Countries.

Religious Denominations, &c.

Pop. in mill.

N. Western
Coast.

Nigritia, or Negroland, and the coast of Guinea,

S. Western
Coast.

This district comprehends a great number of
independent tribes or nations, as the Monsel-
mines, Mongearts,* Foulahs, Jaloofs, Feloops,
Mandangos, and many others as far interiour
as the Great Desert. Most of these are Pa-
gans, except the Foulahs, who are Mahome-
tans, as are also the wandering inhabitants
of the Desert. The Foulahs are a very pow-
erful nation, and make war on their neigh-
bours to procure slaves for the Europeans.
Runs far across the continent on the north
side of the great chain of mountains, and fur-
nishes, as well as Guinea, a considerable
portion of victims for the slave trade. Some
of these parts are very populous, as they
must be to furnish, as it is said they did,
100,000 slaves annually to the West Indies.
The king of Benin, who possesses but a
small part of this territory, is said to be
able to raise an army of 100,000. Widah is
also very populous, and Haussa has been
said (falsely no doubt) to be more populous
than London. The French have agreed to
give up the slave trade north of Cape For-

mosa.

This includes the kingdoms of Loango, Con-
go, Angola, and the extensive country of
the Jagas, and many other tribes as far south
as the Damaras. The Portuguese sent Ca-
tholic missions to some of these countries as

4

6

* A Jew is not suffered to enter this country, under pain of being burnt alive.

Coast.

Present State of Religion, &c.

but it is hoped the restoration of peace in Europe will lead to the suppression of this system of cruelty and violence.

N. WESTERN Towards the end of the last century a company of benevolent persons, in this country, formed a settlement with a view to the civilization of Africa and the extermination of the slave trade: but the settlement was destroyed by some French ships and afterwards given up to our government. Mr. Nylander is chaplain of the colony; and in 1811 the Wesleyan Methodists sent out missionaries thither.

The Church Society for missions to Africa and the East have stations at Bashia and Canofee, (both on the Rio Pongos,) where they have erected churches and founded schools.

7

S. Western
Coast.

In the fifteenth century some Portuguese missionaries persuaded the king of Congo and his subjects to receive the Roman Catholic religion; and they were followed by some others; but they soon revolted again to Paganism, and have not yet been visited by Protestant missionaries.

Countries.

Religious Denominations, &c.

Pop. in mill

early as the fifteenth century; and some
.converts have been made to christianity,

but in general this part of Africa is involv-
ed in Paganism. See Negroes.

Damara, Na- The Damaras, are divided into five tribes ;
maquas, and those who reside near the coast are very
Corannas. poor, and many become servants to the Na-
maquas farther inland some become rich
in cattle, (the only riches of those countries,)
and upon the death of such, the horns and
bones of the animals they have consumed are
laid upon their graves as trophies. They
are naturally mild, and treat their prisoners
with humanity. The Namaquas are known
to have ten tribes, and the Corannas fif-
teen. [Campbell.]

COLONY of the Cape.

Calvinists, and chiefly Dutchmen; the set-
tlement having been peopled from Holland ;
but general toleration prevails under certain
restrictions. The population in 1810 was
ascertained to exceed 81,000, of whom 50,000
were Hottentots or slaves.

Boshesmens' The Boshesmen, or Bushmen, are a wild naCountry, and tion with no settled abode, who traverse the Caffraria, country to the extent of eight or nine degrees of longitude, and plunder whenever they can find opportunity. The term Caffraria, or the land of Infidels, was probably given to this country by the Arabs, and it is certain they are in the rudest state of heathenism; but their country is far more populous than that of the Bushmen or the Corannas. These nations, with the inhabitants of the Cape may form a population of

3

1

Present State of Religion, &c.

DAMARA,

&c.

The Missionary Society of London have two settlements in the Namaqua country, Pella, and Mr. Schmelin's station on the Orange river; also one among the Corannas, called Orlam Kraal, and more recently Bethesda.

CAPE.

The United Brethren have long had two flourishing settlements in this colony-one at Groene (formerly Bavian's) Kloof-the other at Genadendal (Gnadenthall) or Grace Vale.

The Missionary Society of London have several settlements in these parts, viz. at Stellenbosh between the Moravian stations-at Tulbach or Rodesand, where Mr. Vos resides-at Zurbrak near Zwellendam-at Hooge Kraal in George Drosdy; and toward the east end of the Colony, at Bethelsdorp near Algoa bay, which was founded by Dr. Vanderkemp: but as this last has been found an inconvenient situation for a mission, a new settlement has been formed farther east (on a spot pointed out by the governor) and called Theopolis, which may at present be considered as the principal missionary Station of this society in South Africa. An Auxiliary Missionary Society exists here, and another in Graaf Reynet, which approaches the limit of the

45

Countries.

Religious Denominations, &c.

Pop. in mill.

Griquas,

These are numerous and powerful, the city Bootchuanas, Latakoo alone has about 8000 inhabitants; and other and the capital of Makquanas is three times neighbouring as large. They are all Pagans. [Campnations. EASTERN Coast.

INTERIOUR
Coast.

ABYSSINIA.

NUBIA.

bell.]

Tambookies, Mambookies, and the inhabi-
tants of the coast, as far as Delagoa Bay,
are Pagans and Mahometans, mixed with
some Portuguese christians, who of course
are Catholics.

As not more than half this quarter of the
globe has been hitherto explored by Europe-
ans, and even that very imperfectly, it is
but reasonable to assign a considerable popu-
lation to this great extent of unknown coun-
try, which is wholly Pagan.

Christians of the Abyssinian church, (which
see.) They practise circumcision, and some
other Jewish rites; but were converted to
christianity between the fourth and sixth
centuries, and still retain the name of chris-
tians.

A miserable country, and in some parts thin-
ly peopled, chiefly with Mahometans. Se-
naar, however, one of its cities, is said to
contain 100,000 persons, and Dongola about
half as many.