CAMEL. HORSE.

antry, exhibit forms and complexions, of which an Italian or Grecian beauty might be proud. The constraint to which the Arabian women are subjected does not always prevent intrigues. The wandering life of the Bedouin necessarily affords greater freedom to the women.

The desert is the theatre of the keen passions, depicted in the Arabian tales, but the path of the intruder on the sanctuary of the harem is always attended with perils, and often with death. The name Arab, signifies an inhabitant of the west, that being the position of the country, in relation to the other parts of Asia. The Bedouins ("sons of the desert,") scorn the imbecile rule of the Turkish sultan. They are divided into a number of independent tribes, each having a leader, called a sheik under whose direction they traverse the desert, plunder and fight. They are not confined to the limits of Arabia, but pitch their tents in the deserts of Persia, Palestine, Egypt, and the northern regions of Africa, and are a terror to the settled inhabitants of these countries.

CAMEL. The most useful and important animal of the east is the camel. Without its aid, the deserts of Arabia could neither be inhabited or traversed. The camel is called a living ship, navigating the oceans of sand in the desert. The inland commerce of the east is carried on by the assistance of these valuable animals, who supply the place of the canals and railroads of the west. The rate of transportation, though more expensive than the improved modern mode, is much cheaper than the wagoning of former periods.

HORSE. Next to the camel, the horse is the most noted and valuable animal of the country. Arabia is the native region of fine horses. There are two species, the common and the Koshlain, or noble kind; the latter are highly prized for their beauty and fleetness. They are said to be descended from Solomon's stud. Their genealogy is traced back by their owners for two thousand years. Great care is taken to preserve the purity of this race. They are capable of sustaining great fatigue, and are able to pass an entire day without food. They are highly esteemed for war, their charges are impetuous, and generally irresistible. The best are bred by the Bedouin sheiks in the north of Arabia, and are the handsomest animals known. The beauty and elegance of the Arabian horse is proverbial. They have spread in great numbers in Europe and the United States, and mix well with and improve the native breeds of the countries into which they are carried. But the pure Arabian blood is the best.

CHAPTER X.

Africa. Extent, population. Classes of inhabitants. Zahara, or great desert. Cases. Egypt. Its extent and population. Nile; ils sources; ils inundations; their effects. Agriculture and climale. The Sirocco. Pyramids. Sphynx. Labyrinth. Mummies. Manner of preservation. Condition in which they are found. Funeral rites in different countries; their objects. Religion of Egypt. Classes of inhabitants. Mamalukes. Their origin, power, and subjection. French invasion of 1798. Its objects and results. Cairo. The Delta. Alexandria. Ethiopia. Travellers. Bruce and Belzoni. Inhabitants. Troglodites. Gallas. Shangallas. Jews of Abyssinia. Government and religion. Nubia and Abyssinia. Barbary States. Situation, extent, and former condition. Barca. Tripoli. War of 1801. Loss of the frigate Philadelphia. Eaton's connection with Sidi Hamet. Peace with Tripoli. Release of the crew of the Philadelphia. Tunis. Algiers. Its extent, population, and force. Origin of Barbary piracy. Depredations on American commerce from 1765 to 1793. Treatment of prisoners. Decatur's expedition. Capture of Algerine ships. Treaty of 1815. War with Great Britain in 1816. Capture and subjugation of Algiers in 1630, by the French. Extinction of Algerine piracy. City of Algiers.

AFRICA. Africa is a great peninsula, surrounded on all sides by water, excepting a narrow strip of land on its northeastern border, connecting it with Asia. It is in the form of a triangle, its base resting on the Mediterranean, and its point terminating in latitude 34° south; its length from north to south is 4600 miles, and its greatest breadth from cape Verd on the west, to cape Guardafui on the east is 3500. It is computed to contain 12,000,000 of square miles. Its population is variously estimated from 50,000,000 to 100,000,000. All calculations respecting its number of inhabitants are uncertain, the interior being very little known.

Most modern travellers who have attempted to explore it, have perished by disease, or been massacred, and their journals lost. The waters which surround it are the Mediterranean on the north, the Red sea, the straits of Babelmandel, (gate of misfortune) and the Indian ocean on the east and southeast, and the Atlantic on the west and southwest. It is considered as one of

ZAHARA.

CLASSES OF INHABITANTS.

LYBIAN Desert.

the four quarters of the globe, but it is much the least in numbers and importance containing not more than a tenth part of

the inhabitants.

CLASSES OF INHABITANTS. The people are of two castes or orders, designated by color. Those of north Africa, comprehending Morocco, the Barbary States, and Egypt, are of a dark brown; and their form, figure, and complexion, are the same as the Asiatic inhabitants of the same latitudes. From the northern tropic south, they are negroes divided into a great number of tribes, each having some peculiarities of character, but all having the general complexion, color, and form of the negro. The physical character of this race is so different from all others, that doubts have been raised whether they were descendants from the same stock. To a believer in the Bible, the subject does not admit of a question. The fact that a union of the sexes in every grade, from one generation to another, produces an offspring the compound of both, proves to the philosopher the affirmative of the question. The causes of the diversity must, therefore, be sought in the climate, habits, and manner of life.

ZAHARA. It is estimated that the great desert Zahara, in the northwestern section of Africa, contains a million of square miles, nearly one tenth of the whole peninsula. It is bounded west by Morocco and some negro villages on the Atlantic coast, north by Morocco and the Barbary states, and east by Egypt. It extends south to regions inhabited by negro tribes. It lies between latitude 15° and 30° north, and reaches from east to west nearly across the peninsula in its widest place. It is the largest desert on earth; and a great part of its surface is a dead level, diversified, however, in some places, with rocks, ravines, and some eminences covered with small shrubs. Other parts are composed of moving sand, which, when blown about, produce the most disastrous effects.

Lions, antelopes, panthers, large serpents, and ostriches, are the principal inhabitants of this dreary region. It could neither be inhabited, nor traversed by human beings, but for the oases, a kind of verdant, habitable island in this ocean of burning sand. They contain springs of water, dates and palm trees, and other green things. They serve as stopping places for car. avans, where they obtain fresh supplies of water. They are also the temporary residence of the Bedouins, who pitch their tents on them, and remain as long as they find sustenance for their camels, and when that is consumed on one, they hasten to another, enjoying a perfect freedom from all political restraint. Thirty of these oases of different sizes have been found in this desert.

LYBIAN DESERT. In the northeastern portion of Africa, and immediately west of the lands watered by the Nile, is the great

EGYPT. NILE.

Lybian desert, which is indeed only a continuation of the other; in some places it approaches near the Mediterranean. Oases are found in this section to a great extent, and sometimes containing permanent villages. One called the great oasis of the Lybian desert, consists of a number of islands, extending 100 miles, in a line paralel with the Nile; and forms the first stage for the Darfour caravan. One called the northern oasis, in latitude 29° north, is inhabited by 8000 souls, and is supposed to contain the ruins of the temple of Jupiter Hammon. Another, called the western oasis, was first visited by an English gentleman of the name of Edwards, in 1819. It contains twelve villages. This traveller's curiosity led him to visit a number of these oasis, of which he has given a minute description. They are to be found in the great deserts of Asia, as well as in Africa, and in both are of a similar character, and answer the same purposes.

EGYPT. Egypt, on many accounts, the most important division of Africa, is situated between latitude 22° and 32° north, and is bounded on the east by the Red sea and isthmus of Suez, on the north by the Mediterranean, on the west by the Lybian desert, and on the south by Nubia; it contains about 200,000 square miles, only about 17,000 of which, comprising the valley of the Nile, are productive. This valley derives its fertility altogether from the overflowings of the Nile, and for its extent is one of the richest in the world. It is 600 miles long, and from 15 to 30 broad.

NILE. The Nile has its source in the mountains of Abyssinia, in central Africa; and is formed by the junction of two princi

AGRICULTURE.

pal branches; one called the White river, rising in Abyssinia, and running a northerly course, forms a junction with the other in latitude 16° north. This latter, called the Blue river, rises in what are called the mountains of the moon, and runs in a northeasterly course to the junction. This having the greatest body of water is considered as the true Nile. The distance from the highest sources of this river to the sea, is 2500 miles, and from the junction of its principal branches, where it assumes the name of the Nile, is 1500. In the course of 1200 miles, the Nile meets with no confluent branch, a phenomenon no where else to be found in the natural history of rivers. The Nile was formerly said to enter the sea by seven mouths. It has now but two principal entrances, and neither of these can be passed by vessels drawing more than eight feet of water.

The cataracts of the Niles, so much talked about by the ancients, are found to be nothing more than what are termed rapids; and of a size scarcely noticeable in other rivers. Its inundations, of so much consequence to the inhabitants, are caused by the periodical rains on the mountains near its sources. These rains begin in March, but have no effect on the river until the middle of June, when it commences rising at the rate of about four inches a day, and continues its rise until the end of September, when, after remaining stationary for a short period, it begins to fall, and continues falling at about the same rate, and for the same period. The inhabitants watch the progress of its rise with interest, as upon its rising to a proper height depend their hopes for the succeeding year. For the purpose of marking its daily rise, they have Nilometers, marked with the necessary graduations. Arabian writers ascribe the invention of this instrument to Joseph during his regency in Egypt. Fixing a graduated post in the river to mark its rise, though spoken of as an important invention, was not one of great difficulty. Thirtyeight feet is considered as the rise producing the greatest fertility, without danger. In 1829, a rise of forty seven feet destroyed a great many villages, with their inhabitants and flocks. A rise not exceeding twenty-eight feet produces scarcity, and less than that, famine.

The lower parts of Egypt, towards the Mediterranean, have been gradually raised by deposits brought down by the overflowing of the Nile. At its height, the water is distributed by means of canals, over the whole flat country. There are ninety large ones, and numerous branches. The largest is called Joseph's canal, from a tradition that it was made by that prince. It is one hundred miles in length, and from fifteen to thirty feet in breadth. It conveys much of the superfluous waters to lake Mæris, and fertilizes a large district of country through which it passes.

AGRICULURE. The agriculture of Egypt is of two kinds, one