a price much greater than that of the preceding year. The kings and chiefs play off a thousand cheats, and every species of craft, to spunge a greater quantity of presents, and imposts than had been given before; and to obtain this end, menaces and finesse, are successively employed; the most ridiculous and exaggerated pretensions are every year renewed by these subtle and cunning savages, who make it a practice in all their dealings, to create a multitude of obstacles and difficulties. "It is only the agents and the overseers of the gum trade who with the merchants proceed to the desart and to Podhor for the purpose of purchasing this commodity; and they well know that in these savage fairs, much tædium, inconvenience, and bustle, must be endured. "The Moors in their roguish dealings, possess a coolness, which distracts the whites; their patience and phlegmatic conduct, singularly disconcerts the vivacity of the Europeans, who full of ardor and impatience wish to strike the bargain at once, while the Moors, in order to enlarge the presents, or the profits, incessantly defer a final termination. Meanwhile we also arm ourselves with patience, become cautious, obstinate, and heady, and thus finish by mutual oppo sition. "When every thing is completely settled on both sides, the Moorish chiefs return to their camps, and announce to their tribes that the market may now commence. They then begin their march, and a few days after wards they settle on the banks of the river. "It is at this place which the French have named the desart, and which in fact, is one of the most arid, and desolate places in the world, that the gum fair is principally held; it is situated on the borders of the river, at an equal distance from the isle St. Louis, and the fort of Podhor: and the Trarshaz, convey thither all the gum procured from the forest of Sahel. "Here the eye surveys an illimitable plain, formed of white and moving sand; not a single herb, not a plant, nor even a bush destroy the melancholy uniformity, the painful monotony of this immense solitude. It is impossible to procure here, even a drop of good water, and shallops laden with hogsheads, are obliged to be sent a considerable distance up the river to procure ir, for at the desart the waters are brackish, they being mingled with those of the sea, which flows in the Senegal, as far as the island of Gick; another reason is, that the sands of the desart, are so fine and so moveable, that it is impossible to dig any wells, without the water being considerably intermingled with sand. "On the morning of the day of their arrival, may be heard at a distance the "hubbub wild" of these Moorish armies, enveloped in a cloud of dust; and towards noon, the immense solitary plain of the de sart, where the eye wanders without discevering any object living or vegetating, is covered with a numerous multitude of men, women, camels, horses, oxen, and goats. "All the animals are canopied with the leafy branches of the gum-trees, which at once serve to secure them from the ardent heat of the sun, and the gum with which they are laden. One part of these animals carry the tents and baggage, while on others are heaped the women, who are seen suckling their children, and young kids just littered. The chiefs are mounted on noble horses; some chosen camels, elegantly caparisoned, bear the women of the king and princes, in a kind of basket, covered with an awning; a troop of Moors, armed with fusils and sagayes, which are lances from eight to ten feet high, form the escort of these ambulatory hordes, and vainly endeavour to maintain some degree of order among this barbarous multitude. "The air rings with the acclamations of this innumerable quantity of men, women, children, and animals, and the living creatures which now fill this lately desart plain, appear incalculable. It is impossible to convey a just idea of the disorder and tumult of such a confused assemblage, or to give an accurate picture of the singular uproar which pervades these barbarous meetings. "When the Moors are all assembled toge ther on the banks of the river, and their tents pitched, and every thing arranged and disposed for commencing the traffic, a cannon is fired as a signal to begin. "Innumerable are the train of disgusting and unpleasant circumstances, which attend these negociations. The agents, as well as the merchants, are incessantly surrounded and pressed by these untutored and perfidious savages; they must be immoveable in the midst of their injuries, their insults, and their menaces; they must endure poignards raised against them, threatening looks, outrageous expressions, and revolting gestures; they must submit to the perpetual importunities of kings and princes, to the insatiable cupidity of their women, and in fact to the oppressive persecutions of all the tribes. "The merchant is now no longer master of his vessel; all the decks of the ships employed in the gum-trade, and which are seldom less than a hundred tons burthen, are covered with Moors, crouding on each other towards the fore part of the vessel; the stern is defended by field pieces, and a part of the crew who remain under arms. "During the years 1785, 1786, 1787, the quantity of gum, annually brought to the factories of the desart, and the Cok, amounted to eight hundred thousand pounds, besides which the Trarshaz Moors, conveyed yearly to Portendick, near four hundred thousand pounds, where it was purchased by the English. "Hence the three forests of Sahel, AlFatack, El-Hiebar, furnish yearly a constant produce of at least twelve hundred thousand pounds of gum." The vessel employed in buying and selling the gum is a large wooden tub, containing about 2000lbs. weight, which is fixed on the deck of the gum-vessels: the Moors call it a kantar, and the French have adopted the name. Each vessel has its kantar fixed upon the deck at the bottom of the kantar is an aperture eighteen inches long and a foot broad, to which is fixed a tube of thick sail cloth, descending into the hold of the ship. Whilst the gum is measuring, the aperture at the bottom of the kautar is closed by a small board running in a groove; when the kantar is full the board is withdrawn, and the gum runs through the tube into the hold, where people are ready to stow it. Crafty as the Moors are, they are too ignorant to suspect the effect produced by a few inches being added to the height or diameter of these measures; the consequence of which has been, that the European traders, who know perfectly well how to enlarge their kantar when they buy, and diminish it when they sell, have completely out-cheated them. This fraud has been practised by all the traders who have purchased gum from the Moors of Zaara; and they seem to have emulated each other in their progressive additions to the kantar, which now holds four times as much as it did formerly. Golberry says, that in the time of the India Company (sixty years ago), it contained but little more than 500lb. weight of gum; it now holds 2000lbs. The Moors are paid for their gum in pieces of calico dyed blue, called guinea pieces; they are seven or eight ells long, and half an ell wide. This is the chief, indeed the only article which they will take in exchange. Attempts have been made in France to imitate these guinea-pieces, but the imposture never succeeded: without confiding in the senses either of touch or sight, the Moors instantly ascertain whether a guinea-piece is fabricated in From the year 1780 to 1787, the Moors constantly gave a kantar of gum, of 2000lbs. weight for fifteen guineapieces: the gum company established in Senegal, in 1784, never gave more; and they annually purchased four hundred kantars, or about eight hundred thousand pounds weight. Mr. Golberry now enters into some details concerning the possible produce of the gum-trade, and the important advantages which would be derived from an extension of this branch of commerce. The abundance of gumtrees in the vicinity of the island of St. Louis, and the banks of the Senegal, is immense besides the three forests we have already mentioned, there are two others, Guerof and Galam; and there are numerous gum-trees scattered about in the islands and circumjacent countries, from which M. Golberry supposes might be extracted from one to two hundred thousand pounds weight an nually. When the Moors quit their oases, and encamp themselves round the gum-forest of Zaara, the middling and lower classes subsist almost entire ly on this gum, during the whole of the harvest, on their march to the banks of the Senegal, during the fair, and until they return home. Six ounces of gum are sufficient to support a man 24 hours: it is occasionally dissolved in milk, but oftentimes suffered simply to melt in the mouth. A lozenge is oecasionally made, by combining it with the juice or flesh of animals, which will keep uninjured for a twelvemonth.——— This work contains a good deal of information on various subjects, but there is no connection between its parts, no form, no order; tautologies, inconsistencies, theories, facts, politics, and natural history, are jumbled together in the most whimsical manner imaginable. The plates and map of Africa are execrable: the translation is full of gallicisms, is inelegant, and not always ART. V. Walks and Sketches, at the Cape of Good Hope; to which is subjoined, a Journez from Cape Town to Blettenberg's-bay. By ROBERT SEMPLE. 8vo. pp. 152. way DURING Mr. Semple's residence at Cape-Town, a former schoolfellow, his intimate friend, arrived there on his to India. The short time that he spent in the colony, was employed by the two friends, in pedestrian excursions to the most interesting places in the vicinity, and in inquiries on the one hand, and explanations on the other, relative to the characteristic manners and customs of the inhabitants. After the departure of his friend, Mr. Semple accompanied an acquaintance to Blettenberg's bay; and the little volume before us is a description of the principal objects, occurrences, and remarks, which suggested themselves on these occa sions. The minuteness of Sparrman, the philosophic views and scientific description of Barrow, are not to be looked for in these pages; but many new and pleas ing remarks on the state of society and civilization, interspersed with agreeable description, just sentiment, and occasional pathos, are conveyed in correct and elegant language; and the reader is most agreeably surprized at the various pleasure that he derives from so small a volume, with so unassuming a title. No former travellers or historians of the colony are quoted, to supply the deficiencies of personal observation, to throw an air of importance over the book, or to enhance its price at the expence of its value. The author has obviously seen with his own eyes, and described what he saw, while the emotions to which they gave birth were yet vivid. It would be unjust to the author to make large extracts from a small volume: our readers however will be gratified, and we trust that Mr. Semple will excuse us, if we yield to the temptation of quoting part of his very interest ing description of the several kinds of slaves, who are united in one common bondage at the Cape of Good Hope. "Behold that slave coming towards us bending beneath the weight of two cords of wood suspended to the ends of a bamboo which he balances across his shoulder. His black complexion, his curly hair, his thick lips, and his tattoed forehead, announce him from the coast of Mozambique, his strong make shows him capable of fatigue and in his inoffensive and humbled countenance, you may read that he has often submitted to blows and unmerited reproaches, without for a moment thinking of revenge; he performs and without inquiry. You see him now the task which is set him without objections walking slowly along oppressed with his loat, and perhaps you pity his fate; follow him to the next corner there sits one of his companions playing on a jew's-harp. He stops-he listens-pleasure steals into his soul- he throws off his load-he beats the ground with his heels-raises his hands clasped above his head-gives himself up to the wildest and most inconsiderate joy, and, ther of the hours of bitterness which are occupied only with the present, thinks neipast, nor of those which are yet to come. "Observe the one who comes next. Even at a distance his upright form, his nervous make, his free step, announce the Malay, or native of the island of Java, the king of slaves. As he approaches mark his long, coal black hair which hangs half down his and jealous eye, which looks askance upon back, his yellow complexion, his glancing slavery. He knows well that from his class are formed the house painters, the musicians, the ingenious workmen of the Cape. He is proud of this distinction, and glories in the name of Malay. He exacts some deference from his master, his gestures, his speech, sometimes slow and sedate, at others rapid and violent, seem to say, I know that I am your slave, but be cautious how you use your power. A reproach stings and irritates him, a blow wounds his proud heart, he hoards it up in his remembrance, and broods upon his revenge. Time passes on, the master forgets that he has given the blow, but the Malay never. At length the bad part of his character is cruelly displayed: he intoxicates himself with opium and the guarded master with his kris or crooked madness of revenge, he rushes upon his unMalay dagger, and stabs him once, twice, ten times. The unfortunate wife and children are not safe if they cross his way, he sallies out into the street, and running madly along, sacrifices all that he meets, till overpowered by numbers he is brought to suffer the punishment of his crime, Some days are past, and the intoxication of "Follow him to the place of execution. opium is over, but do you observe his countenance in the least changed by fear or remorse? Not at all. He is bound to the wheel-the executioner breaks all his limbs one after another-but not a tear, not a groan escapes him-at length nature is exhausted perhaps he breathes the name of Mahomet his prophet, and expires with the consolation of having had his revenge. What a contrast is presented to this character in the slave whom you see there following his master. His features of the European cast, his slender but well formed shape, his mild and inoffensive looks, and bis black hair curled but not woolly, announce the harmless native of the Malabar cast. He is in all respects the best of the household slaves. Without the inactivity or dulness of the Mozambiquer, or the penetrative genius of the Malay, he forms an excellent medium between the two-more intelligent, more industrious, and more active than the former more docile and more affectionate than the latter, he unites steadiness with vivacity, and capability of instruction to winning mauners. Expect not from kim violent opposition-while the native of Mozambique often grows obstinate, and hardens under the lash, whilst the Malay frowns and prepares to sharpen his dagger, the Malabar bends to the blow, and endeayours to avert it by tears and entreaties. Never is he brought to justice for crimes of a heinous nature; never are his feeble hands stained with blood; but if, through a false accusation, or a disposition too liable to be made the tool of knavery, one of this class is brought to suffer death, he shudders, and turns away his head at the sight of the place of execution; he shrieks aloud whilst the blow is yet suspended and before it falls, and with tears and groans he implores compassion till his life and sufferings are at an end. “But come, let us leave scenes of blood, the place of execution, and its wheels and engines: behold yon light waggon advancng so rapidly upon us, drawn by fourteen or sixteen oxen, and led by a Hottentot who runs before them; see with what dexterity the master, sitting in the front of the waggon and cracking his long whip, directs the whole. The Hottentot, as you would observe, has on him nothing of what in England would be called clothes; an undressed sheep skin buckles round his neck, and hangs down behind him like a cloak; at every motion of his body it flies back and exposes his tawny skin, his meagre make, and his small and active limbs; before him hangs a small pouch fastened round his loins with a leathera thong. With not a single other article of dress, without hat, without shoes, he leads his oxen through sun and wind and rain, over stones and hot sandy roads. Sometimes he puts on a pair of undressed Irather sandals, which are fastened round the ankles; and sometimes an old tattered hat protects his head from the rain or sun; but neither of these is universally worn, and in general the one which has passed us may serve as a specimen of all the rest. It is true, be has not the name of slave, but his condition is not on that account in the least more desireable; by the laws of the colony he is only bound to serve five and twenty years, after which he becomes free. In other words, his master enjoys twenty five years of his services for the prime of his life, and may then cast him off to seek his bread elsewhere. These may be reckoned the four principal stocks of the slaves of the Cape. The Malay, the native of the Mozambique and Malabar coasts, and the colonial-born slave. It must not be imagined, however, that these different races are anxious to preserve themselves unmixed. In this place they are quickly mingled together, and many a slave can boast of an European father. Hence results the most complete variety of features and shades of colour, that is perhaps to be met with in any part of the globe. Yellow, jet black, white and copper-coloured are kneaded together into a mass. Every face that passes us is of a different colour from the one that went before it, and the eye is continually amused by a strange and uriceasing variety. The different females preserve likewise in their domestic occupations something of the character of their nation. The female Malay takes care of the house, gives an account of every article, arranges the linen and clothes in the presses, is intrusted with several of the keys; and, having finished her work, she coils up her long black hair on the crown of her head, where she fastens it with a silver bodkin, and then sits down to knit at the feet of her mistress. "The Malabar female, mild and gentle,. is like her husband, employed in every kind of the lighter domestic occupations. No blows are required to induce her exertions; a threat terrifies hier. She redoubles her activity, is anxious to show herself attentive to the interest of the family, cleans and arranges the furniture; and in the evening, having kissed her children and put them to sleep, she brings her knitting needles and seats herself by the side of her companions. "The female of Mozambique, generally stronger than her fellows, yet at the same time sufficiently active and intelligent, is sometimes employed in works of drudgery, and sometimes in those of a lighter kind. According to the will of her owners, sometimes you may see her carrying on her head a large bundle of linen to, washi in the brook which runs from Table Hill. Sometimes nursing the children of the family, and advanced to honour; but in either occupation, she is always found, like the male, patient, performing what is set to her, and no more; pleased with praise, but not over anxious to obtain it, and going through her task more through the wish of seeing the end of it than the desire of performing it well. "The female Hottentot contents herself with the lowest class, and is indeed seldom employed by the families at the Cape, being chiefly and indeed almost only to be found in the farm houses and at some little distance from the Cape. The Hottentot character, both male and female, is said to be the least engaging of the whole. They neither make themselves so useful as the Malay, nor do they possess the affectionate disposition of the natives of Malabar or Mozambique, They labour only through absolute neces sity, an would quickly sink into profound indolence if not perpetually incited to aetion." ART. VI. An Account of the Native Africans in the Neighbourhood of Sierra Leone: to which is added, an Account of the present State of Medicine among them. By THOMAS WINTERBOTTOM, M. D. Physician to the Colony of Sierra Leone. Vol. I. 8vo. pp. about 400, 8 plates and maps. WE are informed in the preface that the medical history of the negro tribes, in the vicinity of Sierra Leone, was at first the principal object of the author's attention; to which "was subjoined, a brief account of the manners and customs of the people, whose diseases had been noticed. But this account being increased so much by successive additions as greatly to exceed the limits originally marked out for it, and the medical part being thought likely to prove uninteresting to many who might be desirous of perusing the rest of the work, it seemed advisable to alter the arrangement, and print each part in separate volumes, in order that the general reader might be at liberty to purchase the one, without being obliged to purchase the other also." In consequence of this information, we shall only notice at present the first volume of Dr. Winterbottom's work, referring the medical part to its proper place, in Chap. XVII. It appears to us, that the really original matter in this volume might, with out any extraordinary abbreviation, be comprized in a few pages. The author himself characterises his work as a "rude sketch," a "collection of gleanings, which either have escaped the notice of more successful reapers in that extensive field, or which have been pas..'sed over as of little importance." This, we doubt not, is a fair though very modest description of such facts as were collected and noted down on the spot, from Dr. Winterbottom's personal observation, but it is by no means applicable to the manufactured article as it appears in the London market. So far from being a collection of loose hints, the volume is systematically arranged in fifteen chapters, treating in the regular order of the principal objects of enquiry relative to this part of Africa: numerous quotations from the most respectable writers are introduced in corroboration of the facts recorded; and passages from the Roman and English poets are cited, to give an accurate and 'vivid image of scenes which they never beheld, and of which they could form no idea. The first chapter contains a general topographical description of the country in the vicinity of Sierra Leone, toge ther with the circumstances of its discovery by the Portugueze. To this succeeds the meteorological history of this part of Africa, which contains but little of importance that we have not met with before elsewhere. In the appendix, however, is an interesting document on this subject, from which it ap pears that in the year 1793, the medium temperature at the colony was 83° Fah. and the greatest range of the thermometer from 71° to 95°. The barometer for twelve months varied only from 29.81 to 30.09, the average being 29.95. The number of rainy days was 154, during which there fell 86.28 inches of rain: of these 138 days happened in the months of May, June, July, Au gust, September, and October, in which the amount of rain was 79.5 inches. The wet season was ushered in and terminated by stormy weather; no less than 27 tornadoes (out of 52, the whole yearly complement) having taken place in May and October. The third chapter treats of negro agriculture, which is of the rudest kind. An uncleared spot of ground is prepared by cutting down the trees as near to the surface as can conveniently be done during the dry season, and then setting the whole on fire a short time before the rains commence. As soon as the first showers have extinguished the flames and softened the ground, the rice is scattered on the surface, and scratched in with a hoe, which is all the labour required till harvest. Every village has a plantation of corn in common, besides private gardens, in which are cultivated the usual excellent vegetables of the tropical countries. art of cookery among these negro tribes is next treated of, their different prepa The |