The climate is hot, and the soil in many parts fertile. The inhabitants are Negroes, Moors, and Arabs, living in a barbarous state. They are mostly Mahometans. The nations situated further south are entirely unknown. DARFUR is situated west of Sennaar. The chief town is Cobbé, BORNOU is represented as the most powerful kingdom in the interior of Africa. The capital is a large town of the same name. FEZZAN lies south of Barbary and east of Sahara. Mourzouk, the capital, is the centre of the trade carried on between Northern and Central Africa. KASSINA, or CASHNA, is an extensive kingdom west of Bornou, with a capital of the same name. TOMBUCтOO, a large commercial city, 10 miles from the Niger, is the capital of a populous kingdom of the same name. This city has of late excited much interest, though little is known with certainty respecting it. HOUSSA is a large city, capital of a kingdom on the Niger. BAMBARRA, situated on both sides of the Niger, is one of the most powerful kingdoms in the interior of Africa. Sego, on the Niger, is the capital, and contains about 30,000 inhabitants. AFRICAN ISLANDS. The principal islands west of the coast are the Azores, Madeira, and Cape Verd Islands, belonging to Portugal; the Canaries, belonging to Spain; and St. Helena, belonging to Great Britain. On the eastern coast are Madagascar, the Comoro islands, and Socotra, in the possession of the natives; Bourbon belonging to France, and Mauritius belonging to Great Britain. The Azores or Western Islands are 9 in number, and are situated about midway between Europe and America. The principal ones are St. Michael, Fayal, and Tercera. The soil of these islands is very fertile, and the climate healthy and pleasant, but they are extremely subject to violent earthquakes. The chief towns are Angra, the capital of Tercera; and Ponta del Gada, the capital of St. Michael. Madeira is a fertile island, and is celebrated for its excellent wine, The population is about 80,000. Funchal, the capital, contains about 15,000 inhabitants. Canaries or Fortunate Islands. These islands are 13 in number, very fertile and valuable, producing wine, grain, and fruits. The largest are Teneriffe, Grand Canary, and Palma. Teneriffe is famous for its peak, which may be seen at sea 120 miles distant. St. Helena is a remarkable island, 28 miles in circuit, surrounded by high precipices of basaltic rock. The rocks rise in some parts almost perpendicular from the water to the height of 1,600 feet. The island is regarded as a great natural curiosity on account of its form and appearance. It is famous for having been the prison of Bonaparte after his defeat at Waterloo. Madagascar is one of the largest islands in the world, and is about 900 miles in length. It has a very diversified surface, and a fertile soil, and is inhabited by various native tribes. AMERICA. TABLE I. Population of the principal divisions of America. Note. In the above estimate of the population of America, the savage or unsubdued Indians are not included. Their numbers are not known. The total population of America, including the Indians, is uncertain, but may be estimated at 35,000,000. |