356 OBSTACLES TO CIVILISATION OF AFRICA. ch. xiV. 



Of the entire African continent it may be truly as- 

 serted that, with the exception of the small portionsheld by 

 England and France, its condition, for at least thirty cen- 

 turies, has been either stationary or positively retrograde. 

 The main cause that has maintained unbroken the long 

 night of barbarism throughout so vast a region must be 

 sought in the physical obstacles that prevented the ruling 

 races of the world from extending their power southwards 

 from the shores of the Mediterranean. For a time it ap- 

 peared that the Saracen conquerors of North Africa were 

 destined to spread the light of a relatively high civilisation 

 over a great part of the continent. But that race is efifete ; 

 it is gradually losing ground ; and it remains for the na- 

 tions that claim to lead the van in the onward march 

 of the human race to undertake the work that awaits 

 them. 



