Introduction. 35 



meter, and, perhaps, at the poles the mean cold is 

 as low as o. 



Africa, as it were, Hands in the centre of the 

 globe, and, according to geographers, it is 43c o 

 miles long, and 3500 miles broad; and, from the 

 beft accounts we have, it is the hotted country in the 

 world. 



" As the equator divides this extenfive country 

 almoll; in the middle, and the far greatefi: part of it 

 is within the tropics, the heat in many places is almoil 

 infupportable to an European, it being there in- 

 creafed by the refledion of the fun's rays from vail 

 deferts of burning fands. The coafts, however, and 

 banks of rivers, fuch as the Nile, are generally fer- 

 tile ; and mod parts of this region are inhabited, 

 though it is far from being fo populous as Europe or 

 Afia. In many parts of Africa fnow never falls in 

 the plains, and it feldom lies but on t-he tops of the 

 higheft mountains. The natives in thefe fcorching 

 regions would as foon exped that marble ihould melt 

 and flow in liquid ftreams, as that water, by freezing, 

 ihould lofe its fluidity, be arreded by the cold, and, 

 ceahng to flow, become Uke the folid rock. 



" The annual exportation of poor creatures from 

 Africa hath exceeded ioo,oco, many of whom are 

 driven a thoufand miles to the fea-coaft, their villages 

 having been furrounded in the night by an armed 

 force, and the inhabitants dragged into perpetual 

 captivity. Thofe, who commit trefpaifes againft 

 their laws, are, at the decifion of twelve elders, fold 

 for Haves for the ufe of their government, and the 



C 2 fupport 



