Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-09-24

company, from whom it was captured by
the British in 1895. This IS the country of
the Caiircs and the Hottentots, of whom in
teresting accounts have been furnished by
Bar ow, Valiant, and others. The colony
OF the Cape OF Good Hope was founded by
the Dutch in 1850, under the direction of a
surgeon named Nanriebeck, and served as a
convenient place tor reftsing ships bound
to India Ii is inhabited by about Ii, 900 Eu-
ropeans and $4,000 slaves; and produces
very delicious wine, known,by the name of
the Cape or Constantia wine
OF the EASTERN COAST of'Africa, We
ry little is known. The Portuguese are the
only Europeans who have e5tab 'jshcd them
selves teere. which they s-rHr virtue of
their discovery of the passage TO India by
the Cape of GoodHope. Having no rival
i'll that quarter, they have exercised autho
rity in very arbitrary manner. This tract
of country includes the districts of Mono
niotapa, Sofala, which is Thought to be the
Ophir of Solomon Mozambique, Zangue-
bar, Melinda. Bravo, Magadoxo, AbysSinia,
Nubia, &c The forms of gov ernment a
mang the natives on the Eastern Coast, are,
in general monarchical, or despotIc but
they are almost all tributary or dependent
on the Portuguese.
The INTERIOR of Africa has been either
very little visited by travellers, or is alto
gether unknown. All that we know with
certainty is, that it is overSpread, in various
parts, with arid deserts, frightful beasts and
uncivilized men. The Interior comprehends
Sahara, or the Great Desert. which is Sub
divided Into the districts ofZarhaga, Zuenzi-
ga, Targa, Lemta and Berdoa the country
OF Tombut, Fezzan, Cashna, Bornou, Oar
four, the greaterpari of Caffrarla, Monumu
81, &c.
In 1883, there was formed in London
society for encouraging discoveries in the
Interio- of Africa. This Society dSpatch-
ed several missionaries into that country :
of these, the first soon died; the second
furnished very little information that was
authentic but the third, Mungo Park, has
published interesting Yecitals Of his discove-
ries; which he prosecuted i'll the years 1895
1896 and 1877. Park set outfrom the mouth
of the river Gambia, traversed the space
between the Gambia and the Senegal, and
proceeded as fa: as place called Sila,
sea-ed On the river Niger, whence ne re
turned, by devious route, to the place
from which he started. In Subsequent e21-
petition, Park IS supposed to have perish
ed; as no authentic accounts have ever
been received from him.
In 1881, valiant undertook 20 explore q
portion of the African continent \ He set oul
, fren, the Cape 81 Cood-4oy - p1retra-
ted considerable distance NJ lbc co,;s,-
tries of the Hottentots and CaRT Hehas
| furnished some very curious H24iculars OF
/ the customs AID manners of tlsbss people.
Browne, another traveller, departed from
| Cairo, in Egypt, assembled the Nile to 81
cut, and divfrging tothe right cfthat river,
! passed along the skirts OF Nubia, and reach
| ed as far as a place called GubDeh.
| Bruce is another traveller INTO Africa, oil
| great celebrity. Eetraversed Nubia to Sen
mar, and PROCEEDED, in search o! the sources
of the Nile, through Abyssinia, where nc
! ai!edgcs that he found them.
In 179S, Hornmann prosecuted travels
| into Africa crossing Egypt towards BarCa
| and proceeded as far as Mourzook, the ca
| pital of Fezzan.
| There are many Islands that appertair
| to the continent of Africa. liz the Western
Ocean are Madeira, the Canaries, Cape-de-
| Verbs, Goree, Ascension, St. Helena, &c
! In the Eastcrn Ocean are Madagascar, the
Isles of France and Bourbon, Of Comora
and some others.
| Notwithstanding the aTidity of the Afri
can climate, the discoveries which have beef
I made, indicate that many parts Vi the Int
| rior are fruitful, and might, with industry
| and knowledge, contribute to the Comfor
! End happiness Of III inkind 'lhe interior
of that continent, the Coasts and Islands o
which now serve chiefly for resting place!
/ and ports of refreshment, may, il is hoped
in after-times, when more fully explored, be
come scene Of the fairest virtues and tht
noblest actions of the human race.