310 The Interior of Africa, 



fragments of those same codices, although they' are worthy of 

 publication. May 1 be permitted to express my joy, &c. 



(Signed) " Angelo Mai, 

 ^' First Librarian to the Vatican." 

 Cicero composed his Republic (to which the above letter re- 

 fers) in imitation of Plato. It is alluded to and quoted by St. Au- 

 gustin, Lactantius, and others. The fragments that have come 

 down to us were published by M. Bernardi in two volumes 12mo. 

 1807, with a dissertation on the progress of the arts and luxury 

 of the Romans. 



THE INTERIOR OF AFRICA. 



The Marquis d'Etourville, who is at present in Africa on mat- 

 ters of private business, intends, on his return to France, to pub- 

 lish some interesting notices relative to natural history, a science 

 wherein he has made numberless discoveries, and such as well 

 deserve the attention of the learned. Ke has recently forwarded-, 

 certain memoranda which he made during his long captivity,, of- 

 wliich the foHovi'ing is a very brief analysis. 



M. d'Etourville emigrated from France to Spain in 1790; he 

 there commenced a course of medical studies, and afterwards re- 

 sided some time in Lisbon ; taking lessons in that science. From 

 Lisbon he repaired to the isle of St. Thomas, situated under the 

 Equator, at the extremity of the gulph of Guinea. He remained 

 some years in this island, whence occasionally he made excur- 

 sions into the western regions of Africa. In one of these, he 

 fortunately cured some dangerous wound under which the Mani-; 

 Congo, a prince of the country, was suffering. Having thereby 

 gained the favour of the prince, he attended him in an expedi- 

 tion or journey more than four hundred leagues in the interior 

 of the continent. 



In the course of this peregrination, M. d'Etourville traced on 

 a map the western lines of the lake Aqualinda, respecting which, 

 till then, no certaiii information had been obtained. He like- 

 wise ascertained with )irecision the geographical route of thfei 

 Zaire, with its sources, and the lakes it forms in its progress. •,■ 



In a journey which he undertook in 1800, M. d'Etourville. 

 was taken prisoner by a wandering tribe of Gijas, who are can- 

 nibals. Whatever common fame has reported of their ferocity, 

 is no exaggeration. They make war to devour their prisoners ; 

 and it is certain, as Dopper relates, that human flesh is sold in 

 their markets. The blood which they draw from the veins of 

 their living victims, is to them a delicious beverage. M. d'Etour- 

 ville remained fifteen months among these barbarians. All his 

 companions were devoured j and he must have shared the same 



fate. 



