Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-08-13
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The Interior Of Africa,

This is yet almost terra ii,cognia We know Eu-
rope pretty thoroughly. Asia has been travelled in all
its length by civilized travellers. With the geography
of America we may call ourselves familiar. But how
little do we know Of the vast continent which lies al
most wholly within the tropics and of which the great
or part seems efecually shutup against the advan-
ces Of civilization as if it were upon another planet
Indeed, the "Mounains of the Moon" would be sub
ect to more accurate observation were they situate
upon the satellite from which they derive their
The efforts Of civilized travellers have been for centu-
res directed to the recesses of this continent vet four
ths off is blank upon our maps Its whole centre is
one broad uneXpored region and the information OBJ
tanned by recent travellers is Of the most aggavating
kind, showing us mines of wealth which it is mpossi-
bic to work. Before giving the result of these dscov-
cries, let us look upon Africa the world has known
it, and as 1t may be familiar to most of our readers
Egypt an old and worn out country in its antiquities,
one OF the most interesting places the continent,
occupies small portion Of the northwestern border
The river Nile has been explored to its source by
Bruce and other travellers who have given us some Gu
nous facts The Barbary States occupy the northern
portion bordering on the Mediterranean. South this,
and stretching from the Nile to the Atlantic, is the
great desert of Zahara. Along the whole western
coast are small establishments factories for trade in
slaves golddust, ivory, palm-oll, and other commodl-
ties. This trade has been nearly monopozed by the
English until lately but now American enterprise has
taken large portion of it out Of their hands On this
coast the settlements of Sierra Leone and Liberia
established as colonies for emancipaed Slaves but
both, we have reason to believe; are in wrctched
condition. The English possessions are at the Cape
of Good Hope. On the eastern shore there are u
number Of independent soyeregntes, which carry on
a limited trade. The lmaum of Muscat is prince of
considerable enterpnzc. Quite recently, the English
have made a settlement at Alden, near the mouth of
the Red Sea. Having once obtained foothod, they,
Engllsh-llkc, began to push about them, and one OF
their first discoveries was a river, where none was
marked upon any chart, and up this they streamed
300 miles, without the least obstruction Having now
passed round this continent let us look into the interior
For h0fa century the English government has been
eXpendlng lives and treasures in partial exploration
They have found that this whole tract Of country is
one of amazing fertility and beauty Astounding in gold
and all sorts OF tropical vegetation There are hun
dreds Of woods invaluable for dyeing and architecture
al purposes, not found in any other parts Of the world
Through it, for thousands of miles, sweeps river
from three to six miles broad with clear water and
unsurpassed depth, flowing on at the rate of or three
miles an hour, without rock, shoal snag to interrupt
its navigation. Other rivers pour into this tributary
waters in such volumes as must require hundreds OF
miles to collect them yet they seem scarcely enlarge
it. This river pours its waters into the Atlantic thro
the most magnificent delta in the world, consisting
perhaps OF hundred mouths, extending, probably five
hundred miles along the coast and mostly broad deep
and navigable for steamboats, Upon this river arc
scattered cities, some of which are estimated to con
tain million of inhabitants, and the whole country
teens with dense population Far in the interior, IL
the very heart of this continent is nation in an ad
vanced stale of civilization The grandeur and beau
ty of portions of the country through which the Ngc
makes its sweeping circuit, are indescribable. II
many places its banks rise boldly many thousand fee
thckly covered with the richest vegetation Of tropca
cmes. But all this vast and sublime country TIN
scene of rich fertility and romantic beauty is apparent
y shut out forever from the rest of the world. 1t Il
the Negroes sole possession He need not fear the in
cursions of the white man there; for over this whole
lovely country broods one dread malaria, and to thu
white man it is the "valey of the shadow of deah"-
In expedition after expedition sent out from the Eng
fish ports on the Island of Ascension, not one whit
man in ten has returned alVe-a have fallen victim
to this seemingly beautiful but awful climate. 1t seem
impossible for an Englishman to breathe that air s.
dreadful is it, so small the chance of life, that criminal
have been offered pardon, on condition of volunteering
IN this SERVICE terrible than that of gathering tn
poison from the tabled Upas. This country, temptin
as it is only be penetrated at the risk of life and
: is melancholy to think, that those who have given u
the meagre information that have, did so at the sac
nfce Of their lives,-Smonfs Colonial Gazette.