WESTERN AFRICA. 



845 



the members, and in riding it hangs over the pummel of the saddle. It is the fashion, also, at 

 Bornou, to wear seven or eight loose garments, and a turban of vast dimensions. At the Eng- 

 lish court, long trains, and hooped petticoats, distort the human figure little less than these 

 fashions at Bornou. 



Among the Arabs, it is the female whose eslimaiion is much increased by bulk. To be fat 

 among them is to be beautiful, and mothers cram their female chilrjren as geese are fattened in 

 England. The process, though painful, and often enforced by blows, is generally successful ; 

 and a perfect beauty with the Moors is, according to Park, a load for a camel." 



The Moors, which have so much sway in Africa, may be described as cruel, bigoted, mali- 

 cious, and treacherous ; studying mischief, according to Park, " as a science," and eminently 

 successful in their studies. They live by plunder and extorlicn. They have little cheerfulness 

 and few amusements. The chief amusement of the negroes is dancing, which they often keep 

 up, like their enslaved countrymen in America, during the whole night. It is a pleasing sight 

 to see a whole village, thus engaged by moonlight, under the trees. The instruments most in 

 use are the guitar with 3 strings, a harp with 18, and a smaller one with 7. There are two 

 kinds of drums, one of which is large, and used to spread an alarm. kSome of the dances are 

 peculiar. In Bornou, the female dancers suddenly turn their backs to each other, and thus 

 meet with much violence, endeavoring to destroy each othei 's equilibrium. 'J'he successful 

 one is much cheered. Just before the expected concussion, one dancer will sometimes step 

 nimbly aside, and leave her opponent to seat herself with considerable force upon the giound. 

 Sometimes, also, the smaller party, that would suffer in the shock, suddenly drops down, 

 leaving the larger to tumble over her. The negroes engage much in wrestling, at which they are 

 very expert, and would probably carry ofF the honors of any ring in Europe. They approach 

 each other on all fours. Boxing is common ; the blows are given with the right hand, and 

 warded off with the palm of the left. It is a favorite trick with the boxer to get his antago- 

 nist's head under his arm, and to bruise it in that situation. 



27. Education, &c. The education in Central Africa includes but the reading of the Ko 

 ran in x\rabic, and this degree of knowledge is rare. The religion is the Mahometan, which 

 ^ is rapidly spreading, and Fetishism, which includes a belief in charn.s, conjurations, and divi- 

 nation. The governments are many of them of a patriarchal kind, but undergo many changes ; 

 and deposed Sultans are said, by Denham, to be as common as bankrupts in Europe. The 

 duoty is the magistrate of towns, and the place of assembling is the beniang, a stage, or some- 

 times a tree. The palavers are judicial meetings. In some places there are trials by ordeal. 



23. Industry, &c. The inhabitants are much more civilized and industrious than the ne- 

 groes of the coast, and they have formed large states with regular govcrnmems. Goldsmiths, 

 weavers, tanners, blacksmiths, and other skilful artisans are found among them. Many of them 

 hunt elephants and rhinoceroses for their teeth and horns, gather gums, collect gold, kidnap in- 

 dividuals of neighboring tribes, whom, with their other articles of merchandise, they barter for 

 arms, silks, ornaments, salt, &c., with the caravans from Egypt, Barbary, Nubia, and the sea- 

 coast. 



CHAPTER CXXX. WESTERN AFRICA. 



1. Boundaries, Extent, and Divisions. This territory is bounded north by the desert of 

 Zahara and Nigritia, east by Nigritia and unknown territories, and southwest and west by tl.e 

 Atlantic. Its limits are undefined, but it may be described in general terms, as extending 

 from about 16° N. latitude, southward nearly to the tropic of Capricorn. The most general 

 divisions under which the country is known, are those of Senegumbia, Guinea, Congo, Angola, 

 and Benguela ; these include many subdivisions and independent districts. 



2. Senegambia. This territory is the most northern of the districts of Western Africa. 

 It is bounded north by the Desert, east by Nigritia, south by Upper Guinea, and west by the 

 Atlantic. It is for the most part flat and sandy. IMagnlficent forests of tall trees are scattered 

 over the face of the country. The palm, the cocoa, the tamarind, bsnana, fig, date, and the 

 butter tree are all indigenous. Oranges, lemons, and limes also abound. l?epiiles are numer- 

 ous. The climate is exceedingly hot ; the east winds, which reach this country after sweep- 

 ing over the burning surface of Central Africa, are almost insupportable. During the whole 

 year, the heat of the sun at noon is intense ; the thermometer is sometimes at 131° at Senegal, 

 From June tc October, heavy rains fall. This region is watered by the Senegal river, which 



