the other negro nations with which the Europeans are acquainted. They are also extremely fond of the manufactures. and merchandise of Europe. Courteous to strangers, and cruel to their enemies, their national character appears strongly marked with that mixture of politeness and ferocity which is not uncommon among people in the first stages of civilization. Abomey situated in about 8o north latitude, and about 3o east longitude, is the capital of the kingdom. The houses, and even the royal palaces, are meanly built. The principal historical event which has come to the knowledge of the Europeans, is the conquest of Whidrah and Ardrah, about the year 1726, which have ever since composed a part of the kingdom of Dahomy.

Proceeding towards the east the kingdom of Benin next attracts the notice of the merchant and the geographer. It stretches along the coast from about 7° north to about 1° south latitude; and European conjecture, or the vague accounts of the natives, give it a very considerable extent of inland territory. The face of the country is level, the soil fertile, and entirely without stones; and all the physical appearances are similar to what is seen in Dahomy. The climate is hot, and extremely unhealthy. The capital city, called also Benin, is situated on the river of the same name. This river is of considerable magnitude; and divides itself into several branches.* The city is said to be spacious and well peopled, and to contain thirty streets, which are kept tolerably clean. But the houses are only low hovels built of clay. The government is monarchical; but with this strange singularity, that the sovereign power is placed in the hands of three chiefs, who have the control over the king. In regard to the religion of Benin, it seems to be as little known as that of Dahomy. The inhabitants of this country, and probably all the other nations of Guinea, seem to acknowledge a Supreme benevolent Deity, but far above all human worship; and they offer sacrifices to inferior and malignant beings, in order to appease their anger, and avert their malevolence.

Further to the south is Loango, a country of considerable extent. It was formerly possessed by the Portuguese; but

* Bosman, p. 599.

they appear to have been expelled. The principal exports are elephants' teeth, tin, lead, copper, and iron. The people are industrious, and exercise many of the useful arts. The soil is chiefly a compact clay. Even the mountains are said to consist wholly of clay, without any mixture of rock. The climate is hot, and extremely insalubrious. The heats are the greatest during the rainy season, which begins with the month of No. vember, and ends with that of March. The country, however, is fertile, and abounds in the same tropical productions as the kingdoms of Dahomy and Benin.

Congo is on the south of Loango. Of this country, however, we have no authentic account since the year 1687; and amidst such a scarcity of information description cannot be too concise. It suffices to say, that Congo, both in its physical and moral state, greatly resembles the other countries already mentioned.* The Portuguese have a settlement at St. Salvador, the capital city, which is seated on the top of a considerable mountain. The king appears to be entirely under their influence; and the whole country virtually under their dominion. But a late writer says, that 200 regular troops would conquer all the South of Africa. He certainly does not include the Cape colony; but even with this exception, he appears to have made a random estimate of such an enterprise. The Congoese have the negro complexion; but their features rather resemble those of the Europeans.

Contiguous to Congo on the south is the country of Angola, which is said to be governed by several petty princes. The Portuguese have several settlements, and are masters of the coast, although other European nations trade with the natives. The unhappy countries, situated on this extensive coast, which stretches from the river of Senegal, to the south of Angola, have, during the long period of nearly three centuries, been a scene of the most infamous commerce ever encour

* In the 12th and 13th volume of the Modern Universal History, is a good description of Congo, compiled from original, though not recent authorities.

aged or practised by Christians. Ever since the year 1517 the slave trade had been a disgrace to the civilized world and the Christian name. The French revolution, amidst all its atrocities, produced one happy effect, the abolition of negro slavery, so far as France was concerned. The British senate was not to be outdone in generosity by the national assembly of France. The measure had been already brought forward by the friends of humanity. But innumerable obstacles presented themselves in the way of its execution. Important interests, and apprehensions of consequences, were considerations which had their due weight with a wise legislature. After successive parliaments had, by judicious regulations, prepared the way for the completion of this great purpose, the fiħal question was proposed. The advocates for the abolition and opponents of the measure, actuated by sentiments equally pure, equally patriotic, impartially discussed all the arguments which benevolence on one side, and prudence on the other could adduce. The result was favourable to the cause of humanity and national glory. Britain was rescued from infamy, and a considerable portion of mankind from slavery. This was certainly the most acceptable sacrifice that Britain, the native land of liberty, could offer to the Sovereign of the universe, the universal parent of mankind, in grateful return for the numerous favours received from his hand. This will be considered as one of the most glorious events in her annals: future generations and distant regions will commemorate with gratitude and rapture the reign of George III. and the benevolence of the British legislature.

The American congress at the same time vying with the British senate in philanthropy, abolished the slave trade throughout the territories of the United States. This iniquitous traffic in human flesh being now abolished in the dominions of France, England, and the American republic, is nearly restricted to the Spanish, Portuguese, and Dutch colonies, the Danish being inconsiderable. If not wholly extir

* Slaves are also procured by the Portuguese on the Eastern coast, as well as by the Egyptians and Moors, from the interior; but the number is trifling in comparison to those carried from Guinea, &c.

pated, it is therefore exceedingly curtailed, and no doubt can be entertained that its final extinction among all the nations of Europe is no very distant event.

From Angola almost to the Cape colony, the coast is little known. From Cape Negro to the parallel of about thirty degrees south latitude, it presents a vast extent of desert, scarce. ly inhabited. The Hottentots, whose savage life has been often described, and is almost become proverbial, are spread over the southern part of the narrowed continent.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

THE celebrated Cape colony which occupies the southern extremity of Africa, is about 550 British miles in length, and 233 in breadth ;* but in this extent of territory there are many large tracts, consisting of ranges of rocky mountains, and level plains of hard clay mixed with sand, which, being absolutely unimprovable, are doomed to perpetual sterility. The mountainous chains run from west to east. The first ridge is from twenty to sixty miles from the coast; the second, called Zwart Berg, or the black mountain, is more lofty and rugged, and about the same distance from the first: the third is the Nieuveld, which, with the first, incloses a vast karroo, or desert of clay and sand, rising like a terrace, and extending about 300 miles in length from west to east, and about eighty in breadth from north to south. The country is more fertile towards the Indian than towards the Atlantic Ocean. Behind Cape Town the ground rises gradually into mountains, distinguished by different appellations, as the Table Mountain, the Lion's Head, Charles Mount, and James Mount. The view from the summit of Table Mount is extensive and picturesque, and the valleys display a number of fine plantations. This colony, which produces various kinds of grain, and in some places good pasturage, might have been in a much more flourishing condition, had not the Dutch, from particular motives, dis

Barrow's Trav. p. 9. For a more minute description of this colony, consult Barrow, Sparman, and Paterson.

+ Pinkerton's Geog. vol. 2, p. 752.

couraged settlers, by refusing grants of land, and imposing various restrictions.* There are farms, however, in several remote districts; and to the south-east of Cape Town are the vineyards, which produce the celebrated wine of Constantia. The natural history of this colony has been ably explored; and the gay variety of its botanical productions surpasses all the efforts of the pen or the pencil. The zoology also is curious; the oxen are extremely well trained to the draught. The inhabitants generally travel in carts drawn by oxen, a mode well adapted to the roughness of the country. But the governor and principal people keep coaches drawn by horses in the English style. There are wolves, hyænas, antelopes, &c. about the Cape; and more inland, all the ferocious animals of Africa; and the hippopotamus, which Sparman regards as the largest of all animals next to the elephant, abound in the rivers. Among the birds, the eagle, the vulture, and the huge condor, the spread of whose wings sometimes reaches ten feet, are enumerated. Cape Town is regular and handsome, the streets being broad, and intersecting each other at right angles. The European population is computed at about 5,000, and that of the whole settlement is supposed not to exceed 20,000. The natives are of different tribes, among whom the most numerous are the Hottentots, a nation that has been often and minutely described. The climate, though subject to frequent storms, is cool and salubrious. And the importance of this settlement, as a place of refreshment to the EastIndia fleets, is too generally known to be here made a subject of discussion.† The events of its history have already been mentioned in different parts of this work.

EASTERN COAST OF AFRICA.

THE eastern coast of Africa being visited chiefly by the Portuguese, is still more imperfectly known than the western. On leaving the territory of the Cape, we first meet with the

* Brougham's Col. Policy, vol. 1. p. 330, and Auct.

It is unnecessary to mention that this valuable settlement is now in the possession of Great Britain, and will probably be no more ceded to the Dutch.