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POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
the undisputed monarch of the wilds. To the west of the 
Gaboon river, in Corisco Bay, is the island of that name, 
where, as also on the mainland, the Americans have planted 
missionary stations, schools, &c. ; and this is perhaps one of the 
most promising districts on the whole western coast. 
Here the so-called “ south coast” commences, and continuing 
southward we enter Loango, a country ruled by a negro king, 
where the odious slave-trade is carried on with all its concomi- 
tant horrors. Hurrying through this dark region, we reach the 
river and the territory of Congo, ruled by a number of petty 
kings, all owning allegiance to one great king, who resides at St. 
Salvador, in the agreeable proximity of the Portuguese, who 
have recently pushed their forces into the heart of his dominions, 
and erected a fortress in his very capital — St. Salvador. 
Although the Portuguese have thus extended their colonies 
inland, the English government denies their right to occupy the 
coast, where they have attempted to levy duties upon our 
merchants, forcing them in some instances to shift their stores ; 
and it is not until we arrive at the river Loze, or Ambriz, that we 
find them in undisputed possession of the soil. 
From this point southward to about Mossamedes, the Portu- 
guese colonies extend, and at the capital of Angola, St. Paul de 
Loanda, they have regular military and customs establishments. 
An excellent account of this place will be found in Dr. Living- 
stone’s Travels, for it was here that he terminated, in the summer 
of 1855, his arduous journey across the African continent; 
and from hence he took his departure on his return to the oppo- 
site coast. 
From St. Paul de Loanda and the neighbourhood, the chief 
produce exported consists of copper ore (malachite), palm oil, 
ground-nut oil, orchella-weed, pepper, camwood, barwood, ivory, 
coffee, and hides ; and were it not for the difficulty in conveying 
merchandise to and from the ulterior, of which we shall speak 
hereafter, a very excellent trade would be carried on between 
this port and Europe. 
Our journey is now at an end. From this pomt we might 
travel southward as far as Little Fish Bay, or Mossamedes, and 
still remain on the Portuguese territory ; but having briefly 
noticed the various countries that constitute the coast of W estern 
Equatorial Africa, we shall now direct our attention to those 
features of general interest by which it is characterized. 
As a rule, the coast is flat, and in many places swampy ; on 
proceeding inland, hoivever, the land is found to rise, and at 
distances varying from fifty to two hundred miles, it becomes 
high and mountainous. From the Bight of Biafra almost to 
the Gaboon the shore is swampy and unhealthy (except in the 
proximity of the majestic mountain of Camaroons, which rises 
