The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-14
POPULATION OF AFRICA.
Increasing Slowly, Owing to War and
the Slave Trade.

New York Sun
In letter from Emin Pasha, written at
Mpwapwa while ON his way TO the great
lakes, he said the trade route from Zanzi-
bar TO Tanganyika, after being closed for
two years by the war between the Ger
mans and the Arabs, was open again. He
was meeting thousands of carriers collected
in large caravans, who were bearing
great quantity of ivory to the coast
The other day dispatch announced
that Tippu lib had started for Zanzibar
with 1000 porters loaded with ivory. This
is undoubtedly the largest caravan that
has ever travelled to the sea in the
equatorial regions. For years Tippu
Tbs caravans have been the largest on
the road between Central Africa and the
coast, but his present expedition Is at least
twice as large as any he has hitherto dis
patched from his ivory collecting grounds.
The British trader, Mr.. Stokes, while
ago piloted q caravan of over 1000 carriers
TO the coast. The increasing trade between
Central Africa and Zanzibar is clearly
shown by the fact that such caravans as
these were unknown until within the past
few years.
Now and then we are surprised by new
testimony regarding the density of popula-
ton IN some parts OF Africa. Captain
try behind the German protectorate of
Togo on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea,
has just reported his visit to Jerrapa,
hitherto unknown town. Sud
denly coming within sight of it as he
assembled hill, he says he was astonished
to see the huts stretching away in straight
lines as far as the eve could reach. During
his stay he ascertained that the town con-
tanned at least 900 large huts, represent
ing probably population of $500 people.
In two or three DAYS steamlng up
the Tchuapa river, Grenfell and Won
Francois counted in that remarkable
region, which they were the hrst TO
visit, about 1900 huts, scattered thickly
over the hillsides and along the banks Of
the Congo, along the east and west routes
further south which Wissmann and Wolf
followed, and in not a few other localities,
equally remarkable reports of the density
OF population have been made.
Very wild estimates have been given by
some explorers of the population of Africa.
In the opinion of such conservative writ
ers as Mr.. Ravenstein, who does not ac-
cept the figures given by some travellers,
the continent must contain at least III 900. :
900 inhabitants. Strange as il seems the
population of Africa to the square mile
Is nearly as great as that of North
America, and Levasseur, the French
ssatlstiClaH, makes III even greater Nearly
half OF our continent Is practically unIn-
habited, while almost the whole of Africa,
which is much larger than North America,
is inhabited, even the Sahara desert having
many thousands of residents. Owing TO
intertribal wars and the slave trade, it is
believed the population of Africa is in
creasing very slowly if at all.
The fact that equatorial Africa is, for a
torrid country, quite thickly peopled, seems
to bear out the statement of many travellers
that its climate ismore endurable than that
of most equatorial regions. The millions
who live there are in striking contrast with
the exceedingly sparse population of the
great Amazon valley. The reason of this
larger population is undoubtedly the fact
that equatorial Africa is for the most part
an elevated plateau, while the Amazon
valley lies only few hundred feet above
the level of the sea, until the foothills of
the Cordilleras are reached.