442 
SOUTHERN AFRICA. 
One of the last letters that has been received 
in England, is dated from Cassange, the 13th 
February, 1855, and is descriptive of the pro- 
vince of Angola. Speaking of it he says : — 
" It possesses great fertility and beauty, and 
its capabilities, both agriculturally and com- 
mercially, are of a very high order : indeed, I 
do not fear contradiction, in asserting it to be 
the richest in resources in Western Africa. 
u As I have now had the advantage of pass- 
ing through the province twice, and have ho- 
nestly endeavoured to obtain correct knowledge 
of the country, I venture to give you my im- 
pressions, as not calculated to mislead any, ex- 
cept those whose general views of the world 
are much more gloomy than mine. 
" As we proceed from the coast inland, the 
country, except in the vicinity of rivers, pre- 
sents a rather arid appearance. There are not 
many trees, but abundance of hard coarse grass. 
But the low meadow lands, of several miles 
width, lying adjacent to the rivers, are suffi- 
ciently fertile, and yield annually fine crops of 
sugar-cane, different vegetables, and manioc, 
(the staff of life through all this part of Africa,) 
also oranges, bananas, and mangoes of excellent 
quality. 
" Proceeding Eastwards, we enter on a diffe- 
rent sort of country, abyut longitude 14° East. 
