Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-07-10
Firm the African Repository.
AFRICA.
civil. GEOGRAPHY.

mentS OF human intellect. To upon those Cohf-
pick and extensive SUBJECTS, which To common or
uncducated miud present nothing but confusion anu
incomprchcnsible divcrsity aud by means OF anay-
sis. comparison and deduction. to reduce them TO
SIMPLICITY, order and uniformity, that tim weakest
NAV saw all this * plain aud easy; that the great
ingenuity ut the man, may even deprive himself of
tho credit of ingenuity. IL would, however, he
n visionary hope. that such result couldbc attained
with regard Ia African Civil Geography. So
merous, so diversified aud buried IN oblivion
the which have led to the present civil state
OF Africa, and blended together and COMPOUNDED,
the nnunersble civil characteristics of that
tuent that scarcely any thing satisfactory can be
expected except minute and particular details, which
would not be at all consistent with the breyy Of this
article The subject in its very aspect, is about as
COMPREHENSIVE by the savage isrcaii, by the con-
sumiuate philosopher.
Africa, IL respects its civil character, may be
divided into two great portions OF which the sepa-
rating boundary, though somewhat fuctnating, hes
at prsent, near the line of the Senegal, Niger, and
Mountains OF the Moon. The Northern portions, by
the incursions Of the Turks, Moors, and Saraccns,
has been visited and orerspread by species Of civil
cation, o3scured, disgraccd, and deiormed, by hume
traits vt more than savage harbarity. The
Southern por ton, though cursed with much OF thc
influence Of these marauders is still in the posses
sion power of the AborigncS az the country; and
the name Of Kerdcs is applied to tia r Northern per-
secutors, name which is at once outlawcd, hatred,
and despiscd. The hard hearted Mussuman draw
ing from heaven the sanction of his horrible cruel
ties piovsly hunts them in their villages and native
them, drags them into the niscrcs ofoppression
and perpetual scrvitule. Fortunately, the profess
sion of fsamis, saves them from the disgrace OF sla
very, though not from the hand of the destroyer
As followers of Mahomet they may not be cnsav cJ
ont they may still he oppressed and suhducd and like
domestic dogs. be compelled 10 hunt and destroy
their kindred and their counirymcn
"rhcs2 superstitions,' says Matte Brun. ''wcrc
merely ridiculous. Vengeance and brutality. howe
yer, gave birth TO others OF horrible and atrocious
nature Tire prisoners of war from an adjoining
tribe, were sacrificed the tomhS of those against
whum they had fought. Believing i'll the necessary
conneXlon between moral powers and visible objects,
these barbariaus persuaded that by devouring
the bpdies of Ia IL enemies they became nbned with
\hc courage Of tho deceased. Canuibalism arising
from the rites OF the hdeous altar, and ct first ilml
Ted TO these rites, converted into capri
cfeus taste-a demand of luxurious appetite" They
IN maqy places suppose that death is always the e
feet OF poison or enchanmcnti and the supposed au
,nor 81 the mischief, is immediately sold a slave.
'hAsIantce thr-e thousand victims are often
SACRIFICED the death Of one OF the PRINCIPAL people
IN ordc, that in the other world, lie mey have res
pectable suit of attendants
While scrbjng the disgusting and the horrible,
hlch prevail so very extensively III Africa Will not
VIC codered amiss to notice the tribe of Giagus which
Ses, ,r Sy sosn", still to exist somewhere III the in
81 - S!ey we're horde of wandering narauderS.
even in a tr,ca considered, entirely outlaws,
ijnfoars a. 30 - ny kept up their numbers by vo-
20 be ednca.s3 ~ aW 90 stolen at the proper age,
Snhdren, TO avoid necessary trotSn- - j, - ~
They lived entirely by robbery and - ues'' y Gu
stu paipitatng hearts of their victims in - ~
increase their courage and fcrocitv. MANY Tin
however, particularly on the Western coast AFRO ro ~
presented by olberry and others as tiocile amiaba
ana happy Though supcrstitios, they are :, s.r-
y attached TO their superstitions and would rsa die
De converted to the doctrines of the Christian faith
The ascendency whic. has zen obtained owe. III ,I
by the disciples OF MIhomet proves the facility with
which Christianity might be pfomug ltcd among their
tribes
Their judicial trials consist chiefly Of some snac;a
oi ordeal, among which may be numbered thu. use
OF hre aud hot water, and the drinking of decoc ton
o various kinds OF bark AMI herbs by which al least
the tate. II not the guilt OF the individual is decided
IL l. supposed that those who prepare and admins
ter the mixture are well acquainted beforehand with
me ensuing result. Those convicted in this or anv
other way, even Of the smallest theft, are doomed a,
least, to hopeless slavery.
The arts still in their infancy In tho v;ci
az the Colony of Liberia, however the natives manu-
iactuEe cotton cloths, leather and IRON and in other
regions, the art of casting gold ornaments and yes
sells, Is practlsed with much skill and in0enuiiv-t
In others, rude blacksmith is regarded as sup.ror
Delng the plough Is generally unknown; the palaces
OF kings are the hutS of savagcs, often adorned with
human skulls and even with human heads fresh and
bloody, which constitute also the pavemen's i'm and
about tnem; and the productions Of foreign skill are
viewed with all the feelings of admiration and aston
ishment.
The governments Of Africa, both in their form and
node Of administration, are exceedingly diverse and
greatly changeable Military despotism however.
h ls various forms spreads its dark and bloody Wings
over almost the whole of Africa. ~ the Mahotnetan
states long reign and peaccrl death rarely occurs
in other places, also, the Of power i exceed
inly precarious.
Commerce Is carried on - n very considerable cy
tent though there Is very little facility in the means
oil Conveyance The camel is very properly cdleI
the ship VI the African deserts. Commerce is AL
uIoSt wholly internal the traders are usual formed
into large companies, called caravans VARYING in
number from two Or Lhree hundred to two thousand
FROM CAIRO, three caravans 20 into the interior of.
<bhca' one to SEMINAR, the other To Darfdr These
Two travel only once ~ two or three wears The
oter 10 MourzOuk Is the largest. and generally per-
iorm' M annual journey. II is the medium or com
hhhlcatIOn between Cairo and all the countries of
interior aud western Africa. From Fezzan two
great caravans n q The Sonth, one TO BornOu and
the other to Cashna The last and greatest caravan
IS thlt from Morocco, by tIj way Of A.ca or Tatta
% TOmbuctOo.
Inc exports froIn Africa, nre mostly the unwrouglt
PrOductIons Of nature. Slaves arc, and ever have
- NE principal articles, aud do more than any
I'M h.