AFRICA SINCE 1S88 
1 1 3 
one hundred inclies a }’ear, causing a hot, moist atmosphere and 
a luxuriant vegetation. In this region the population is densest, 
from the abundance of fruits and the ease with which life is sup- 
ported. There is also a heavy rainfall in the mountains of Abys- 
sinia, on the northwest coast of the ^Mediterranean and on the 
southern and southeastern coasts, the rainfall diminishing toward 
the central and western ^^arts of South Africa. As the rainfall 
diminishes, the native jDopulation decreases. All the other con- 
tinents have great rivers, forming waterways to and from the 
interior. Africa has but one such river — the Niger. The Nile 
and Kongo are, however, among the most remarkable rivers in 
the world ; the Nile, for its history and inundations; the Kongo, 
for the great number of its branches, navigable for small vessels 
for several thousand miles. On this river and its branches there 
are from forty to fifty stern-wheel steamers and about 100 sta- 
tions, Avith from 600 to SOO white men in charge. 
The Avhole trade of Africa, excepting that of Cape Colony and 
the Mediterranean, is monopolized by great companies, and 
where these do not exist, by smaller traders. This trade is most 
profitable to Europeans, consisting largely in the exchange of 
cheap cotton goods, beads, copper wire, in limited quantities, 
and of rum, brandy, old arms, and ammunition, in large quanti- 
ties, for ivory, india-ruV>ber, and other products. 
The total amount of the annual exports and imports of Africa 
other than from the Mediterranean and exclusive of gold, silver, 
and diamonds is, however, scarcely equal to the annual foreign 
trade of one of the large ports of the United States. 
From this rCsume it appears that Africa produces abundantly 
in the equatorial provinces, where the white man cannot live; 
that there are not any good waterways from the interior to the 
coast and fcAv good harbors when it is reached ; that the only 
articles obtained from the natives are elei)hants’ tusks and the 
fruits that grow spontaneously; that the only way of moving 
products to and from the sea is by caravans, a slow and ex- 
pensive method, precluding any extensive commerce. From this 
it follows that the value of eipiatorial Africa is and must be for 
a long time very small It is possible to build railroads into 
the interior of efpiatorial .Vfrica, for one or two are now in opera- 
tion in Portuguese West Africa, one is in j)rocess of construction 
around the falls of the Kongo, and surveA's are being made in 
eastern Africa, both by Englaml and by (lermany, and in north- 
Avestern Africa by France; but it is doubtful if there is now suf- 
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