346 SOUTHERN AND WESTERN COASTS.

ivory, gold, ostrich feathers, wax, and drugs. The productions are much the same as in other parts of Africa, between the tropies.

SOUTHERN PARTS.

THE country of the Hottentots covers the southern point of Africa; bounded north by countries unknown; southeast, south and west by the sea. The coast is mountainous, indented by bays. There are no considerable kingdoms throughout this extensive country; the whole is inhabited by different tribes of Hottentots, governed by chiefs, who have no fixed residence, living like the Arabs in huts or portable houses, and removing their villages whenever the pasture becomes too bare for the subsistence of their cattle.

At the southern point of the continent is the CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, containing a town, in which are about 5500 whites, and 10,000 blacks. It was settled by the Portuguese and Dutch, but was taken by the English in 1806, and still remains in their possession.

WESTERN COAST.

CONGO is a general name for the country between the equinoxial line and 18 degrees of south latitude, containing the kingdoms of Congo proper, Loango, Angola, and Benguela. It was discovered by the Portuguese in 1481. It is sometimes called Lower Guinea. The Portuguese have a great many settlements on the coast, as well as in the inland country. There are many desert places within land, in which are elephants, tigers, leopards, monkies, and monstrous serpents; but near the coast, the soil is exceedingly fertile; and there are fruits of many kinds, beside palm trees, from which the inhabitants get wine and oil. They are skilful in weaving cotton cloth. Their articles of traffic are slaves, cassia, ivory, and tamarinds. The greater part of them go almost naked. They worship the sun, moon, and stars, and also animals of different kinds; but the Portuguese have made many converts to Christian

ity. Congo, properly so called, is only 150 miles broad, along the coast, but is 372 inland. From March to September is the winter season, when it rains almost every day; and the summer is from October to March, when the weather is very hot. The river Zaire is full of crocodiles and river horses. The principal town is St. Salvador. UPPER GUINEA, so called to distinguish it from Congo, is divided into three parts; the Grain coast, Guinea proper, and Benin, and extends about 500 leagues along The coast. The Grain coast produces rice, peas, beans, lemons, indigo, and cotton. The Europeaus have no settlements here. The principal traffic is in slaves.

The GOLD COAST is so named from the immense quantities of gold it produces. The climate is very hot. Europeans have a few settlements here. The soil is very fertile. The inhabitants are rich, and live in great harmony.

The IVORY COAST lies between Cape Appollonia and Cape Palmas, containing several towns, situated at the mouths of rivers called by the same names. The interior country is little known, the natives refusing the Europeans leave to settle, or even to trade among them, except by means of the coast negroes, and this with caution. The chief commodities are gold, ivory, and slaves. The inhabitants of this district have been more careful to defend themselves against the assaults of the slave ships, than most of their countrymen. Suspicion and jealousy are their predominant qualities. On this coast is Sierra Leone, whose population exceeds 10,000. An English colony is established here, of strength, and of extensive and increasing influence, civil and religious, on the surrounding

nations.

STATES OF BARBARY.

BARBARY is an extensive country, stretching 1200 miles along the Mediterranean, and between 300 and 400 inland. It is divided into 5 kingdoms, Morocco, Fez, Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli.

MOROCCO.

The empire of Morocco comprehends a considerable part of the ancient Mauritania, lying between 28 and 36o north latitude; bounded west by the Atlantic; cast by

the river Mulvia, which separates it from Algiers; north by the straits of Gibraltar; south by Mount Atlas. Its greatest length from northeast to southwest, is above 590 miles, and where widest, not more than 260 broad.

The air is temperate, especially near Mount Atlas; the soil sandy and dry in some places, and fertile in others.

The number of inhabitants is estimated at 5,000,000. Their religion is Mahometanism. They are robust, and skilful in managing a horse, and wielding a lance; but jealous, deceitful, superstitious, and cruel.

There are many Christian slaves and some merchants on the coast, beside a multitude of Jews, who carry on almost all the trade; especially by land, with the negroes, to whom they send large caravans, which carry with them woollen goods, silk, salt, &c. and in return have slaves, gold, and elephant's teeth.

In the deserts are lions, tigers, leopards, and serpents of several kinds. The fruits are dates, figs, almonds, lemons, oranges, and pomegranates. They have also flax and hemp, but little timber.

The emperor is absolute; be often exercises great cruelties. His naval force consists chiefly of rovers, who sometimes take large prizes. He can bring 100,000 men into the field, half of which are foot, and half horse; but they are poorly armed and know little of the art of war.

Morocco, the capital, is in a beautiful valley, formed by a chain of mountains north, and those of the Atlas south and east. The city, exposed to the devastations of different conquerors, has preserved nothing but its form. The extent of the walls, which remain almost entire, supposes a city that might contain 300,000 souls: at present, it is little better than a desert. The ruins of houses serve only to harbor thieves, who lurk there to rob passengers. The emperor's palace, at the extremity of the city, fronting Mount Atlas, is a very extensive and solid building. The principal gates are Gothic arches, of cat stone, embellished with ornaments in the Arabian taste. Within the walls are various courts and gardens, elegantly laid out by European gardeners.

Co.

The kingdom of Fez is united to the empire of MorocIts capital of the same name is considered by the Moors as a sacred asylum, and an object of devotion.

This city, which in past ages attracted the attention of travellers, is not preferable to the other cities of the empire, except by its situation, schools, industry, and somewhat more by its urbanity. It has 80,000 inhabitants.

ALGIERS.

THE kingdom of Algiers comprehends part of the ancient Mauritania, which included the ancient Numidia, and forms one of the most considerable districts of the coast of Barbary. It is bounded north by the Mediterranean, east by the river Zane, which divides it from Tunis ; west by the Maillooiah, and the mountains of Trara, which separate it from Morocco, south by the Sahara, or Numidian desert. The superficial extent of the whole kingdom amounts, according to the calculation of M. Von Zach, to 4262 geographical square miles, and contains 1,500,000 inhabitants.

The territory of Algiers is principally distinguished by its capital. Half a mile northeast of the city commences the plain of Mettijiah, which stretches 50 miles in length and 20 in breadth, as far as the branch of Mount Atlas, at the foot of which lies the town of Belida. This plain is better cultivated than the other districts of the kingdom. The country seats and mascharcas, as they call the forms of the principal inhabitants of Algiers, are found in these plains; and it is chiefly from them that the metropolis is supă plied with provisions. The strength of the kingdom consists in its land and sea forces. Its strong cities are few, and it has fewer garrisons, which are weakly fortified and guarded.

The naval force of Algiers is more formidable than its army. It consists of 20 ships; one of which belongs to the government, and is assigned to the admiral: all the rest belong to private persons. The commerce of Algiers is principally carried on by their corsairs or pirates Free Christians, Jews, native or foreign, Arabians and Moors, are permitted to exercise a free commerce, both by sea and land, together with other trades and manufactures in silk, cotton, wool, leather, and other commodities.

The religion of the Algerines differs from that of the Turks only in their adopting a greater variety of supersti

FF

tions. They acknowledge the Koran as the rule of their faith and practice, but are remiss in the observance of it. The population of Algiers is less than in other countries of the same extent, where arts, sciences, and industry are not so much restrained. The number of Turks here is about 9 or 10,000. Beside these are the Moors, a degraded people; and the Arabian tribes, who, without blending with the Moors, or most ancient possessors of the country, have uniformly maintained their separation from others, partly in a state of independence, and partly as tributaries to the Dey.

ALGIERS, the capital of the kingdom, is built on the declivity of a mountain, and is in the form of an amphitheatre, next the harbor. The houses, appareatly rising one above another, make a very fine appearance from the sea. The tops are all flat; aud the inhabitants walk upon them in the evening to take the air; besides, they are covered with earth, and serve for gardens. The streets are narrow and serve to keep off the extreme heat of the sun. The mole of the harbor is 500 paces in length, extending from the continent to a small island, where there is a large battery of guns. The town is said by some to contain about 150,000 inhabitants; others say, 100,000 Mahometans, 15,000 Jews, and 2000 Christian slaves; others redace the number of all to 80,000. Their chief subsistence is derived from their piracies; for they make prizes of the ships of all Christian nations, that are not at peace with them.

TUNIS.

THE kingdom of Tunis is bounded north by the Mediterranean, east by that sea and Tripoli, sonthand southwest by Biledulgerid, west by Algiers. It extends 300 miles from east to west, and 250 from north to south.

The air in general is healthy, but the soil in the east part but indifferent, for want of water. Toward the middle, the mountains and vallies abound in fruits, but the west part is the most fertile, being watered by rivers. The environs of Tunis are very dry, on which account corn is generally dear. The inroads of the Arabs cblige the inhabitants to sow their barley and rye in the suburbs, and