both of receiving injury themselves and of inflicting injury on the body to which they belong. A spirit of suspicion, if they are not on their guard, will take place of that of confidence. Reports and statements will be looked at, rather with the view of detecting some concealed delinquency, or of finding ground of objection, than with the design of rejoicing with the Society in any good which it may have been the means of effecting and of sympathizing with it in its trials. Every man will be tempted to set himself up for a critic and a judge: if measures are proposed which do not exactly accord, as he apprehends them, with his own notions, he may scatter, as some have done, crude and erroneous Circulars and Pamphlets about the country; while others, without asking explanations, will take it for granted that these things are true, and act on them as though they were so. Against such a spirit it becomes every one to watch and pray. Christian Charity rejoiceth in the truth, and will not sacrifice to any one the Cause of God and the interests of His Kingdom: yet it thinketh no evil; and, while Charity will not hide her eyes from what is evil, she suffereth long and is kind—envieth not-vaunteth not herself is not puffed up-doth not behave herself unseemly-seeketh not her own-is not easily provoked-beareth all things-believeth all things-hopeth all things-endureth all things—and never faileth!

Africa.

GREAT progress has recently been made in ascertaining the state of the interior of this vast Continent. That opprobrium of African Geography-the source, direction, and termination of the Niger-may now be considered as on the point of being removed. Rising at no great distance from the Western Coast, it first flows eastward; and then, turning southward, finds its way, as now seems almost certain, into the Atlantic, at the Bight of Benin.

This fact was rendered highly probable by the researches of Major Denham (lately advanced to a Lieutenant-Colonelcy) and Captain Clapperton, in the Expedition mentioned at p. 11 of the last Survey: the account of that Expedition has been published, and has furnished many unexpected details relative to the nations of the Interior.

The following notices are collected from this most interesting Volume. They touch on the leading points of the narrative, and give the reader such a view of the route as will enable him to trace it on any good Map of Africa.

March, 5, 1822: Major Denham, Captain (then Lieutenant) Clapperton, Dr. Walter Oudney, and William Hillman a ship-carpenter, left Tripoli-April 7: reached Mourzuk-May 20: Major Denham left Mourzuk for Tripoli, to complain to the Bashaw of delay-Oct. 30: He returned to Mourzuk, after having been as far as Marseilles on his way to England, to represent to Government the obstacles and delays interposed in their way the Bashaw sent three different vessels to recall him, with the assurance that Boo-Khaloom, a rich merchant of great influence in the Interior, was appointed, with an escort, to convey the Travellers forthwith to Bornou. During Major Denham's absence, his associates made an excursion, in the months of June, July, and August, to the westward of Mourzuk-Nov. 29: the party left Mourzuk for Bornou, forming a kafila, or caravan. of about 300 persons-Feb. 17, 1823: arrived at Kouka, the capital of Borneu; having had on the east chiefly the country of the Tibboos, and on the west that of the plundering and savage race of the Tuaricks: Kouka lies at the south-west corner of the Lake Tchad which covers several thousand miles of country: it is the residence of the Sheikh of Bornou, who is the real ruler of the country, and was built by him; the Sultan, who is nominally the sovereign, residing, in ludicrous state, at Birnie, a town of 10,000 inhabitants, a few miles south of Kouka-April 15: Major Denham set forward, with a view to see the country to the southward, in company of a "ghrazzie," or marauding expedition to procure slaves: the attack was designed against the Felatahs to the south of Mandara, the Sultan of which territory was in league with the Sheikh of Bornou against that people: the Felatahs occupy an immense space of country, and are found through the whole of Soudan to the westward quite to Timbuctoo; and are a handsome race of people, and rarely mix their blood with that of the Negroes-April 16: at Angournou, containing at least 30,000 people- April 18: at Deegoa, of 30,000-April 19: at Affagay, containing, with four surrounding towns, 20,000April 21: by accession of force, the ghrazzie was increased to upward of 3000, all cavalry,

[JAN. except about 80 Arabs on foot- April 22: continued to approach a noble range of hills, with many trees on their precipitous sides: at Delow, of 10,000 inhabitants, and the first town in Mandara: proceeded to Mora, at a short distance-April 26: left Mora, with an accession of Mandara troops; and reached Hairy, in the Mandara Mountains, surrounded by a superb amphitheatre of hills-April 28: Dirkulla, the first Felatah town and another smaller town were burnt by the ghrazzie; which was defeated at Musfeia, a third Felatah town, Boo-Khaloom being killed by a poisoned arrow, and Major Denham escaping with the utmost difficulty-April 30: left Mora-May 5: re-entered Kouka, a distance of 180 miles from Mora-May 22: Major Denham and Dr. Oudney left Kouka, to accompany the Sheikh of Bornou to the westward, proceeding against a rebellious district: saw the ruins of Old Birnie and of upward of 30 other large towns, all rased to the ground by the Felatahs: Old Birnie is said to have formerly had 200,000 inhabitants-June 23 return to Kouka Dec. 14: having passed the rainy season at Kouka, which had well nigh proved fatal to the whole party, Captain Clapperton and Dr. Oudney leave that place, with a kafila of Merchants, for Soudan, to the westward: this was the eighth kafila which had gone to Soudan since the arrival of the Expedition in Bornou-Dec. 23: Mr. Toole, Ensign in the 80th Regiment, arrived at Kouka; having left Tripoli on the 6th of September-Jan. 23, 1824 : Major Denham and Mr. Toole set out on an excursion to Loggun, a very populous country to the south-east: Kernuk, the capital, has at least 15,000 inhabitants: the people are much handsomer and more intelligent than the Bornouese, and of a superior carriage to other Negro Nations- March 2: Major Denham returned to Kouka; having lost his companion, who died on the 26th of February, completely exhausted: he had scarcely reached his 22d year-May 20: Mr. Tyrwhitt, sent by H. M. Government to strengthen the party, arrived at Kouka, with presents for the Sheikh in acknowledgment of the kind reception given by him to the Expedition-June 16; Major Denham and Mr. Tyrwhitt set out to visit the eastern side of Lake Tchad; accompanying a ghrazzie for that purposeJuly 9: Captain Clapperton returned to Kouka from his journey in Soudan: Dr. Oudney had died, on the 12th of January, at the age of 32 years, at Murmur, near Katagum, which last place is in lat. 12° 17' 11" north and in long. about 11° east. Captain Clapperton reached Kano, the great emporium of the kingdom of Houssa, on the 20th of January: this is one of the chief towns of Soudan, and is in lat. 12° 0′ 19′′ north and in long. 9° 20' east: it has from 30,000 to 40,000 inhabitants; exclusive of strangers, who visit it in crowds during the dry months, from all parts of Africa, from the Mediterranean to the Mountains of the Moon, and from Senaar to Ashantee. Leaving Kano on the 23d of February, he reached Sackatoo on the 16th of March: this is the residence of the very intelligent Sultan Bello, a noble-looking man, 44 years of age: it lies in lat. 13° 4' 52′′ north and in long. 6° 12' east: here he met with unexpected evidence of advanced civilization: the inhabitants are chiefly Felatahs. Sackatoo is within five days journey of Yaoure on the Niger, near which place, it is supposed, Park perished: not being able, on several accounts to proceed further, Captain Clapperton left Sackatoo on the 4th of May; and arrived at Kouka, as above stated, on the 9th of July-July 17: Major Denham and Mr. Tyrwhitt returned to Kouka, having reached the eastern point of Lake Tchad, but not being able to accomplish the circuit of the Lake round by the north-east: Major Denham found Captain Clapperton so much altered by sickness and fatigue that he could recognise him only by his voiceAug. 16 took final leave of Kouka: Mr. Tyrwhitt remained there, with the Skeikh's concurrence, as Consul; but died about the 22d or 23d of October, as appears from a Letter sent by the Sheikh to the British Consul at Tripoli-Nov. 21: re-entered Mourzuk-Jan. 26, 1825: reached Tripoli-May 1: Major Denham and Captain Clapperton arrived at Florence; having sent home the baggage by sea from Leghorn, in charge of William Hillman—June 1: having arrived in England, across the Continent, they this day reported their arrival to Earl Bathurst, under whose auspices the Expedition had been undertaken,

We extract an important declaration by Major Denham, which may be of service to other Travellers, some of whom have not acted in the manly and upright manner of these Gentlemen:

The subjects of the Sheikh of Bornou are the most strict Mussulmans in all the Black Country; and their respect for us gradually increased, on ascertaining that we really had a religion of our own, and obeyed its ordinances by praying, if not by fasting—which they at first doubted. Our determination to travel fearlessly and boldly in our own characters, as Englishmen and Christians, mistrusting no one, so far from proving an impediment to our progress, as we were assured from all quarters that it would do, excited a degree of confidence to which we may, in a great measure, attribute the success which has attended our steps.

There are some statements with regard to the Slave Trade, which cannot fail to augment the horror of every just and humane mind, at the principle by which one man claims the right of exercising capricious authority over his fellow-men. Speaking of the Well of Meshroo in the Desert, it is said

The ground around is strewed with human skeletons-the Slaves who have arrived exhausted with thirst and fatigue. The horrid consequences of the Slave Trade were strongly brought to our mind; and, although its horrors are not equal to those of the European Trade, still they are sufficient to rouse every spark of humanity. Every few miles a skeleton was seen through the whole day: some were partially covered with sand; others with only a

Sinall mound, formed by the wind: one hand often lay under the head, and frequently both, as if in the act of compressing the head. The skin and membranous substance all shrivel up and dry, from the state of the air: the thick muscular and internal parts only decay. Round this well were lying more than one hundred skeletons; some of them with the skin still remaining attached to the bones-not even a little sand thrown over them. The Arabs laughed heartily at my expression of horror, and said " They were only Blacks-nam boo!" (curse their fathers!)-and began knocking about their limbs with the butt-end of their firelocks, saying "This was a woman!-This was a youngster"--and such like unfeeling expressions. The greater part of the unhappy people, of whom these were the remains, had formed the spoils of the Sultan of Fezzan the year before. I was assured that they had left Bornou with not above a quarter allowance for each, and that more died from want than fatigue: they were marched off with chains round their necks and legs: the most robust only arrived in Fezzan, in a very debilitated state; and were there fattened for the Tripoli Slave-market. Our camels did not come up till it was quite dark; and we bivouacked in the midst of these unearthed remains of the victims of persecution and avarice.

From Dr. Oudney's papers a Note is here added to Major Denham's narrative, in which he says, of some black hills which they passed the next night

The gloom of these places in the dusk has something grand and awful. We winded up, with the light of a moon not a quarter old, and that lessened by a cloudy sky. Skeletons lay about, mangled in a shocking manner; here a leg, there an arm, fixed, with their ligaments, at considerable distances from the trunk. What could have done this?-Man, forced by hunger; or the camels? Camels are very fond of chewing dried bones; but whether they ever do so to those with dried flesh on them, I cannot say.

Arriving a few days after at the Wells of El-Hammar, further on in the Desert, Major Denham says

During the last two days, we had passed, on an average, from 60 to 80 or 90 skeletons each day but the numbers that lay about the wells at El-Hammar were countless. Those of two women, whose perfect and regular teeth bespoke them young, were particularly shocking: their arms still remained clasped round each other as they had expired; although the flesh had long since perished by being exposed to the burning rays of the sun, and the blackened bones only left: the nails of the fingers and some of the sinews of the hand also remained; and part of the tongue of one of them still appeared through the teeth.

On the following day, while I was dozing on my horse about noon, overcome by the heat of the sun, I was suddenly awakened by a crashing under his feet, which startled me exces. sively. I found that my steed had, without any sensation of shame or alarm, stepped upon the perfect skeletons of two human beings-cracking their brittle bones under his feet; and, by one trip of his foot, separating a scull from the trunk, which rolled on like a ball before him. This event gave me a sensation, which it took some time to remove my horse was, for many days, not looked upon with the same regard as formerly.

In a Supplemental Chapter on Bornou, Major Denham thus speaks on the subject of the Slave Trade, and on the prospect of opening a humane and advantageous intercourse with the people of that country:

The principal return which Moorish Merchants obtain for their goods consists in Slaves; but Bornou is scarcely any thing more than a mart or rendezvous of kafilas from Soudan. These unhappy victims are handed over to the Tripoli and Fezzan Traders, who are waiting with their northern produce to tempt the cupidity of the Slave Merchants of Soudan. I think I may say, that neither the Sheikh himself nor the Bornou People carry on this traffic without feelings of disgust, which even habit cannot conquer. Of the existence of a Foreign Slavetrade, or one which consigns these unfortunates to Christian Masters, they are not generally aware at Bornou; and, so contrary to the tenets of his religion-of which he is a strict observer- would be such a system of barter, that one may easily conclude that the Sheikh of Bornou would be willing to assist, with all the power that he possesses, in any plan which might have for its object the putting a final stop to a commerce of this nature.

Already the desire of exchanging whatever their country produces, for the manufactures of the more enlightened nations of the North, exists in no small degree among them: a taste for luxury, and a desire of imitating such strangers as visit them, are very observable; and the man of rank is ever distinguished by some part of his dress being of foreign materials, though sometimes of the most trifling kind. It is true that these propensities are not yet fully developed; but they exist, and give unequivocal proof of a tendency to civilization, and the desire of cultivating an intercourse with foreigners."

Every approach which the African has made toward civilization, even to the knowledge of and the belief in the existence of a Supreme Being, is attributable to the intrepid Arab spirit; which, despising the dread of the apparently interminable deserts that separate the Black from the White population, has alone penetrated to any extent into the country of these before unenlightened savages--carrying with him his religion and his manners, and converting thousands to the Mahommedan Faith.

The eagerness with which all classes of people listened to our proposals for establishing a frequent communication by means of Furopean Merchants, and the protection promised by the Sheikh to such as should arrive within the sphere of his influence, particularly if they were English, excites an anxious hope, that some measures will be adopted for directing the

labours of a population of millions, to something more congenial to the humanity and the philanthrophy of the age which we live in, than the practise of a system of predatory warfare, which has chiefly for its object the procuring of Slaves, as the readiest and most valuable property to trade with, on every appearance of the Merchants from the North at their markets. Every probability is against such a barter being preferred by the African Black. Let the words of the Sheikh himself, addressed to us in the hearing of his people, speak the sentiments that have already found a place in his bosom-" You say true: we are all sons of one father! You say, also, that the sons of Adam should not sell one another, and you know every thing! God has given you all great talents; but what are we to do? The Arabs who come here will have nothing else but Slaves: why don't you send us your Merchants? You know us now; and let them bring their women with them, and live among us, and teach us what you talk to me about so often, to build houses and boats, and make rockets." The reader will conceive with what exulting hearts we heard these words from the lips of a Ruler in the Centre of Africa!!

Major Denham thus closes this invaluable Volume

I consider the establishment of a friendly intercourse with this potentate beyond the Great Desert, by whose means the unknown parts of Africa may at no distant period be visited, of the greatest importance, in every point of view. By encouraging a commercial intercourse, all the objects of African Discovery must be advanced not alone will the cause of Science and Research be benefited, but the real Philanthropist must see, that an opening is now made, by means of which, with judicious arrangements, thousands of his fellowbeings may be saved from slavery.

Until introduced by the Moors, the trading in Slaves was little known among them: the prisoners taken in battle served them; and were given as portions to their children, on their marriage, for the same duties; but they were seldom sold.

In short, it is to the pernicious principles of the Moorish Traders, whose avaricious brutality is beyond all belief, that the traffic for Slaves in the interior of Africa not only owes its origin, but its continuance. They refuse all other modes of payment for the articles which they bring with them: they well know the eagerness with which these articles are sought after; and, by offering what appears to the Natives an amazing price, tempt them to sell their brethren, to the most inhuman of all human beings, while they gain in Fezzan, Bengazi, and Egypt, sometimes a profit of 500 per cent. I am not, however, without hopes, that a more extended intercourse with Barbary might detach even the proverbiallyunfeeling Moor from dealing in human flesh; and it was with feelings of the highest satisfaction that I listened to some of the most respectable of the Merchants, when they declared, that, were any other system of trading adopted, they would gladly embrace it, in preference to dealing in Slaves; knowing, too, how often we interfered to meliorate the situation of any of these unfortunates, when they were oppressed or ill treated, they would continually point out to us, as if to excite our approbation, how well dressed and well fed their own Slaves were, in comparison with those of others, as we traversed the Desert, on our return to Tripoli.

Intercourse has thus been opened with the two most powerful and enlightened Chiefs in the heart of Africa; and both the Sheikh of Bornou and the Felatah Sultan of Sackatoo have addressed Letters to His Majesty of the most friendly kind. Bornou now extends from 10 to 15 Degrees of North Latitude and from 12 to 18 Degrees of East Longitude; and the Negroes of that country are peaceable and friendly while the Felatah Dominion reaches to a vast distance westward between the same parallels of latitude, and the people are comparatively civilized. In prosecution of these discoveries, it was determined by Government that an attempt should be made to penetrate northward to Sackatoo from the Bight of Benin. Captain Clapperton has, in consequence, been sent to that coast, with some associates of his toil. Two parties set forward, by different routes, for Sackatoo on the 7th of March last, Captain Clapperton had reached Katungah, about 30 miles east of the Niger; and Mr. James, who is resident at Whydah on the coast, writes, on the 20th of April, that the Traveller had arrived at the capital of his old friend the Sultan Bello-thus challenging the honour of having first traversed Africa, so far as any authentic account has appeared, through its central regions. Some members of the Expedition were to remain at Sackatoo, in order to form more intimate relations with its enlightened Sultan, and to endea vour to establish a safe and permanent communication between that place and the coast; while others were to visit the Niger, which flows a little to the west of Sackatoo, and to follow its course to the sea. Should it be found that this far-famed river empties itself into the Bight of Benin, an opening of incalculable importance will be afforded by it into the very heart of Africa: with the exception of the rapids of Yaoure, a steam-vessel may traverse this immense continent, should future discoveries present no other obstacle, from the Bight of Benin to the country of the Foulahs bordering very nearly on the Colony of Sierra Leone.

Another Expedition has been undertaken to Timbuctoo. Despatches of the 18th of June from Tripoli state the arrival of Major Laing at that place, it is supposed about the beginning of February. He was to proceed down the Niger with all despatch, and join the Expedition from the southward.

The discoveries just spoken of become highly interesting to the Christian, as they enlarge his views of the means opening before him for bestowing the blessings of the Gospel on Africa. Native Labourers must unquestionably, as in other cases, ultimately become the chief instruments of accomplishing this great work: whatever, therefore, may facilitate the preparation of such Labourers and their access into the Interior, must be considered as a step in advance toward the attainment of the most beneficent end at which Christians can aim with regard to Africa. The following pertinent remarks on this subject occur in the Report of one of the County Associations of the Church Missionary Society:

During the past year (1825), the Society has had to lament the loss of Seven Labourers in Western Africa by death and the return of others for the restoration of their health: this severe loss, in addition to others previously sustained, has necessarily deprived many stations in that Mission of Ministerial Instruction, and has diminished the requisite superintendence of the Schools: if, on this account, the Colony of Sierra Leone has retrograded rather than advanced in religious acquirements, this circumstance may call for humiliation, but should not lead to despondency. While, on the one hand, your Committee bow with submission to the will of the Supreme, and acknowledge that in His darkest dispensations He doeth all things well, they gather from these very dispensations, that the provision of an efficient Ministry for Sierra Leone and the communication of the Gospel through that Colony to the inhabitants of Western Africa can alone be effected by the education of NATIVE converts.

To raise Sierra Leone to its full efficiency as a Pharos of light to Western Africa three requisites are indispensably necessary-1st, The promotion of general education to such an extent, that the English Language shall be spoken in its native purity throughout the Colony, and be thence transmitted to the neighbouring States-2dly, The establishment of two Schools for the special purpose of qualifying pious Natives to become Schoolmasters and Schoolmistresses, by affording them a superior and appropriate education--and, 3rdly, The erection of an efficient Christian Institution, wherein Native Africans of superior intelligence and decided piety might be trained, by sound Scriptural knowledge and general information, for the Ministerial Office. The Recaptured Negroes located in Sierra Leone speak every dialect of Western Africa; and will be the fittest instruments, when properly educated, to translate Elementary Works, and even the Scriptures themselves, into their own tongues: and when grounded in the Arabic Language, and able grammatically to understand the Korân in the original, they will be prepared to meet the Moslem Teachers on their own ground-to oppose the Gospel of Christ to the Law of Mohammed where alone that Law is gaining an increased ascendency over the human mind-and thus to bring Christianity into a fair and efficient competition with the dominant and only proselyting religion of Northern and Western Africa.

With feelings of peculiar satisfaction, your Committee have perceived, in the recent discoveries made by Major Denham and Captain Clapperton, what may possibly remove the grand difficulty, which has hitherto retarded the education of converts for Missionary Purposes from among the Recaptured Negroes of Sierra Leone. That difficulty has been, the insalubrity of the climate of Western Africa, and the consequent want of a healthy spot for the site of a Christian Institution. In the Bight of Benin, where the Niger empties itself by means of a Delta into the Atlantic, is situated the island Fernando Po; where, to use the language of a modern author, "health and safety dwell; and where, commanding the outlets of the Niger, Great Britain would command the trade, the improvement, and civilization, of all Northern Central Africa." A second salubrious situation, where, as far as health is concerned, a Christian Institution and Schools might be conducted with perfect safety, is named by the same travellers: this is a high table-land within the tropic, chiefly in the parallel of 12° or 13° North: your Committee hail this most important discovery as an opening of Providence for facilitating Missionary Exertions in Western Africa; and they trust the Society will be enabled, by the increasing liberality and personal services of its friends, to avail itself of this and every opportunity of usefulness to the benighted descendants of Ham. The Committee of the Church Missionary Society, entering entirely into these views of their intelligent associates, are taking measures for placing the Christian Institution of Sierra Leone on an efficient footing. This design has been the subject of much correspondence and deliberation; as the Committee have come to the fixed determination of prosecuting, by all means in their power and in any place, whether in Europe or in Africa, which may ultimately prove most eligible, the education of intelligent and pious Natives with the view of their becoming Christian Teachers among their countrymen.