Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-07-10
From the .lfricon Repository.
AFRICA.
ClvlI. GEOGRAPHY

sis cpmpa riso,r. and deduction, to reduce them
simplicity, order and uniformity, that tho weakest
NAV shy al this is plain aud easv that the great
ingenuity of the man, may even deprive himself OF
fhe credit OF any ingenuity. IT, would, however, be
visionary hope, that such result could be attained
with regard to .trican Civil Geography so nit-
merous, diversified and buried IN Oblivion are
the which have led to- the present civil state
OF Africa and blended together and confoundcd,
the innunrcrable civil characteristics OF that con-
tuent, that scarcely any thing satisfactory can be
expected, except minute and particular details, which
would not be at all consistent w,t the brcSity OF tins
article. The subject, IN rs very aspect, is about as
comprehensive by the savage African, as b. the
snmnate philosopher.
Africa, az il respects it's civil character, may be
divided into two great portions, of which the scpa
rating boundary, though somewhat Huctuating lies
at present, the line of the Senegal, Niger, and
Mountains ot The Moon The Northern portions, by
tbs. Excursions of the Turks. Moors, and Saraccns,
mas been visited and o"er:pread by species OF cviif-
cation, o5sc,Fc; diigraccd, and dcfurned by hume
rous traits Ut more than savage har6arity. The
Southern por ton though cursed with much OF the
influence OF these maraudcrs is still in the posses
sion or power of the hborgin'. of The country; and
The name of Krrdcs is applied to ii .ir Northern per-
secutors IL name which is Mt once outawed, hatred.
and despised The hard hearted Mussuiman, draw.
ing from heaven the sanction Of his horrible cruel
ties, PiouS'y hunts them in their villages and native
wfds, aud without mercy distinctions, destroys
tim, drags them iuco the miscrcs of oppression,
AMI perpetual scrvltule. Fortunately, the profess
sion oflslanism, saves them from the Disgrace OF Sa
very, though not from the hand OF the DESTROYER
rs foloWGrS ut MahOmot thnv NAV not h% cnSIt ed,
ait they may still be oppressed and suhduad and like
domestic dogs, be compelled to hunt and destroy
their kindred and their courtryinen
"1Iresc supersitions," says Maltc Brun, were
merely rtillct!ioas. Vengeance and brutality, howe
Ncr gave blIth to others Of horrible and a,rocous
nature. The prisoners Of war from adjoining
tribe, were sacrificed the tgmbs Of those against
whom they had fought. Believing in Tia. necessary
cpnneXion between moral powers and visible Objects
these barbariaus were persuaded that by devourng
the bodies of then enemies they became ubued with
.fe courage Of the deceased. Cannibalisrl Arising
from the rltcs OF the hideous altar, aud at first limit
led to- trcse rites, converted into j capri
tlons taste-a demand of luxurious appetite" They
IN many places suppose that death is always the et
1ect of poison or enchantmcut and the supposed
thor of the mischief, Immediately sold ae slave.
IL ashant"e three or tour thousand victims often
sacrificed a: the death Of of the principal people,
IN order that in the other world, he may have res
inctable suit Of attendants.
While describing the disgusting AMI the horrible,
which prevail so very extensively III Africa, IL wall not
~ considered amss notice tie tribe Of Gayus which
issupposed by some still to cX list somewhere in the in
terror. They were horde OF wandering maraulers,
and were properly considered, entirely outlaws,
even i'll Africa. They kept up their numbers by vo
lnnteers and by children stolen at the proper age,
to be educated iii all their atrocities Their own
children, avoid necessary trouble were destroyed
They lived entirely by robbery, and devoured the
still palpitatIng hearts of their victims, order to
increase their courage and tcrocty Many tribes,
however, particularly the Western coast, are re-
presented by Golhcrry and others, rs docle, amiabe
ana hANpy Though supersttions they arc notstrong-
y attached to thor sperstitiore, aud would readily
be converted to the doctrines of the Christian faith
The ascendcncy which has b zen Obtained oyer them
by the disciples of Mlhonet, proves the facility with
which Christianity might DC promulgated among their
tribes.
Their judicial trials consist chiefly OF some species
Of ordeal, among which, may be numbered, the use
Of fire aud hot water, and the drinking of decoction
of various kinds of bark and herbs by which, least,
The fate, if not the guilt OF the individual is decided
1t Is supposed that those who prepare and admins
ter the m yturc, we'll acquainted bcforehand with
the ensuing result Those convicted in this or any
other way even of the smallest theft doomed at
least, TO hopeless slavery.
The are still in their infancy. In the vicinity
of the Colony OF Liberia however, tlc natives
!cture cotton cloths leather and iron, and in other
se2ionS, the art of casting gold ornaments and
sels, is pFactlsed with much skill and ingenuity
In others, rude blacksmith is regarded superior
being; the plough is generally uukuown the palaces
of kings the huts ofsavages, often adorned with
human skulls, and even with human heads, fresh and
bloody, which constitute also the payements in and
about them; and the productions Of foreign skill are
viewed wtali the feelings of admiration and aston
ishmcnt.
The governments of Africa, both in their form and
mode OF administration, exceedingly diverse, an;
greatly changeable. Military despotism. however,
its torms spreads It's lark and bloody wings
over almost the whole of Africa IN tie Mahometan
states long reign and peaceful death rarely occurs
In other places also the tenure Of power is exceed
luy precarious.
Commerce is carried on to n very considerable ex-
tent, though there is very little facility in the
of conveyance. The camel is very properly callcj,
the ship of the African deserts. Commerce is al
most wholly Internal. The traders are usual formed
into large companies. called caravans, varying in
number, from two three hundred, thousand.
From Cairo, three caravans go into the interior of
Africa to SEMINAR, the other To DarHr. These
two travel only Nv two orNhree years. The
ntncr to Mourzouk, is the largest. and generally per
forms an annual journey. II is the mcdju,a of com
TnUniCatIOn between Cairo and all the countries of
interior and western Africa. From Fezzau, two
great caravans 90 to the South, TO Bornou, and
the other TO Cashna The last and greatest caravan,
Is that from Morocco. by the way Of Acca Ta,ta,
TO Ternhuctoo
The exports from Africa, mostly the unwrought
productions of nature. Slaves are, and ever have
BEEN the principal articles, and do more than any
thing else, to keep in existence, the commerce Of
Africa.