m 



AFRICAN ISLANDS. 



yellow. The island is well watered, and though the soil is not the most fruitful, yields plenty 

 of tobacco, rice, fruit, cotton, indigo, sugar, and cloves, and feeds a great number of cattle, 

 deer, goats, and sheep. It was formerly subject to the Dutch ; but the French gained pos- 

 session of it in 1715. By the English it was taken in .1810, and is still in their possession. 

 Population, 100,000, three fourths of whom were slaves, previous to the general emancipation 

 in the British colonies. 



6. Bourbon is situated about 300 miles east of Madagascar, and is about 90 miles in circuit. 

 There are many good roads for shipping, round Bourbon, particularly on the north and south 

 sides ; but hardly a single harbor, where ships can ride secure against those hurricanes, which 

 blow during the monsoons. Indeed, the coast is so surrounded with blind rocks, sunk a few 

 feet below the water, that coasting is at all times dangerous. On the southern extremity is a 

 volcano, which continually throws out flames and smoke, with a hideous roaring noise. The 

 climate, though extremely hot, is healthy, being refreshed wilh cooling gales, that blow in the 

 morning and evening, from the sea and land ; sometimes, however, terrible hurricanes shake 

 the whole island almost to its foundations ; but, generally, without any other bad consequence, 

 than frightening the inhabitants. The island abounds in springs and brooks, and produces 

 aloes, white pepper, ebony, palm, and other kinds of wood, and fruit-trees. Many of the 

 trees yield odoriferous gums and resins, particularly benzoin of an excellent sort, in great plen- 

 ty. The rivers are well stocked with fish, the coast with land and sea tortoises, and every 

 part of the country with horned cattle, as well as hogs and goats. Ambergris, coral, and the 

 most beautiful shells, are found upon the shore. The woods are full of turtle-doves, perro- 

 quets, pigeons, and a great variety of other birds, beautiful to the eye, and pleasant to the pal- 

 ate. The French first settled here in 1672 ; and, though they were dispossessed of the island 

 by the English, in the last war, they regained it by the treaty of peace. Population, 100,000, 

 most of whom are slaves. 



7. The following islands lie on the western coast. The Guinea Islands. In the Gulf of 

 Guinea are several islands, the largest of which are St. Thomas., Prince''s Island, and Fernando 

 Po. The first 2 belong to the Portuguese. On Fernando Po, the British have formed a 

 settlement. 



8. St. //e?ena stands entirely detached from any group, and about 1,200 miles from the 

 nearest land, on the coast of Southern Africa ; latitude 15° 55' S. ; longitude 5° 49' W. It 

 is 10^ miles long, by 6f broad, and about 28 miles in circumference. It presents to the sea, 

 throughout its whole circuit, nothing but an immense wall of perpendicular rock, from 600 to 

 1,200 feet high, like a castle in the midst of the ocean. There are only 4 openings in the 

 great wall of rock which surrounds St. Helena, by which it can be approached with any 

 facility. These are all strongly fortified. The climate is moist, and liable to strong gusts of 

 wind. The principal plain in the island, called Longwood, has become celebrated by the resi- 

 dence of Napoleon, who died here in 1821. His tomb is in a secluded recess, and is sur- 

 rounded by a fence, inclosing a piece of ground containing weeping willows. St. Helena was 

 granted to the English East India Company, by Charles the Second, and still remains in their 

 possession. It is frequently resorted to as a place of refreshment, by vessels returning from 

 India. Ascension is a small island, situated to the northwest of St. Helena, in latitude 8° 8' S., 

 longitude 14° 28' W. It is entirely barren and destitute of water, but has an excellent har- 

 bor and abounds in fish, sea-fowl, and turtles. It is occupied by the British government as a 

 military station. The island of St. Matthew lies north of Ascension, in latitude 1° 24' S. 



9. The Cape-Verde Islands, further north, are so called from a cape of that name, near the 

 river Gambia, over against which they lie, at the distance of 300 miles. They were first dis- 

 covered in 1460, by the Portuguese, and are about 20 in number ; but some of them, being 

 only barren, uninhabited rocks, are unworthy of notice. Sant-Iago, Antonio, and Nicola, are 

 the most considerable. One is a mere volcano, and is therefore called Fogo. The air is fre- 

 quently very hot, and, in some of these islands, very unwholesome. They are inhabited by 

 Europeans, or the descendants of Europeans, and negroes. 



Sant-Iago is 140 miles in circuit, and is the most fruitful ; yet it is mountainous, and has 

 much barren land in it. Its produce is sugar, cotton, some wine, Indian corn, cocoa-nuts, 

 oranges, and other tropical fruits, plenty of roots, and garden vegetables ; but the plant of most 

 consequence, is the madder, which grows in abundance among the cliffs. Praya is on the east 

 side of the island, has a good port, and is seldom without ships, those outward-bound to Guinea, 

 or to the East Indies, often touching here for water and refreshments. 



