Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1849-09-20

An UNKNOWN LAND.-The English have recently
made settlement at Alden, the Red Sea- Hav-
ing once obtained foothold, they, English-ke, be-
gan push about them, and one of their first discov
cries was river where none marked upon anv
chart, and upon this they steamed 3u0 miles without
finding the least obstruction. Having now passed
round this continent, let look up in The interior.
For half century the English government have been
expanding lives and treasures in pariIa exploration
They have found that this whole tract of country is
one of amazing fertility and beauty, abounding in
gold, and all sorts of tropical vegetation. There
hundreds of woods, invaluable for dying and nrcl-
tecural purposes not found in other portions of the
world Through il for thousands of miles sweeps n
river from three 10 six miles broad, with clear water
and unsurpassed depth, flowing at the rate of two
three miles an hour without rock, shoa or sDag TO
interrupt its navigation. Other rivers pour into this
their tributary waters. of such volumes must have
required hundreds of miles be collected, yet they
scarcely to enlarge it, This river pours its
tiers into the Atlantic through the most magnificent
delta in the world, consisting perhaps ola hundred
mouths, extending probably five hundred miles along
the coat, and mostly broad, deep, and navgablc for
steamboats,. Upon this river are scattered cities,
of which estimated to contain q million of
Inhabitants and the whole country teens with dense
population.
Far in the interior, in the very heart Of the cont.
nent, is nation in advanced of civilization.
The grandeur and beauty of portions of the country
through which the Niger makes its sweeping circuit
are indescribable In many places its hanks rise
boldly thousand feet, and ibickly covered with
the richest vegetation of tropical cmes. But all this
vast and sublime country, this scope of rich fertility
and romantic beauty, is apparently shut out forever
from The world. 1t is the negros sole possession.
He need not fear the incu.sons of the white
there; for this whole lovely country moves one
dread malaria, and 10 the white man ii is the valley
of the shadow of DEATH" In expedition after expe-
dition from the English ports the island of
Ascension. not in ten has returned alive-u have
fallen victims to this seemingly beautiful country. 1t
seems impossible for Englishman to breathe that
air. So dreadful is it--so small the chance of life,
that criminals in England have been offered po rdOn
condition of volunteering in this service, terri
BILE than that of gathering the poison from the tabled
upas. This country, tempting as it is, can only be
penetrated at the risk of life. and it is melancholy to
thIk that those who have given even the meagre
information that we have, do it at the sacrifice of
their lives.
The only tolerable account which we have of this
country is published by Swiss officer in the service
of the Egyptian government who a member of
expedition fitted out by Mehemet Ali. He could
give but little account of the country, however. only
that they saw races of the most degraded negroes,
and fine specimens of humanity in other
One tribe averaged, both and women, seven feet
in stature.