New-York daily tribune., 1854-07-18
: WESTERN AFRICA.
THE KINGDOM OF YoRuBA.
s,eae ess o-s ccn~psrdsnt :,

nm
Som. II is bounded thc West by Dahoni and
Man; on the North by Borgu and Topa or Nuf, on
the East by Kaksnda and lebu, and on the South By
Ecba and Ikstsr. The extent is about 80 600 square
miles; the population perhaps 1000, but in the opin
,cn Of some considerably more. The principal towns
with their probable population, are Ilorrin 100000
Ihadan 50000. Ishakki 40, 900, Iiaye Iksh and Ag
toinrsLaw IS, 900 each; Igboho, Ifeh and Aggaw-o-
iN or Awyaw, the capital 25, 600 eacb Ishabbch, L.
anna Ise Ideb, and Idoko 90 900 each; aud besides
these there numerous towns and villages contain
ing population varying from few hundred TO ten or
Efeen thousand.
The snrface of the country is chiefly gently undu-
sfing plain rising almost imperceptbly from the sea
I'LL il attains an elevation of than 600 feet In
places there heavy forests, but the plains
mcftly open and resemble praires covered with tall
grass and few scattered trees Very often, however
these trees numerous to give the country the
appearance OF grassy woodland. From the plains OF
tie interior there arise numerous rugged and abrupt
lllg which sometimes six eight hundred feet in
hight These are the Kong Mountains. They are not
here disposed in a continuous chain, but in detached
masses and short ridges. The scenery often exceed
iLgly bcsutful--mountains of naked granite, steep
wooded hills rocks piled upon rocks in grand conf
sion, lovely valleys winding among oyerhanging nights
and level praires ornamened by scattering trees and
iutcrseetcd by streams OF clear water The soil of
Yoruba and Of Western Africa generally is rather pro-
dactive than exceedingly fertile. Travellers who have
entertained different opinion have erroneousiy sup.
Itftu thai IuAufjUHi covering Ol NfcuH
grass indicates soil capable OF producing crops
equally luxuriant in many places the land is really
poor On ayersge ii is about as productive as in
most parts of the United states In few places tIs
veryrich. have seen farms which were ISeraly
stocked by the luxuriance of the Indian corn ana
where the average hight OF the Sea Island cotton was
about 1U feet.
Yoruba abounds in streams of clear and prre water,
which generally flow rocky beds and iorin hiie-
rous rapids There few bold springs and no lakes
ha ar > . N.
depth, and the water is never cool IN them or the
springs. None of the rivers Gre large. Inc lerlwa
and it's tributary the .Idi which water the western
part of the country only about 30 H. wide. Ihe
Ogun in the central parts Of the Kingdom IS from lOo
to 5O yards width and too deep to be ored in the
ruiny season. Ii receives many tributaries The
OshunA in the east is said to be little wider These
larger rivers flow southwark to the and are nayga7
Bile from 100 to 300 miles, Y0ruba does not rcach to
the Niger but the boundary of Nu is this side Of
that river
The seasons in Yoruba are more favorable than IN
some other parts of Africa The former rains COM
mence about the first of March, and increase gently
till June, when they are most violent. fes even then
we sometimes have two or three dry days together.
The latter part of July, the whole OF August and the
first three weeks in September nearly free from
rain and at the time cool and pleasant. The at
ter rains fall in October and November. Then follows
the dry season till March. BY the first OF February
the rass in the prairies is brown and dry various pe
ces Of trees stripped of their leaves and many
streams are nearly destitute OF water. Three years
continued drOuth would convert the country into des-
ert. On the approach of the former rains vegetation
awakes from its repoee The fields aud prairies send
forth crop OF grass, the trees clad in leaves
of tender green and loaded with snowy flowers, aud
have oil the beauties OF Spring here in the midst OF
the tOrrid zone.
The dry season is the hottest time Of the year--the
thermometer commonly ascending 10 9oo during the
day. and sometimes to 95o. Yet when the harnattan
blows from the northeast the mercury often sinks to 7o
during the night and occasion since have been
in the country, 10 CO., This was cold weather The
harmattan does not visit us more than three or four
times during the three months OF the dry season. and
never continues moIe than day or two at time. II
is not only chilly but very dry wind. The tubes of
the hygrometer sometimes indicate difference of24o.
The usual difference is from q to g. the usual range
of the thermometer from 16o to So. 1t commonly
links 80 or A from 3'tO o'clock L. VI.
To the natives of the country the climate of I0ruja
is more healthy than that of the United States Here
they have winter pleursies pneumonias and colds,
no summer fevers, choleras, consumptions dyspep
sias and nervous disorders. stronger and more act
i've than the Yorubasi would be difficult TO find.
Both men and women, whose profession il is TO carry
loads for pay, think nothing of going sixty mites in three
successive days. with burden of 60 lbs weight on the
head. have repeatedly seen boys amusing themselves
in the streets by turning sunlmersets.
The principal diseases which have observed among
the people, rheumatism, yaws. leprosy ie'er yer
complaint and dysentery. Smallpox is common. The
patent takes little medicine for this disease bat
laws of all his clothes and passes his time mat IN
his room. Very few die under this practice, and not
withstanding every part of the body is equally eN-
posed to the light, the face only is pted.
But though the climate of Yoruba is healthy to the
native race who have been accmated for three or
four thousand years, il is not favorable to the consu
ton Of Europeans. This is not easily accounted for.
The soil is everywhere firm and dry Gin its nature,)
there swamps, the water is good, the country
open and refreshed by constant breezes, the tempera
ture uniform, aud the rains not excessive. Some TO
account for the unhealthiness OF the African climate,
have called in that universal resover of mysteries,
electricity. Others have fanced that there may be
chemical cause in the nature of the soil which
posous the air. 1t probable that the chei cause
Is some kind OF gas which is capable oil being absorbed
by water because IL person seepson board OF YES
eel NO more than half mile from the land there Is
little danger Of sickness. Neither is there much da
ger on shore during sunny day but if dozen men
should sleep ashore single night they would all be
Pretty certain to have attack of fever. closer
observation Of the country moreover disooses visible
causes Of unhealthness. The soil. though firm and
dry in its nature, ia covered by so dense coating OF
vegetation that the surface is always damp The deep
and dark forests the coast are particularly moist
and emit dsagrceable odors. Here also there are
many swaInps, especially OF manerove, psut which
Humboldt supposes to be deleterious to human health
Even on the praires the soil is seldom dry being GOV.
cred with thck-set grass from eight twelve feet in
hight Besides this the suhso in places is COM
posed Of clay, which retains the water within few
feet Of the surface the driest plains. Ii is not i'm.
possible also that the southwest breezcs NAV convey
the noxious exhalatons of the swamps and forests
near the coast to great distance inferior. These
breezes, though cooling not favorable 70 evaPora
tiOn, being often moist and always confined 20 the
lower strata of the atmosphere. As general thing,
the upper clouds cirrus lie spread out in the sSy
motioness as the moon We may add 10 all rms that
African towns have very narrow, crooked and filthy
xfreefe dirty lpaky thafche1 houses the