AF11ICA. 



61. The Tell and Sahara. The northern zone, included be- 

 tween the ridge of Mount Atlas and the Mediterranean, is a band 

 of fertile country, generally called the Tell, probably from the 

 Latin word tellus, the earth. South of this is a vast band, 

 running east and west, about 1800 miles broad, comprising Sahara 

 or the great desert. This extensive surface consists of tracts of 

 sandy and stony soil, rarely producing vegetation, and, when it 

 does, of the most scanty description, with the exception of certain 

 spots appearing here and there in this ocean of desolation, like 

 islands of fertility. These are called Oases, and depend for their 

 productiveness on local springs. 



62. Valley of the Nile. On the west this desert not only 

 descends to the verge of the ocean, but is continued with the same 

 character for many miles beneath its surface and beyond the 

 coast. On the east, it descends by a series of sterile terraces 

 to the valley of the Nile, where the soil suddenly acquires 

 a high degree of fertility, which character it retains throughout 

 the whole extent of country between the Nile and the Red Sea. 

 The entire valley of the Nile, from the skirt of the Desert to the 

 Delta, and from the right bank of the river to the Red Sea, has 

 been celebrated in ancient history for its general fertility, a 

 character, nevertheless, which is not altogether without exception, 

 an example of which is presented in the tract over which the 

 route between Cairo and Suez is conducted. 



63. The central Belt of Africa, immediately south of the 

 great desert, has quite a different character, being both fertile 

 and populous. 



64. The fourth zone, lying south of this, is almost unknown, 

 except on its seaboard. It is supposed to consist of an extensive 

 and elevated table-land, with lofty mountain-ranges rising out 

 of it, from which character it is distinguished in geography as 

 High Africa. 



65. The southern zone of the great African peninsula con- 

 sists of a triangular area, the vertex of which projects into the 

 Southern Ocean, and is terminated by the celebrated Cape of 

 Good Hope. This part is diversified by hill and valley, and is 

 naturally fertile, supplying extensive pasturages. The native 

 tribes which inhabit it are the Hottentots and Caffres. The 

 English colony, originally Dutch, has been generally confined to 

 the southernmost part of the angle, but has a constant tendency 

 to push their territory further north, thereby coming into contact, 

 and frequently into conflict, with the natives. 



66. The coasts. It has been already observed that the coasts 

 of Africa are singularly destitute of all projections and indent- 

 ations, and, consequently, ill-adapted for commerce. For the 



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