The city of Tunis is the capital of the kingdom, and residence of the bey. It is situated on a gulf, and defended towards the sea by strong castles. The inhabitants are reckoned at 50000, many of whom are employed in the linen and woollen manufactures. The ruins of Carthage are at a small distance from this city. Biserta, formerly one of the capital cities of northern Africa, is a sea-port to the west of Tunis. It is now the chief place of export for the corn grown in the country, of which, in fruitful years, a large quantity is purchased for the European states on the Mediterranean. Susa, to the south of Tunis, is a flourishing place of trade, noted for exporting the best oil produced in this kingdom. Kayrwan, or Carvan, formerly the metropolis of Arabian Africa, and the seat of the Fatemite caliphs, before their removal to Egypt, is still a considerable town, famous for a magnificent mosque, and for reputed sanctity; which causes it to be chosen as the burial-place of the beys and other persons of distinction. Its inhabitants are much employed in the dressing of leather.

Beside corn and oil, the kingdom of Tunis exports a great quantity of wool, hides raw and dressed, excellent soap, wax, honey, sponge, archil, scarlet, caps, ivory, gold-dust and ostrich feathers; which latter articles they receive from the interior of Africa. They import a large quantity of foreign commodities and manufactured goods, of which many are English, procured through the medium of Leghorn.

TRIPOLI.

THE most eastern of the Barbary states is the kingdom (so called) of Tripoli, which extends from the confines of Tunis to those of Barca, or, as some reckon, to those of Egypt; but a great part of the eastern coast is desert, and scarcely belongs to any government. It is in general an arid and steril tract, thinly peopled, and yet scarcely producing a sufficiency of sustenance for those who inhabit it. The date-palm is the principal resource in the dry and sandy soils, which, without this valuable gift of nature, must be left

desolate. The people of the coast, like those in the other parts of Barbary, are a mixed race, subsisting by piracy and commerce. Those of the interior are Arabs, either fixed or wandering, of ferocious manners, and addicted to robbery and pillage. Tripoli is more effectually under the dominion of the Porte than the other states, and its bey takes the title and exercises the functions of a Turkish bashaw. The Arabs are often in a state of insurrection, and their tribute cannot be levied without force of arms.

The city of Tripoli, the capital of the country, though much declined from the opulence and splendour which once distinguished it, is still a populous place. It is meanly built, and labours under the disadvantages of want of water, and a barren circumjacent district. It has a considerable linen manufacture, and its port is much frequented by corsairs of its own and other countries. No other towns of consequence remain on this coast, though formerly the district of Cyrenaica, now Mesrata, was distinguished by the appellation of Pentapolis, from its five cities; and even the torrid coast of Barca was not destitute of places of commerce.

The gulf of Sidra, the ancient Greater Syrtis, forms a natural separation on the coast between Tripoli and BARCA. The latter region is strongly characterized by the name given to it by its Arabian inhabitants of the Desert of Whirlwinds. Here the renowned temple of Jupiter Ammon stood, on an insulated spot of fertility in the midst of the waste. Such spots have acquired the technical name of oases. FEZZAN is a large district of a similar kind, directly south of the gulf of Sidra. Biledulgerid, or the Country of Dates, SEJELMISSA, and other tracts bordering on the desert, form a line of scattered population to the south of the Barbary states. The ancient Numidians, or African Nomades, wandered over these extensive wilds; and the nature of the country still enjoins a similar mode of life on its inhabitants. That accurate traveller, Dr. Shaw, says that the description which Virgil has given of the manner of living and encamping of African herdsmen, is to this day as justly applied to the modern Bedoweens as when it was drawn.

ISLANDS OF AFRICA.

MADAGASCAR. This island, situated off the southeastern coast of Africa, is one of the largest known; being about 900 English miles in length, with a medial breadth of 250. It lies between the 12th and 25th degrees of S. latitude, and therefore by climate belongs to the hottest regions of the globe. It is divided by a chain of mountains running in the direction of its whole length, but approaching nearest to the eastern coast. Some of these are very lofty, and volcanic appearances are frequent among them. Immense forests clothe their sides, and rivers flow from them to all the surrounding

coast.

Madagascar contains a great proportion of fertile land, and abounds in products of use and curiosity. There are scarcely any of the tropical vegetables which either do not grow here spontaneously, or may not be successfully cultivated. Of domestic animals, horned cattle and sheep are abundant, and there are none of the formidable beasts of prey to limit their increase. Rich minerals are met with in the hilly parts, among which are different kinds of gold ore, pure rock crystal, and various precious stones.

The natives are generally tall and strong. They are of different origins, some being tawny and copper-coloured, others of the negro colour and feature. The use of the Arabic characters by the men of learning, and some traces of the mahometan religion, denote a former intercourse with the Arabs, who made so many settlements in eastern Africa. Other circumstances of custom and tradition seem to point out a Hindoo origin. The blacks are probably the most ancient people of the island. The different districts are ruled by chiefs, of limited and precarious authority; and the practice of building all their

villages upon eminences, and surrounding them with palisades and earthen parapets, marks out a state of mutual hostility.

The European nation which has principally aimed at making settlements and conquests in this island is the French; but their attempts have been thwarted by frequent quarrels with the natives. They possess, however, a post called Fort Dauphin, at the south-eastern extremity of the island, from which they supply the Isle of France with provisions. This latter island, and another in its vicinity, may therefore be properly noticed in connection with Madagascar.

The ISLE OF France, otherwise called MAURITIUS, and the ISLE OF BOURBON, lately named RE-UNION, are situated at some distance to the east of Madagascar, in the track of the ships to India; on which account chiefly they have been occupied by the French. They are of inconsiderable magnitude, and not very fertile. The Isle of France possesses a good harbour, which renders it important as a place of call on the voyage to and from India, and as a station for privateers and cruisers in time of war. It is well fortified, and carries on a considerable traffic. The Isle of Bourbon is larger and better cultivated than the other and produces sugar-cane and coffee. An attempt has been made to introduce into it the clove and-nutmeg trees; but though they have thriven in some measure, their product is inferior in quality to that of the Dutch Spice Islands. Both these isles show marks of a volcanic origin; and that of Bourbon has an existing volcano, of which the eruptions are almost continual. On a little uninhabited island named SEYCHELLES, to the north of these, the French made a small establishment for the cultivation of the clove and nutmeg.

Between the northern extremity of Madagascar and the African coast lies a group of four islands called the COMORO. These are governed by native chiefs, pagan and mahometan, tributary to the Portuguese, with whom, at Mozambic, they carry on some commerce. They are fertile in the productions of the tropics, One of them, named Hinzuan or Johanna,

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has a commodious harbour, and is sometimes visited by ships bound to India, for the refreshment which it affords.

An island on the other side of Africa, also claiming notice from its connection with the East India trade, is that of ST. HELENA It lies far out at sea, under about the 16th degree of S. latitude; and is such a mere speck in the boundless ocean, that ships often miss it. It is mountainous, but tolerably fertile when not visited by the long droughts, which sometimes occur. There is only one harbour, which is of difficult access and easy defence. The English have occupied this island for about two centuries, and keep upon it a small garrison. It is found useful as a place of call and rendezvous of the East India ships, particularly in time of war, when advices and orders are sent thither for the direction of homeward bound vessels. The uninhabited Isle of Ascension, situated some degrees to the northwest of St. Helena, is occasionally visited by shipping, for the refreshments of turtle and sea-fowl.

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At some distance to the west of Cape Verd, between about the 15th and 17th degrees of N. latitude, lies a cluster called the CAPE VERD ISLANDS, about ten in number, possessed by the Portuguese. Of these the principal, and the seat of government, is St. Jago, which has a harbour called Port Praya, capable of receiving a great number of ships. These islands are reckoned unhealthy, and their soil is for the most part stony and barren some of them, however, yield the tropical products in considerable plenty, and abound in goats, poultry, and other articles of food. But the product for which they are chiefly frequented by foreign shipping is salt, formed naturally by evaporation from the sea water, and excellent for the use of the fisheries. The island from which the greatest quantity of salt is procured is that of May or Mayo, where, in the proper season, ships may be loaded with this commodity at no other trouble than raking it from the ponds in which it granulates. The inhabitants of the Cape Verd islands are chiefly negroes and mulattoes. They grow a good deal of cotton, which they manufacture into strong coarse cloths,