PHYSICAL AFRICA.-POLITICAL AFRICA. 117 along the southern base of the Atlas. The only other palm of Guinea, the date-palm of the Barbary States lowland lies near the centre of the continent. and the oases, and the acacia, which supplies the gum arabic of commerce. 4. The coast is remarkable for the deadliness of the climate and for the small number of islands, peninsulas, gulfs, and navigable rivers. The entire northern coast has but one large river, the Nile; the eastern, the Zambesi; the western, the Niger, the Congo, and the Orange. A group of great fresh-water lakes lies upon the east side of the continent, some of which are connected with the Nile, others with the Congo. Lake Tchad lies in the central lowland. The Victoria Falls in the Zambesi River are exceeded in grandeur only by those of Niagara. In the extreme south is the Kalahari Desert. 5. Vegetation.-Except in the middle belt, Africa is comparatively deficient in vegetation. The tropical forests, though covering a large part of the central belt, are less dense and less extensive than those of South America. Among the most useful trees are the oil 6. Animals. Among the animals of the central belt are the elephant, rhinoceros, lion, hippopotamus, giraffe. chimpanzee, and gorilla; in other parts of the conti nent are the gnu and other antelopes, the zebra, and the hyena. The ostrich and the sacred ibis are remarkable among birds, and the crocodile and the horned viper among reptiles. Questions (I.)-1. What part of the land of the Torrid Zone is in Africa? For what is Africa remarkable among the continents?-2. What is the character of the surface of Africa ?-3. Where are the lowlands?-4. What is said of the coast ?5. Of the vegetation?-6. Of the animals? (II.)-1. What circle passes through the Great Desert? Through the Kalahari Desert? What lies between these desert belts? What does this fertile belt contain? What two other fertile belts? What is the relative position of these belts ?-2. Which is the highest plateau? Where are the longest mountain chains? What peaks do they contain? What other important ranges?-4. What is said of the rivers? Of the lakes? POLITICAL AFRICA. CVIII. DESCRIPTION. 1. Population.--The population of Africa is estimated at 164 millions. The inhabitants of the Sahara and the countries north and east of it are mostly of the Caucasian race, though much darker than Europeans. The negro race occupies nearly the whole continent south of the Sahara, and forms much the greater part of the population. 2. Government.-All the native governments are despotisms, and, except in Egypt and the Barbary States, are of the rudest and simplest description. 3. Commerce.-The limited commerce of Africa is in the hands of the white race. Caravans cross the Great Desert from the Barbary States by the lines of oases, and barter European and Asiatic manufactures for the gold, gums, ivory, and ostrich feathers of Central Africa. Similar articles from the interior are brought to the eastern and western coasts. The Suez Canal and the Alexandria and Suez Railway are a part of the com mercial systems of Europe and Asia. Questions.-1. What is the population of Africa? How is it distributed?— 2. What is said of the native governments?-3. What race controls the commerce of Africa? Describe the caravan trade. To what commercial systems do the Suez Canal and Railway belong? CIX. CAUCASIAN AFRICA. 1. Egypt.-Egypt and its dependencies, Nubia and part of Egyptian Soudan, occupy the Valley of the Nile from the Equator to the Mediterranean. Egypt pays tribute to Turkey, but is really under English protection. 2. The Nile. The heavy tropical rains in Abyssinia and farther south cause the Lower Nile to overflow its banks from June to December. The water slowly rises for three months, and as slowly subsides, In 1882, an armed rebellion against the Egyptian government was suppressed by a British army which still occupies the country, to "protect" the vast political, colonial, and commercial interests of the British Empire dependent upon the Suez Canal. 3. Government. The government is a despotism. The chief ruler is called the Khedive, or Viceroy. 4. Commerce.- Alexandria and other cities export large quantities of cotton, cotton seed, grain, and sugar. The Suez Canal, chiefly owned and controlled by English and French capitalists, is the most important maritime trade route in the world. It admits the largest steamships, and connects the commerce of Europe with that of southern and eastern Asia. Alexandria, Cairo, and Suez are connected by a railway. 5. Population.-The population of Egypt is about seven millions of its dependencies about nine millions. Most of the people of Egypt are of Arab descent; the remainder are Berbers and other African tribes, with a small number of Copts, who are descended from the ancient Egyptians. Of the Turks, the ruling class, there are about 20,000. Mohammedanism is the prevailing religion. 6. Cairo, the capital, is the largest city in Africa. Alex-. andria is the second city and largest sea-port. Port Said and Suez are at the ends of the great canal. 7. Barbary States.-The Barbary States are Morocco, Algeria, Tunis, Tripoli, and Barca. The Barbary States are so called from the Berbers, a pastoral and agricultural people occupying the Atlas region. The other principal races are the Moors, the Arabs, the Turks from Asia, and the French from Europe; all but the last are Mohammedans. The fertile valleys and slopes of the Atlas are called the "Tell," or Grain Country. South of the Tell is the Sahara, or Country of Oases; it abounds in dates. The name Sahara is also given by European geographers to the Great Desert. 8. Morocco.-Morocco derives its name from the Moors. It is a semi-barbarous country, governed by a sultan. It exports wool, hides and skins, wheat, and almonds. Fez, the largest of its three capitals, is the western depot of the caravan trade between Europe and Central Africa. 9. Algeria.-Algeria is a province of France. It exports grain, dates, cotton, indigo, and sugar. The chief cities are Algiers, the capital, Constantine, and Oran. Europeans form but a small part of the population, and are mostly in the sea-port towns. The rest of the inhabitants are about equally divided between the Berbers of the Tell and the Arabs of the Sahara, which here contains many small oases. 10. Tunis.-Tunis and Tripoli are dependencies of the Turkish Empire. They export olives, oil, grain, and dates. Fezzan and Barca are dependencies of Tripoli. Tripoli, the capital of Tripoli, has a large caravan trade with Central Africa. Tunis is occupied and "protected" by the French. 11. Sahara.-The Sahara is the most extensive desert on the globe. It is the western portion of the desert belt that extends from China to the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of rocky plateaus and mountain ridges, separated by broad tracts of gravel or shifting sand. Rain falls during certain parts of the year in the mountain regions, and oases occupy the low and moist spots. In the higher plateaus the people are said to wear furs in the winter. The general climate is intersely hot. 14. Abyssinia.-Abyssinia is the most elevated country in Africa. Many of its mountain peaks are covered with snow during the greater part of the year. The country has but little commerce, and is under the influence of Italy. Gondar, Adowa, Antalo, and Ankobar are the chief cities. Questions (I.)-1. Where are Egypt and its dependencies situated? Name the dependencies. Of what empire is Egypt a part?-2. How do the tropical rains affect the Lower Nile?-3. What is the government?-4. What are the exports? What is said of the Suez Canal? What railway in Egypt ?-5. What is the population of Egypt?-6. What city is the capital? For what is Alexandria noted? Where are Port Said and Suez?-7. Name the Barbary States.-8. From what does Morocco derive its name? What is its social condition? Its government? Its exports? Its chief trade centre? Its principal capital?-9. Of what country is Algeria a province ? What are its exports? Its capital and other cities?-10. What is said of Tunis and Tripoli? What are their exports? What is said of Fezzan and Barca? What is the capital of Tripoli? For what is it noted?-11. How does the Sahara compare with other deserts?-12. Where is the great line of oases?-13. What is said of the pop ulation of Sahara?-14. Which is the most elevated country in Africa? What is the social condition of the country? Name the chief cities. (II.)-2. Describe the effect of the tropical rains upon the Lower Nile. For what was ancient Egypt remarkable? What is the present condition of the country? In what respect does it resemble Europe?-5. To what races do the people belong? Who are the ruling class? What is the prevailing religion?-7. Why are the Barbary States so called? What are the other principal races? Of what religion are they? Where and what is the Tell? The Sahara?-9. What part of the population of Algeria is European? Who are the rest of the inhabitants?-11. Of what is Sahara a part? Of what does it consist? What and where are the oases?-12. How does the line of oases divide the Sahara? What is said of the western part? The eastern part? What other desert east of the Nile? CX. NEGRO AFRICA. 1. Coast Regions and Climate.-The greater part of the lowlands along the western and eastern coasts has a hot, moist climate. North NEGRO AFRICA: SOUTH CENTRAL AFRICA AND AFRICAN ISLANDS. 119 of the mouth of the Orange River the coast for seven hundred miles is entirely desert. * 2. Colonies. Under various names, such as colony, dependency, protectorate, occupation, and "sphere of influence," all of them. terms implying greater or less pretensions to exclusive possession, nearly the whole sea-coast of Africa and a very large part of the interior are claimed by certain great maritime nations of Europe, whose necessities impel them to seek new sources of raw material, and new markets for manufactured products. Steamers are multiplying on the great rivers and lakes of the interior, and, with a slowly developing system of adjunct railways, are gradually making these regions sure to those who thus claim them. The only countries of Africa yet remaining absolutely independent are as follows: Morocco, on the Barbary coast; Liberia, a republic of negroes from the United States, on the western coast; and, in the interior, parts of Soudan and the Sahara; and Orange Free State. As for the rest of the continent, Tripoli and its dependencies, Barca and Fezzan, belong to Turkey; France has annexed Algeria, "protects" Tunis and the great island of Madagascar, holds as colonies Senegambia, parts of the Ivory and Slave Coasts, the Gaboon, and a large part of the Congo region; Obock on the Gulf of Aden, and the Comoro Islands, and “influences" a large part of the Sahara. Total area about 2,800,000 square miles. Italy holds districts on the northeast coasts and "influences" Abyssinia. Germany has annexed Cameroons and other parts of the Upper Guinea coast; Damara Land and Luderitz Land on the southwestern coast, with a vast interior; and on the eastern coast "protects" the southern half of Zanzibar and "influences" the immense territories of the German East Africa Company; a total of at least 800,000 square miles. Portugal claims as colonies nearly the whole of Lower Guinea, all of Mozambique, together with the Madeira, Cape Verde, and other islands; total area about 900,000 square miles. Spain has as colonies the Canary and other islands, and has annexed the greater part of Sahara coast and the adjacent interior; area, 240,000 square miles. In its heavy tropical rains, extensive forests, fertile soil, and great heat, Soudan somewhat resembles the selvas of the Amazon. It contains a large number of populous, semi-barbarous states. Most of the inhabitants are Mohammedans, the rest Pagans. The religion of the Pagan negroes combines a belief in evil spirits, witchcraft, and magic charms, and is known as Fetichism. 5. Free-Trade Zone.-The Free-Trade Zone is a broad belt of country of irregular width crossing Equatorial Africa from ocean to ocean. Its area is more than 2,000,000 square miles. It is open to the trade of all nations. Congo Free State.-Congo Free State is a part of the Free-Trade Zone. It includes nearly the whole valley of the Congo and its tributaries. It is inhabited by barbarous tribes of Pagan negroes. It was organized in 1885 as a government international in character, and having for its chief objects the extinction of the slave-trade and the extension of legitimate commerce and of civilization. All maritime nations participate in its trade, and many of them are under obligation to protect it. Within the last few years the vast and hitherto unknown interior of Africa has been explored with unparalleled rapidity. Of the many illustrious explorers the most celebrated are Livingstone and Stanley. In 1871 Livingstone reached Nyangwe, a central Arab slave-trading station on Lualaba River. In 1876 Stanley passed down the Lualaba from this point in boats, and reached the Atlantic in 1877. His exploration proved the Lualaba to be the Congo, a small part of whose lower course had long been known. In volume of water discharged and in number of miles of internal navigable waters the Congo system is probably surpassed only by that of the Amazon. The 'International Association for the Exploration of Africa" was established in Europe in 1876. It sent out many expeditions, chiefly from the ⚫ eastern coast, and purchased of the natives certain rights and privileges, including sites for trading stations. Stanley's discovery showed that the Congo is a great water-way to the very heart of Africa. This led to the International Congo Conference of the great maritime nations at Berlin in 1886. An immense but irregular belt of territory stretching across the continent was declared to be a Free-Trade Zone, open to the commerce of all the world. It contains at least 40 millions of people. The rights of the International Association to a portion of the Zone were recognized and its territory formally outlined and established as the Congo Free State. The King of the Belgians, the head of the Association, was declared to be the sovereign. The capital is Brussels in Europe, with a local capital at Leopoldville, on the Congo. The area of the state is about half that of the Free-Trade Zone; population estimated at 15 millions. Only a few stations are as yet occupied. 6. African Islands.-Madagascar, a French protectorate, is about equal in area to the five North Central States of the United States. The government is a despotic monarchy. The capital and largest Great Britain has Sierra Leone, a colony of negroes rescued from slave ships; the Gold Coast, a colony and protectorate; Lagos Colony; and the Niger District, a protectorate; all on the western coast; in South Africa, Cape Colony and its numerous dependencies and neighbors, namely, Caffraria, Basutoland, Bechuanaland, a protectorate; "influences" a vast interior or "hinterland," extending north-city is Tananarivo. Tamatave, the chief port, exports cattle and eastward to Lakes Tanganyika and Nyassa; and Walfish Bay; Natal Colony and Zululand, a protectorate; "protects" the northern half of Zanzibar, including its island capital, and "influences" the hinterland to the northwestern confines of the Nile Valley; the island of Socotra is a dependency: and Egypt is "occupied." Exclusive of the last the area claimed is at least 2,300,000 square miles. Congo Free State is "protected" by many nations. Area about 1,000,000 square miles. 3. Exports. The principal exports from the eastern and western coasts, Soudan and the Congo region, are palm-oil, gums, India-rubber, spices, sugar, ivory, ostrich feathers, and gold; from the southern coasts wool, hides, tallow, ostrich feathers, and diamonds. 4. Soudan.-Soudan is a broad, fertile belt crossing the continent south of the Great Desert. The principal cities are Kano, Sokoto, Kuka, and Timbuctoo. They have a great caravan trade to the Mediterranean coasts. * In a protectorate the native ruler is continued, but a foreign "resident," with a military escort," is stationed at the court. rice. Mauritius, belonging to Great Britain, exports sugar, and is a stopping-place for vessels crossing the Indian Ocean. Reunion, or Bourbon, is a French colony. The Atlantic Islands are of small size, and are precipitous, volcanic rocks. St. Helena and Ascension belong to Great Britain. The Cape Verde and the Madeira Islands, belonging to Portugal, and the Canaries, belonging to Spain, export wine, sugar, and coffee. Questions (I.)-1. What is the character of the climate of the eastern and western coasts of Africa? What long desert coast?—2. What is said of the claims of European nations? What countries are yet independent? What countries are claimed by Turkey? By France? Italy? Germany? Portugal? Spain? Great Britain ?-3. What are the chief exports of Africa ?-4. What is Soudan? Mention its chief cities. With what coasts do they trade, and how? What does Soudan resemble? What does it contain? Of what religions are the inhabitants of Soudan? -5. What is the Free-Trade Zone? The Congo Free State? Give an account of their origin.-6. To what states is Madagascar equal in surface? What is the government? Which is the capital city? The chief port? Its exports? What is said of Mauritius? Of Reunion? What is the character of the Atlantic Islands? To what country do St. Helena and Ascension belong? What other islands? To what countries do they belong? What are their exports? Which are the chief cotton ports? (New Orleans, Galveston, Mobile, Savannah, Charleston, Norfolk, and New York.) The chief grain ports? (New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore.) What are the chief exports from Liverpool to the United States? (34) Name the articles of commerce between French ports and those of the United States. The German ports. Russian ports. Spanish. Italian. Turkish. Greek. A steamer from London to Smyrna, with an assorted cargo, touches at Cadiz, Gibraltar, and the leading ports of the Mediterranean: what classes of articles will probably constitute the chief part of her cargo? The same vessel sails from Smyrna to New York, stopping at the Mediterranean ports: what articles will she probably bring? She then sails from New York for London : what will her cargo now probably be? A steamer from New York to Rio Janeiro touches at Harper & Brothers.] St. Thomas, W. I., and other intermediate ports: what articles is she likely to carry out?* To bring back? Why not cotton? What cargoes from New York to Montevideo and Buenos Ayres? What return cargoes? How far by steamer from New York to Colon? To New Orleans? At what port do New York and New Orleans steamers touch? (Havana.) Name the chief exports of western South America. What are the chief exports of San Francisco? Where is most of the gold and silver sent? (To New York and China.) Of the wheat and flour? (To England.) With what Chinese ports has San Francisco an important trade? What Japanese ports? With what ports of Australia? New Zealand? Sandwich Islands? South Remember that the manufactures of nearly all countries except those of Western Europe, Eastern North America, and Eastern Asia are very limited. America? Mexico? Why does the steamer-route from Yokohama to San Francisco differ from the route by sail? Whence does San Francisco import most of its coal? (Australia and British Columbia.) Name six of the chief cities on the great railroad routes between San Francisco and New York. (66, 67) What are the chief exports of Tasmania, New Zealand, and Australia? To what country? What articles are probably imported in return? Where are the chief whale fisheries? Seal fisheries? Cod fisheries? Other fisheries? Whence are the chief supplies of ivory? Ostrich feathers? Gums? Drugs? Opium? Teas? Tobacco? Silk? Cotton? Coffee? Sugar? Jute? Pepper? Flax-seed? Wheat? Maize? Hides? Furs? Silver? Gold? Copper? Iron? In what parts of the world is traffic still carried on by caravans? |
