Africa^ its Past and Future. 109 



The trade with these countries is carried on by European com- 

 panies under royal charter, with quasi-sovei-eign powers for ruling 

 the country and governing the natives, as well as for trading with 

 them. England, Germany, and Portugal subsidize steamship 

 companies which make regular trips along the western coast, 

 stopping at the different stations. 



From this statement it will be seen that England occupies the 

 healthiest portion of Africa (Cape Colony), the most fertile val- 

 leys (the I^ile and the Niger), the richest gold-fields (Gold Coast 

 and Transvaal) ; that Portugal comes next, claiming the most 

 desirable portion of equatorial Africa north of Cape Colony and 

 south of the Kongo, but that it is unable to colonize this country, 

 which will inevitably fall under the control of England ; that the 

 French claim Algiers and Senegambia, and are contending with 

 England for the trade of Timbuctu and the upper valley of the 

 Niger ; that Germany, after vain attempts to penetrate the in- 

 terior from Kamerun and Angra Pequena, has planted her flag at 

 Zanzibar, and has determined to contest with England the lake 

 region and the great plateaus of Central Africa ; while Italy, 

 imitating the other states, tries in vain to obtain a footing on the 

 Red Sea, worthless if obtained. 



Population. 



The population of Africa is roughly estimated at 200,000,000, 

 — about 18 to a square mile, as against 88 in Europe. It is sup- 

 posed that Africa was originally inhabited by the Hottentots, or 

 Bushmen, who are now found only in soiith-western Africa, and 

 by the Pygmies or Dwarfs scattered about Central Africa, who, 

 some say, belong to the same group. This group is noted for its 

 dwarfed stature, generally under five feet ; but whether their size 

 is natural, or due to privation and scanty food, is not certainly 

 known. The Hottentot language is distinct from any other 

 known form of speech. The Bantu occupy the greater part of 

 Africa south of the equator. They probably formerly inhabited 

 north-eastern Africa, but were driven from their homes by the 

 Hamites. The Bantu resemble the Negro in their general char- 

 acter, color, and physique, but their language shows essential 

 differences. There are countless tribes of Bantu, each tribe hav- 

 ing its own language, yet there was originally a primeval Bantu 

 mother-tongue, from which all the dialects of this immense region 



