The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-03-08
EXPLORATION Oh THE- EXTERIOR
40 or ATnICA.

'uc oi the missionaries 10 Liberia hicly
made an cNplorine tour Of 22l milo, On foot
into The interior lie pas,od through thirty
villages of the Gonlas, Dogs, Qucaks and
Coudocs. In his rcporltG- SapAs
"Snyi q rouniry NJ WE passed through IN
that missionary tour, | have not seen surass-
81 ~ rithrr of tho iltccu Nc-t India Islands
which hayc visited from Trinidad 20 Torto.
IN aud thc Virgin Island. Tie nm elevated
mountainous country, Range. Of mountains,
running most generally parallel with the line
of coast-trom Northwest 10 Southeast
zap before the delighted eve or the traveller.
convincing him that BE- - no longer ia the
li,nd OF burning sands aud lplctcrious swamps,
such efarc encountered in proximity with
the shores but in quite another region And
such are the gradual unduhtions Of iis surface
a. would greatly facilitate the objects of ag-
riou),"rr Thrrrorc few, Il any, very steep
notwithstanding like the bold, prccniitous
mountains of our eastern States. Beautiful
aud extensive valleys lie Mt the base Of these
mountains which gently slope down the lev
81 country lying between them.
1T i. wei wntcrcd country During the
eight hours travel which we were frequently
obliged TO perform in q day, We ncycr walked
more than two tours or two and half with
outooming 81 somr beautiful stream of cool
awl. very pure water either n tributary of
the 81 pfuls or some other of thcmn0y
smaller rivers which intcrscct that African
Canaan. And here it may he proper to add
that nav attention was directed to an cxamin-
alton of the adaptation OF these streams to-
the purpose of machinery sitcs for mills, &C.,
aud hesitate not to affirm, that within the
Gnulah country cspccially,any number Of the
most eligible. situations NAV hc found, whore.
-ALAnl LIA-~11uring the year, good water pow
or may hc obtained, for any Of the purposes
watch an cntorpri-ing community, ogricul-
turi-ts and mechanics nAX require--AIa; i.s.s-
ncy inexperienced in the very middle of the
dry season, and yet we found plenty of water
in the different streams.
lit is a well hmhered- lanl-T l.paaql,-4n
extensive forest Of acres Of miles which lay in
our rctrrn route. was so struck with the 81
glntic trees of immense height, which ycprcd
their towering head, and united their luNu-
riaut foliage in forming above ms one dense
and rich canopy, that called the attention
OF TIE colorcd minister's of the Liberia Nnnu-
al Methodist Conference who accompanied
me, 10 this evidence of the richness of the
country which God had given to the Airi-
cans and to which their exied brethren were
invited by so many powerful considerations.
\ Il 4
kept at the time with scrupulous 'cXactness,
Eaae4,l- az /. g l. = +rrt tu circumference
o( many of them within six feet ofthc ground.
Lot mo remark, that the variety and superb
or quality Of the wood found in these forests,
and indeed all along the borders and around,
the settlement OF Libcriu, from Grand Cape
Mount to Cape Palmas, or Maryland, cannot
be excelcd anywhere within the Torrid
Zone. From species of poplar, soft and a.
dopted 10 all the purposes for which the white
pine is used in America, mp to the teak, n
variety of mahogany, a beautiful species of
hickory very abundant at Cape PalnaIs, the
iron wood, the birthstone, susceptible of a
polish for furniture ofsurpassng beauty and
many others, in almost endless supply may bc
found.
"It is exceedingly fertile soil. The I'M
mensc underground Of shrth and vino inter-
woven around the giants Of the forests, so
thick su impenctrablc, without much effort,
and thrungh which foot path only conducts
the traveller, is the best proof Of this. Bnt
the grains, roots, fruits, vines Of the tropics,
all concentrate here, aud ,uay be Kissed with
Il degree OF comparative ease, A rapidty OF
growth and an abundance. almost Incredible.
Ihayc stood erect rndcr the Sranchcs Of
rSilolr trne ina G0ulah viilagc,as they spread
f~cth FROM the main trunk, laden Win bolls
and Supported by forkcd sticks 20 prevent
tthcir heing broken down by their own weight.
found pseIsarinp that the trrf- cc4rrs
eel a,slaco OF tciritot in diameter. On OK
alniuiug the staple, as the rpenca bols burst
into maturity 1t was found "a good aud equal
ia ilir hmmtss uf'its fibre 90 the cotton ofany1