afterwards, the same year, by a British fleet under Lord Exmouth. The population is variously estimated from 100,000 to 200,000. Constantina is on a rocky peninsula formed by the small river Rummel, 160 miles E. of Algiers. It occupies the site of the an. cient Cirta, celebrated as the bulwark of Numidia, and is still a strong town both by nature and art. The population, according to Hassel, is 100,000.

Oran is a strong town 170 miles S. W. of Algiers. It was in possession of the Spaniards between 1509 and 1708. The population is about 20,000. In 1790 the city was almost destroyed by an earthquake, in which many of the inhabitants perished.

Bona is a sea-port in lon. 7° 45' E. 66 miles N. N. E. of Constantina. It has a good harbor and carries on considerable trade. The population is about 8,000. Boujeiah is a considerable seaport 80 miles E. of Algiers.

Population and Government.] The population, according to Hassel, is 1,800,000. The government is a tumultuous and ill-regulated despotism. The dey is elected by the soldiery, or rather, when a vacancy occurs, the boldest and most popular seizes the sovereignty, which he is either allowed to retain, or is strangled to make way for a more fortunate rival. The soldiers are generally Turks and are about 12,000 in number.

Navy.] Two centuries ago the fleet of the Algerines equalled that of the first maritime states in Europe, and the ferocious and lawless manner in which this great power was exercised, rendered them truly an object of terror. They attacked the vessels of all Christian nations indiscriminately, and condemned their prisoners to the most galling slavery. For some time past, however, their navy has been declining, and a few years since contained only 8 frigates of from 36 to 50 guns each, and 10 or 12 smaller vessels. In 1816 it was almost annihilated by the English and Americans, and the dey was at the same time compelled to liberate all his prisoners, and to agree to the perpetual abolition of Christian slavery in his dominions.

Commerce.] The maritime commerce, till within the last 30 years, was chiefly in the hands of a French company, established at Marseilles. They had formed establishments at Bona, and several other places on the coast of the province of Constantina, particularly with a view to the extensive coral fishery, carried on near that shore, and which is capable of employing annually above 100 boats. They exported besides, wool, bees-wax, ship timber, ostrich's feathers, corn and hides, to the amount of nearly $200,000 annually. During the long war between England and France the French lost this branch of their commerce, and in 1806 the British government stipulated with the dey of Algiers for the possession of the ports which the French formerly occupied, agreeing to pay for the privilege $50,000 annually.

Biledulgerid. This name is given to an extensive region situ ated immediately south of Algiers and Tunis, from which it is separated by the Atlas mountains. It forms the transition from the fertile plains of Barbary to that desert of sand which covers so

large a portion of Central Africa. The only product is dates. The inhabitants are wandering Arabs, who are under a nominal subjection to the states of Algiers and Tunis.

5. MOROCCO.

Situation and Extent.] Morocco is bounded N. by the straits of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean; E. by Algiers; S. by the Sahara and W. by the Mediterranean. It extends from 29° to 36° N. lat. and contains, according to Hassel, upwards of 300,000 square miles.

Divisions.] The empire of Morocco comprehends the former kingdoms of Fez, Morocco, and Tafilet. Fez and Morocco border on the coast and are fertile and populous; Tafilet lies on the east side of the Mount Atlas chain, and its soil, though at first fertile in dates and wool, passes gradually into the Sahara.

Chief Towns.] Morocco, the residence of the sovereign, is situated in a pleasant plain, at the foot of the Atlas mountains, in lat. 31° 37' N. 120 miles from the sea. It is surrounded by a wall, 7 miles in circunference, and is said to have contained formerly 700,000 inhabitants, but the population has been reduced by wars and the plague, and is now estimated at only 30,000. The city still retains numerous temples, splendid mosques, and other vestiges of its ancient grandeur.

Fez, the capital of the former kingdom of Fez, and the most splendid and populous city in the empire, is about 200 miles N. E. of Morocco, in lat. 34° 6' N. It lies in a valley, which is sur rounded on all sides, except the north and north-east, with lofty hills, the higher parts of which are covered with orange groves and orchards, forming a delightful amphitheatre. A river winds through the valley, refreshing the flelds, turning various machinery, and supplying the city with water. The city formerly contained 700 temples and mosques, and was held in such veneration by the Mahometans that when the road to Mecca was shut up, pilgrimages were made to Fez, as a city almost equally sacred. It was no less famous for its literary institutions, at a time when knowledge was almost exclusively in the possession of the Saracens. Its numerous schools for philosophy, physic and astronomy were resorted to by Mahometans from all the neighboring countries. There are still some remains of these institutions, but the studies are confined to the Koran, the first principles of grammar, and the antiquated logic and astronomy. The population is estimated at 100,000.

Mogodor, the principal sea-port, and the centre of almost all the commerce with Europe, is 120 miles west of Morocco. It is built on a low, sandy soil, and is surrounded on all sides, for several miles, by a desert of flying sand. The population is about 10,000.

Tangier is a sea-port on the straits of Gibraltar. The situation is favorable for pirates, who may here easily surprise merchant ships that are incapable of defence. The number of inhabitants is 10,000. They supply Gibraltar with provisions.

Sallee is a famous sea-port, on the Atlantic coast, almost due west of Fez. It was formerly the strong hold of the Moorish pirates, and immense depredations were committed from it upon European commerce. Here are still to be seen the traces of an immense and dreary dungeon, formed under ground, for the reception of the unfortunate captives. The importance of the place is now much diminished, the harbor being injured by the accumulation of sand.

Government.] The government is the most absolute despotism on the face of the earth. There is no check whatever upon the will of the sovereign. Life and property are disposed of according to the caprice of the moment. Some of the monarchs have even considered an adherence to their engagements as an unlawful check upon their power. "Takest thou me for an infidel," said one of them to a foreigner," that I must be the slave of my word."

Population, Army, &c.] The population, according to Jackson, who refers to the imperial registers as his authority, is 14,886,000. Others reckon it at only 5,000,000. The standing army consists of 36,000 men, a large proportion of whom are negro mercenaries, the emperor having found them more faithful than the Moors. The navy consists of 10 sloops of war, of from 16 to 30 guns each, besides 14 smaller vessels.

Manufactures.] The most celebrated manufacture is morocco leather. Silks, cottons and carpets are also made to some extent. The exports consist of corn, wool, goat skins, oil, wax, ivory, gums, almonds, &c. The value of these articles annually exported from Mogodor is estimated at more than 500,000 dollars. Caravans proceed regularly from Morocco to Mecca and to various parts of the interior of Africa.

WEST AFRICA.

Situation.] West Africa includes all the countries lying on the coast of the Atlantic between the tropics. The northern part of this tract is occupied by the Sahara or Great desert, which extends to the coast for some distance south of Morocco. The southern part also, including all below lat. 16° 5' S. is uninhabitable for want of fresh water.

Rivers.] The principal rivers north of the equator are, 1. The Senegal, which rises in the mountains of Kong near lat. 11° 50' N. and lon. 7° W. and flowing in a N. W. direction for about

1,000 miles, discharges itself into the Atlantic through many mouths near lat. 16° N. 2. The Gambia, which rises also in the mountains of Kong and discharges itself into the Atlantic under lat. 13° 30′ N. after a westerly course of 600 miles, for 400 of which it is navigable for sloops. 3. The Rio Grande, which fails into the Atlantic about 200 miles south of the Gambia, after a course of 500 miles. 4. The river Sierra Leone, which falls into the Atlantic in 8° 20' N. lat. 5. The Mesurado, which rises in the mountains of Kong, and running in a S. W. direction, discharges itself into the ocean under lat. 6° 25′ N.

The principal rivers south of the equator are, 1. The Congo or Zaire, which falls into the ocean under the parallel of 6° S. lat. Its sources are unknown. It has been supposed by some that it was a continuation of the Niger, and under this impression an expedition was sent from England in 1816, under Capt. Tuckey, to explore the river. He ascended in a sloop 120 miles, and on foot 150 miles further, but meeting with insuperable difficulties was then obliged to return. 2. The Coanza, a considerable river, which falls into the Atlantic under lat. 9° 30' S. Its sources are unknown.

Climate, Soil and Productions.] West Africa lies wholly within the torrid zone; and the climate, especially during the rainy season, is in many parts dreadfully fatal to Europeans. The soil is generally fertile and yields all kinds of tropical produce in abundance.

Slave Trade.] The coast of Africa has for three centuries been the seat of an extensive slave trade. The ships of European merchants, during that period, have carried off annually thousands of negroes, and sold them to American planters. This abominable traffic has been recently either abolished or greatly restricted by every civilized nation. The British have declared it felony, and the Americans, piracy; and both these nations employ ships of war to cruise along the coast and enforce the ohservation of their laws. The French, Spaniards, and Portuguese have also agreed by treaty to abolish the traffic, but such are the impediments thrown in the way, partly by the want of good faith in the governments of these nations, and partly by the address and determined wickedness of the slave traders, that all the efforts of the British and Americans have hitherto been unavailing, and the slave trade is now carried on to as great an extent as ever. The number of slaves taken from the coast of Africa in the year 1818 is estimated on good authority at 60,000.

Divisions.] The country is divided into numerous petty kingdoms, which are commonly classed in the following manner. 1. Senegambia, which extends from the Sahara or northern limit of West Africa to the parallel of 10° N. lat. including within these boundaries the country watered by the Senegal and Gambia, from which rivers it derives its name. 2. The coast of Sierra Leone, which extends from the borders of Senegambia to the river Mesurado, and is intersected nearly in the middle by the river Sierra Leone. 3. The coast of Guinea, extending from Mesurado river

to cape St. Catherine in lat. 2° 20' S. 4. The coast of Conge, sometimes called Lower Guinea and sometimes the coast of Angola, which takes in all the rest of the country as far as cape Negro in lat. 16° 5' S. where the uninhabited shore commences.

1. SENEGAMBIA.

Productions.] There are many fertile and well watered tracte in this country which would yield the sugar cane, cotton, maize, rice, tobacco, and all the tropical fruits in abundance. On the banks of the Senegal grows the Baobab, which frequently attains the circumference of 60 and 70 feet and is the largest tree of the forest. But the principal articles which attract Europeans to this coast are its gum, gold, ivory, and slaves.

Inhabitants.] The inhabitants consist principally of 4 races of negroes. 1. The Mandingoes, whose original abode was in Central Africa near the sources of the Niger, but they have now spread themselves through all the countries on the banks of the Niger, the Senegal, and, above all, of the Gambia, and have become the most numerous of all the races in West Africa. They are a very gentle race, cheerful in their dispositions, inquisitive, credulous, simple and fond of flattery. Their language is more refined than that of their neighbors, and is the language of commerce through a great extent of country. All the adjoining districts, indeed, are traversed by troops of Mandingo merchants, resembling in their habits and manners the Arabian caravan traders 2. The Foulahs are also very widely diffused. Their original seat was near the sources of the Senegal, but they now possess populous and powerful kingdoms on the Niger, the Gambia, and the lower part of the Senegal, besides detached districts in many other places. They are Mahometans, but do not observe the rules of that religion with strictness, and are perfectly tolerant towards those of other sects. Their chief employment is pasturage. They are industrious, hospitable, and humane, and particularly celebrated for the mildness and politeness of their behaviour; so that in many places it is considered infamous to injure a Foulah. 3. The Feloops inhabit an extensive country, situated on the southern side of the Gambia. They are a wild, unsociable race, and have little direct intercourse with Europeans, the trade with them being generally carried on by Mandingo factors. 4. The Jaloffs occupy most of the country between the lower part of the Gambia and that of the Senegal. They profess the Mahometan religion, but combine with it many of their ancient superstitions. They are the handsomest negroes in this part of Africa, and are considerably cultivated. They excel the Mandingoes in the manufacture of cotton cloth.

European Settlements.] St. Louis, the capital of all the French settlements in Africa, is on a barren, sandy island in the Senegal, about 10 miles from its mouth. The population is estimated at