Darfour, or DARFOOR, is bounded on the east by Abyssinia; on the north by Nubia; and on the west by Bergoo. To the south are several barbarous nations inhabiting the Mountains of the Moon, and the early course of the Bahr-el-Abiad. During the dry season of the year, the country has a parched and sterile appearance. The rainy season begins in June and continues till September; the progress of vegetation is then very rapid, and great quantities of grain of different sorts are raised. chief town is Cobbe.

NEGROLAND, NIGRITIA, OR SOUDAN.

The

NEGROLAND is an extensive country in the interior of Africa, comprehending many large and populous kingdoms. It is bounded on the north by Zahra; on the east by Nubia and Darfur; on the south by Guinea and unknown countries, and on the west by Foulahs.

Some parts, especially near the Niger, are represented as fertile; others are sandy and desert: the country is very populous. The principal places are Sego on the Niger; the capital of Bambarra; Silla, on the Niger. Tombuctoo, about three leagues to the north of the Niger is a great mart for gold, and resorted to by merchants from all the kingdoms of northern Africa.

HOUSSA is an extensive country on the shores of the Niger, with a capital of the same name. It is said to be the most civilized and improved of any of the native states of Africa. The soil is carefully cultivated, and the inhabitants are industrious; they manufacture a great quantity of cotton with which they supply Fezzan, and they can dye any colour excepting scarlet.

RIVERS OF AFRICA.

The NILE rises in the Mountains of the Moon, to the south of Darfour, under the name of Bahr-el-Abiad: in Sennar it receives the Bahr-el- Azrek from Abyssinia, and farther northward it receives the Tacazze. From the cataract at Syené, the Nile flows through a valley about 8 miles broad, between two ridges of mountains, and falls into the Mediterranean below Cairo.

The NIGER is a large river, running through Negro

European vessels proceeding to the East Indies or Ame rica. The principal production is salt, the exclusivé sale of which to Brazil is the profit of government. Porto Praya, in the island of Jago, is the residence of the governor general.

The ISLAND OF GOREE is a rock off the coast, about a mile from the promontory which forms Cape Verd. It produces nothing, and its importance is solely derived from its inaccessible situation, and from its being the entrepôt for the French trade with the opposite coast of Africa.

ST. MATTHEW is a small island in latitude 1° 55′ south, longitude 9° 25' west. It was discovered by the Portuguese in 1516, who formed a settlement upon it, which was used by vessels for the purpose of obtaining refreshments. The island is now uninhabited.

ISLANDS IN THE GULF OF GUINEA are Fernando Po, Prince's Island, St. Thomas's, and Annabona. These islands were discovered by the Portuguese, but in the year 1778 Fernando Po and Annabona were ceded to the Spaniards. The harbours of Prince's Island are the best in this group of islands; the air is healthy and agreeable, and the water excellent.

ASCENSION. This island is situated in 14°16′ west longitude, and 7° 56' south latitude. It is about 20 miles round, and uninhabited; but has a convenient harbour, where the East India ships generally touch to furnish themselves with turtles, which are plentiful here.

ST. HELENA, in 15° 55′ south latitude, and 5° 43′ west longitude. It is about 1200 miles west of the coast of Africa, the nearest land: the Portuguese discovered it in 1501, but it has been in the possession of the English ever since the year 1673. The island, though apparently a barren rock, has several fertile vallies, which produce Indian corn, vegetables, and fruit, and feed a number of oxen, sheep and goats.

In 1815, after the battle of Waterloo, Buonaparte was exiled to this island by the allied powers of Europe, where he died, in May 1821.

II. ISLANDS EAST OF AFRICA.

SOCOTARA is situated in 53 degrees east longitude, and

12 degrees north latitude, about 30 leagues to the east of Cape Guardafui. It is noted for its production of the best aloes, as well as dates; the chief town is Tamarida; the island is governed by a Sheik who is subject to Arabia.

ALMIRANTE and SEYCHELLES are groupes of islands situated north-east of Madagascar. Almirante contains but few inhabitants; it is in latitude 6° 20' south, longitue 54° 40' east. The principal island in the Seychelles groupe is Mahe, which has an excellent harbour, where the French have an establishment; and, in the interior of the island, they have cultivated, with success, the nutmeg and clove trees.

The COMORA islands are situated between 10 and 13 degrees of south latitude, and 43 and 45 degrees east longitude, about mid-way between the north-west part of the island of Madagascar and the continent of Africa. They are four in number, viz. Great Comora or Angazija, Johanna or Anjouan, Mohilla, and Mayotta.

The surface of these islands is mountainous; but the level tracts abound in cattle, sheep, and in all the tropical grains and fruits. Johanna is frequented by Europeans, and particularly by English vessels, for the sake of procuring water and provisions. The capital is Machadou.

MADAGASCAR is situated between 12° and 26° south latitude, and between 44 and 50 degrees of east longitude; it is about 900 miles in length, and from two to three hundred in breadth. It possesses a great variety of surface, being intersected throughout its whole length by a chain of lofty mountains, separating the island into two parts. The mountains are covered with trees, and the forests contain palms, ebony, wood for dyeing, bamboos of an enormous size, orange, and lemon trees, timber fit for masts and ship building, &c.

Many bays and harbours, in different parts of the eastern coast, have often attracted the attention of the French governments, who built Fort Dauphine (now in ruins). Foul Point and Tamatava, situated nearly in the centre of the coast, have always been frequented by the French.

English ships generally put into St. Augustine's Bay, or into Bembatook Bay, on the western coast, at each of which places provisions and refreshments of the best quality may be procured at a moderate rate.

The island of Madagascar is peopled by numerous tribes differing in character and manners, and in the interior are several towns and villages. Mouzangage, on the western coast, under the dominion of the queen of the Seclaves, contains about 30,000 inhabitants. The trade is carried on chiefly by Arabian settlers: vessels under the English flag arrive annually from Surat with stuffs and silks, which they exchange for gold, tortoiseshell, &c.

ISLAND OF BOURBON is situated in 21 degrees of south latitude, and 56 degrees of east longitude, and about 400 miles to the eastward of Madagascar. It was first discovered by the Portuguese, but the French took possession of it in 1654: the English took it in 1810, and restored it to the French at the treaty of peace. The productions are tobacco, rice, fruit, gums, raisins, pepper, &c. Bourbon is noted for its coffee; the first plants were brought from Mocha in 1718: the chief town is St. Denis. The island contains no safe harbour, but there are some tolerable roads for shipping.

MAURITIUS, OR THE ISLE OF FRANCE, was first discovered by the Portuguese in 1505. The Dutch established themselves here in 1639, but left it in 1712. The French took possession of it in 1734, and it was the centre of their navigation in the East Indies until the year 1810, when the English conquered it..

Mauritius is of a circular form, about 150 miles in circumference; it is composed chiefly of irregular mountains, and the rocks contain caves of remarkable extent. The privateers from this island were a great annoyance to the English East India shipping; prizes to the amount of two millions and a half sterling were taken into the Mauritius in ten years. The chief town is Port Louis, or Port North-West, latitude 20° 10' south, longitude 57° 30'

east.

AMERICA.

AMERICA Consists of two extensive peninsulas, connected by the Isthmus of Darien, or Panama.

NORTH AMERICA extends from Porto Bello, in 9° 33′ north latitude, to the sea of Mr. Hearne, latitude 72° north; and from Cape Charles in Labrador, longitude 55° 30' west, to Cape Prince of Wales, longitude 168° 17' west.

North America is bounded on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Gulf of Mexico, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.

BRITISH AMERICA.

BRITISH AMERICA consists of Upper and Lower Canada; the country round Hudson's Bay, including New North and South Wales, the Esquimaux country, and Labrador; together with New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, the islands of St. John, Cape Breton, Anticosti, Newfoundland, Belle Isle, &c.

UPPER CANADA is separated from the United States by Lake Superior, Lake Huron, the river St. Clair, Lake Erie, the river Niagara, Lake Ontario, and the river St. Lawrence: on the north, the river Ottawa separates it from Lower Canada. Upper Canada is divided into eight districts, and these are again subdivided into 23 counties. The country is, in general, level, and the soil is good. Here are several populous villages, the chief towns are Kingston and Montreal, on the river St. Lawrence.

LOWER CANADA is bounded on the north by Labrador, on the south by Upper Canada. It is divided into three districts, viz. Three Rivers, Quebec, and Gaspé, and these are subdivided into 21 counties. The chief towns are Quebec and Three Rivers.

The surface of Lower Canada is mountainous and woody, and it is covered with accumulated snows for