The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1857-01-22

meet Sir Roderick Murchison and other
sdrans, in order to prepare corrected maps
OF Southern Africa, for the meeting Of the
Royal Geographical Society. 1t is singular
that the Doctor has found the old maps Of
Africa more accurate than the modern ones
lie has found large portion OF that space
which is represented by blank in South
African maps TO consist Of fertile countries,
inhabited by populous tribes, and interspers-
ed by large rivers.
1t is most important to observe that the
farther he travelled into the interior of AZ
rica, the more civilized and numerous he
found the inhabitants. They were less fe-
rocious and suspicious, had better and more
settled forms Of government, and more wants
than the tribes which lived nearer the sea
coasts. He met with tribes in the interior
who practised inoculation, and knew the
medicinal virtues Of qunine, although they
did not administer it IN the concentrated
form as prepared in Europe; and moreover,
! they had n tradition of Noah's deuge.
They traded in ivory and gold, which were
sold by one tribe to another until these ar.
ticles reached Europeans on the sea coast
| The number of large animals Of the chase
which DIR. Livingstone met with between
the 9Th and 22d degrees of south latitude
was perfectly marvellous. They find their
subsistence upon extensive plains of coarse
herbage, which, together with the abundant
water melons, enable both man and beast
TO travel in Africa. Many tracts in that
country, however, cannot be traversed on
account Of insects that sting beasts Of bur
den to madness. The doctor describes the
fear of African wild beasts to be much
greater in England than Africa.
| The chief documents which Dr. Living
stone had prepared relative to his travels
and discoveries he unfortunately lost while
crossing an African river, in which also he
nearly lost his life; but he has stores of
memoranda of the utmost interest rs 10 the
ethnology, natural history, philology, geog.
raphy, and geology Of the African CONT
nent
DIR. Livingstone received hearty recep-
ton at the Geographical Society on Mon
day evening, and was presented with the
gold medal Of the institution.
On the 18th, public reception was Civ
en- by the friends and admirers of Dr. Liv.
ingstone, to that gentleman, at the Free
mason's Tavern, Great Queen street. The
Earl of Salisbury presided and after seve.
raj complimentary speeches had been deliv-
cred, 1t was moved by the Rev. DIR. Waugh
an, seconded by the Hon. a. kinnaird, NJ.
T.: That this meeting presents its most
cordial congratulations to the Rev. David
Livingstone, Ii. d., on bis safe arrival in
his native country, after an absence of six.
teen years, occupied III missionary labors
and travels in South Africa. 1t ertertains
the highest admiration of that Christian
benevolence, courage and perseverance by
which he was animated and sustained
throughout his extended and perilous jour
neys IN those hitherto unexplored regions;
and the meeting hereby devouty acknow-
ledge the mercifu providence of God, bv
which DIR. Livingstone was befriended and
preserved amidst the manifold dangers and
gigantic difficulties Of his noble enterprise,
and by which his sclf.denyng and indefat.
iga6le efforts to open channel for tue in
PRODUCTION OF Christianity, with its unnum.
bered blessings, to the Enlightened millions
Of South Africa, have been crowned with
the happiest success" The reverend doctor,
in the course Of long and eloquent speech,
returned thanks, and the meeting separated.
The Commercial Gazette of Port Louis,
Mauritius, contains an outline of lecture
traveller, in which he gave an interesting
description of the pecularites. climates,
vegetation. and population Of Africa. The
lecturer sad that the first or eastern zone,
was distinguished by much more humid
climate than either Of the others This was
caused 10y the prevailing winds being east.
/ erly. The inhabitants were athletic, tall
aud brave. The second or middle zone
was comparatively fiat and arid. The in
hahitants, called Bechuanas, though origi.
nal!y al The same stock as the Catfres, are
not so well developed physically, and though
as fond of cattle and agriculture as the CAT.
fres, are by no means so brave people.
They are divided into upwards of twenty
tribes, and live in towns governed by he.
/ reditary chieftains, who maintain their pow
er by system OF espionage and rearing
cattle
Allusion was then made by the lecturer
to the rain doctors, who were chiefly adven-
;ureTs from other tribes. They resorted 10
all sorts OF devices to gain time, in the hope
that clouds might collect and permit them
to gain credit by bringing their operations
TO a close just at the moment when rain
commenced. They were then sure of lib
eral reward. In Africa, where rain was
sometimes of SO much importance, prophetic
antlcipations respecting it were much looked
to. The Bechuanss were generally frugal
and industrious. They were fond of show
and glitter. AS much as GaO had been
given for superior English rifle. The
women were not well treated by the Bech-
uanas or Caffres. They were, however,
complete mistresses of the houses and the
produce of the garden. A man did not
dare to enter his wife's hut in her absence
The middle zone was nearly flat and very
sandy, but it was not desert, like portions
Of the north Of Africa. There was abund-
ant vegetation, but water was very scarce
I'll L. IL