needle[521]
The Two Colossi[535]
The Nilometer[565]
African Birds-nest[568]
Tower near Babylon[573]
Colossal Winged Bull from Nineveh[584]
Jacob’s Well[591]
Church of the Holy Sepulcher[595]
Mount Tabor[597]
The Areopagus[608]
Temple of Jupiter Olympius[609]
Great Wall of China[615]
Porcelain Tower at Nankin[617]
Jupiter Pluvius, or the Apennine Jupiter[622]
The Leaning Tower at Pisa[624]
The Coliseum at Rome[629]
Ancient Roman Aqueduct[638]
The Arch of Titus[640]
St. Peter’s as seen from the Tiber[643]
The Eddystone Light-house[648]
Stonehenge[653]
The First Church in England[661]
Strasburg Cathedral[666]
The Crystal Palace in New York[697]
The Capitol at Washington[712]
The Smithsonian Institute[715]
The Washington Monument[716]
The Bunker-Hill Monument[720]
Vergnais’s Herculean Bridge[725]
The Britannia Tubular Bridge[728]
The High Bridge at Harlem[733]
The Boston Reservoir[735]
Aqueduct on the Peat Forest Canal[736]
Tunnel in Shakspeare’s Cliff[740]
The Colossus of Rhodes[742]
The Emperor Fountain[747]
The Air Balloon[750]
Early Navigation[756]
The Launch of a Packet-Ship[757]
Fulton’s First Steamboat[759]
An Ocean Steamer[762]
Chinese Junks[766]
The Banyan-Tree[769]
The Reindeer Sledge[772]
The Prairie on Fire[775]
The Date-Palm[779]
The Bamboo-Tree[782]
Continental Money[783]
The Signal Telegraph[785]
The Electro-Magnetic Telegraph[787]
Faust taking First Proof from movable types[789]
Franklin’s Printing-Press[790]
Hoe’s Eight-Cylinder Power Press[792]
The India-Rubber Tree[793]
The Old Round Tower at Newport[795]
Submarine or Diving Armor[796]
Manner of working the Diving-Armor[797]
Tree House in Caffraria[799]
The Camphor-Tree[801]
Tree Temple at Matibo in Piedmont[803]
Ant-Hills of the White Ant[805]
Huts in Kamtschatka[806]
Taking a Whale[807]
Landing of the Pilgrims[809]
Plymouth Rock[810]
Early Settlers of New England going to Church[811]

THE

Wonders of the World.