Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1858-03-04
African Discoveries,

IN looking at u map of the African contincn
enc Is immediately struck with its impertection
that is tosay, so few places are marked uoon il
ana all the central portion is described as Il,
. uneXploFed REGION and in castine the ev,
over it, the word :" desert is frequently s,,n
from tins, and many other causes. mostly tra
dihonal, thelworld has been in the habit Of "a
gardlng the central portion of Africa az q gioan
'lo waste OF sand, on which a tropic sun was
ever SHINING and where the only breeze that ey
ef waited over its plains was the deadly sirococ
Or SIMEON. Gradually, but slowly, these ideo.
nave been losing ground, and the reading and
ln4ufinjs portion Of the community here and in
Great Britain are anxious to know more aboo+
this portion Of our globe. of which tba;r ma
conceived notions were 50 very crude.
| Munso Park, James Bruce. and Gordon nm
ming have all told such marvellous tales of rich
plains and verlant hills, rivers and inland seas
that people have put them down as, at least ro-
mancers; but at last the time has come whom
all their accounts of beauty and fertility a,e
coffootfated, and the idea of African deserts
mas received, in great measure its deatb-blow
rom two gentlemen whose travels are now he
lore the world one of them, Dir. Livingstone.
missionary, and the other DR.. Barth. a med.
cal man, who was sent out, VIC believe. by tba
British government, to make an Official raro,t
OF his discoveries and researches The former
gentlemen has chiefly explored Western Africa
and has discovered vast inland sea flake
Nsam1. Generally he found the land rich and
reftl'e' and the Inhabitants hospitablc, but not
too aneh given to the arts Of peace. Tn near
ly the whole district through which. for oh,ut
ten years, he has been travelling, the inbabit-
ants were pagans. DR.. Liyingstone's book con
talns much valuable and interesting information
and is full Of exciting Anecdotes, and pleasant
details Of the manners and customs of the tr;l,ps
who entertained him; but it is to DR.. Bartb.s
travels in North and Central Africa tbat wa
must turn for practical nfornation. He tells
as that there is uninterrupted water communiea-
ton from the Bay Of Bafra to the great Lake
lsad, (or as it is spolt on the mars. rchadl nv
means d the rivers B-nuwe and Kwara. mo
'anks of both of these rivers are lined with
'lilasSas inhabited By peaceful and industrious
'atNes, who raise cotton, tobacco, and uegro
'ofh there IS some attempt ut ornament in
heH clay-ouilt houses, and altogether they are
n II far more advanced state of civilization t,a,,
generally supposed. The country is extreme
J beautiful, fertile, and well-waterad .,d j.
very way suited to the production of tboso
'"''S Wn'cA require II warm sun. The gane-
al description Of all travellers has been: :. Beau-
'ill plains, woll-wooded slopes, park-like scene
y anu other expressions of similar innor+
IS u climax, Africa has proved TO be rich nat
'ffen fertile, not sterile; and all that sbo
anus 10 develop her resources is the improving
anu OF the white man, to teach her present
vners the arts of civilization.
we should not be surprised IT, in less than {
ty years steamboats,, were plying on her rivers
ID tracks Were being laid for railways. for /
ere Is little doubt that now her resources have ii
eh made known, it will not be lone beeora i
me enfsrprislng Yankee goes off to find appli- b
lions iof them; and no matter who it NAV be t
SNAIL wish every pioneer, from wherever he d
,f's' VINO goes to spread civilization among the h
ID tribes of the desert, or more peaceful deni- a
~ y ol 'he plain, q most hearty and earnest =
Success be with you.''