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Religious Denominations, &c.

Present State of Religion, &c.

Trade; but the settlement was destroyed by some French ships, and afterwards given up to the British government. Mr. Nylander is chaplain of the Colo

mines, Mongearts,* Foulahs, the extermination of the Slave Jaloots, Feloops, Mandangos, and many others, as far interior as the Great Desert. Most of these are Pagans, except the Foulahs, who are Mahometans, as are also the wandering inhabi-ny; and in 1811 the Wesleyan tants of the Desert. The Fou- Methodists sent out Missionaries lahs are a very powerful nation, thither. and make war on their neighbours to procure slaves for the Europeans. Population 4,000,

000.

Nigritia, or Negroland, and the coast of Guinea,

Runs far across the continent on the North side of the great chain of mountains, and furnishes, as well as Guinea, a considerable portion of victims for the slave trade. Some of these parts are very populous, as they must

* A Jew is not suffered to enter this country under pain of being burnt alive.

be

The Church Society for Misisons to Africa and the East have stations at Bashia and Canofee (both on the Rio Pongos) where they have erected Churches and founded Schools. The governments of Great Britain and the United States have lately entered into a Convention for the purpose of effecting a total suppres sion of the slave-trade, on the coast of Africa, so long the bane of that degraded country. In this design it is expected that all Christian nations will concur. Should this measure succeed, and the present attempts to establish colonies of civilized coloured people, on the western coast, be found practicable, the prospects that Africa may become civilized, will be more favourable than they have been for ages.

Religious Denominations, &c.

be to furnish, as it is said they did, 100,000 slaves annually to the West Indies. The king of Benin, who possesses but a small part of this territory, is said to be able to raise an army of 100,000. Widah is also very popu lous, and Haussa has been said (falsely no doubt) to be more populous than London. The French have agreed to give up the slave trade north of Cape Formosa. Population six millions.

Present State of Religion, &c.

South West Coast.

South Western Coast. This includes the Kingdoms In the 15th century some Porof Loango, Congo, Angola, and tuguese missionaries persuaded the extensive country of the Ja- the King of Congo and his subgas, and many other tribes as far jects to receive the Roman Cathsouth as the Damaras. The Por-olic Religion; and they were tuguese sent Catholic missions to some of these countries as early as the 15th century; and some converts have been made to their Christianity, but in general this part of Africa is involved in Paganism. See Negroes. Population, three millions.

Damara, Namaquas, and Coran

nas.

followed by some others; but they soon revolted again to Paganism, and have not yet been visited by Protestant missionaries.

DAMARA, &c.

Orlam Kraal, and more recently Bethesda.

The Missionary Society (of The Damaras are divided into London) have two settlements in five tribes; those who reside the Namaqua Country, Pella near the coast are very poor, and and Mr. Schmelin's station on the many become servants to the Orange River; also one among Namaquas farther inland some the Corannas, called : become rich in cattle (the only riches of those countries) and upon the death of such, the horns and bones of the animals they have consumed are laid upon their graves as trophies. They are naturally mild, and treat their prisoners with humanity. The Namaquas are known to have 10 tribes, and the Corannas 15. [Campbell.] Population one million.

Religious Denominations, &c.

Colony of the Cape. Calvinists, and chiefly Dutchmen: the settlement having been peopled from Holland; but general toleration prevails under certain restrictions. The population in 1810 was ascertained to exceed 81,000, of whom 50,000 were Hottentots or slaves.

Present State of Religion, &c.

CAPE.

The United Brethren have long had two flourishing Settlements in this colony-one at Groene (formerly Bavian's) Kloof-the other at Genadendal (Gnadenthall) or Grace Vale.

The Missionary Society (of London) have several settlements in these parts-viz. at Stellenbosh (between the Moravian Stations)-at Tulbach or Rodesand, where Mr. Vos resides at Zurbrak near Zwellendam-at Hooge Kraal in George Drosdy and, towards the east end of the Colony, at Bethelsdorp near Algoa Bay, which was founded by Dr. Vanderkemp: but as this last has been found an inconvenient situation for a Mis

Boshesmen's Country, and Caf-sion, a new Settlement has been

fraria. The Boshesmen, or Bushmen, are a wild nation with no settled

formed farther East (on a spot and called Theopolis, which may pointed out by the Governor) abode, who traverse the country principal missionary station of at present be considered as the to the extent of 8 or 9 degrees of this Society in South Africa. An longitude, and plunder whenever they can find opportunity; exists here, and another in Graaf Auxiliary Missionary Society The term Caffraria, or the land of Infidels, was probably given to limit of the Colony towards CafReynet, which approaches the this country by the Arabs, and it fraria. Here resides Mr. Kicheris certain they are in the rudest state of Heathenism; but their er, the minister, and the 3 concountry is far more populous than England in 1803, 4; a great reverted Hottentots, who visited that of the Bushmen, or the Co-vival of religion has recently rannas. These nations, with the taken place in all these stations : inhabitants of the Cape, may and several African Preachers form a population of one million. Governed by chiefs. (one a Hottentot) have been ap pointed as Itinerants to assist the European missionaries.

Griquas, Bootchuanas, and other neighbouring Nations.

GRIQUAS.

The same Society have a misThese are numerous and pow-sion at Claarwater, now called erful, the city Latakoo alone has Griqua Town, where King Gika about 8000 inhabitants and the and his people profess great capital of Makquanas is 3 times respect for Dr. Vanderkemp,

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