iifj Isert^s tmvelf. jiprii ^, 



REVIEW. 



Isert''s travels in Africa. 



-Mr Isert, sometime surgeon in the Danifh settlements in 

 Africa, has lately publifhed at Copenhagen, an account of 

 what fell under his own observation while in that part of the 

 country, which serves to represent it in a point of view 

 somewhat different from what is commonly believed in 

 Britain. At the present period, when every thing that 

 comes from Britifh pens respecting Africa may be suspec- 

 ted of exaggeration on one side or the other, it is to be ho- 

 ped that the observations of an intelligent foreigner, who 

 has taken no part in the present disputes respecting the 

 slave trade, will be listened to with attention. His obser-, 

 rations relate chiefly to the nature of the country, its soil , , 

 climate, \3c. and the manners of the people. In all cases 

 he writes without pafsion, and seemingly without preju- 

 dices of any sort. His residence, when in Africa, was for 

 sometime at Christianburg, on the river Volta ; and af- 

 terwards at Whidah ; and it is to that part of the coast o£ 

 Africa that his observations apply. 



From every thing that occurs in this narrative it appears, 

 that the Danifti officers on that coast live in good intelli- 

 gence with the natives. He represents the climate favour- 

 able, and thj fields exceedingly fertile, productive of fruits 

 and grain, abounding with innumerable flocks, not to 

 mention fifli and game, which can easily be obtained. 

 Springs of water, he says, are rare (zX. Christianburg,) 

 but they find an easy way of supplying that defect by a 

 kind of filtration of sea water. "They have only to dig in 

 the srnds on the sea fliore a pit eight or ten feet deep, at 

 the distance of an hundred and forty, or an hundred and 

 ughty feet frQia the sea. This reseivoirj by little aad 



