AFRICA.

Africa is bounded on the north by the Mediterranean Sea, on the east by the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, on the south by the Southern Ocean,-and on the west by the Atlantic Ocean. Its length is 4,900 miles, and breadth 4,800. It is the third in size, and is joined to Asia by the Isthmus of Suez.

The inhabitants of these states are chiefly remarkable for their piracies.

THE WESTERN COAST.

On this coast there are many different tribes: the Jalofs and Foolahs are on the rivers Senegal and Gambia. Sierra Leone is an English settlement. Guinea is divided into the Grain, Ivory, and Gold Coasts, and formerly supplied the West-Indies with slaves: this trade disgraced humanity from the year 1517 till the year 1807, when it was happily abolished; Hawkins, the great navigator, was the first

Englishman engaged in it. The settlements in Guinea are chiefly Portuguese, from which elephants' teeth are exported.

Proceeding southward, we meet with Benin, Loango,* and Congo.

Caffraria, or the Land of Hottentots, extends to the Cape of Good Hope, the most southerly part of Africa.

THE EASTERN COAST,

On the eastern coast of Africa are Natal, Delagoa, Sabia, Sofala, Mocaranga, Mozambique, Zanguebar, Ajan, and Adel.

These countries produce ivory, gold, ostrich feathers, ebony, and drugs.

An extensive desart in North Africa, called the Desart of Zaara, extends from the Atlantic to the confines of Egypt, equal in size to the half of Europe. This ocean of sand is interspersed with several fertile islands, called Oases, of which Fezzan is the chief. It abounds in salt.

MOUNTAINS.

The mountains of Atlas extend along the north of Africa, from Morocco to Egypt. A range of mountains is supposed to extend across this continent, from east to west, at about 10 degrees of north latitude. The mountains of Abyssinia are a continuation of this chain. The mountains of the Moon are known only by name.

RIVERS.

The chief river hitherto discovered is the Nile, which, rising in Abyssinia, runs through Egypt, fertilizing the country by its annual inundations, and falls into the Medi

terranean: it begins to rise about the middle of June, and is at its height in September or October: its comparative course is reckoned at 2,000 miles, and its breadth about one-third of a mile.

The Niger runs from west to east for above 1,000 miles, and either flows into some inland sea, or is lost in the sands. The Senegal falls into the Atlantic to the north of Cape Verd, and the Gambia to the south of the same cape.

AFRICAN ISLANDS.

Madagascar, on the east, one of the largest islands in the world, being 980 miles in length, and 260 in breadth. The smaller islands are Mauritius, or Isle of France, in possession of the English; Bourbon, in possession of the French; and Kerguelen's Land, far to the south, called by Captain Cook the Island of Desolation.

The islands in the Atlantic Ocean are St. Helena, a very desirable port, containing an English garrison: Ascension Island; St. Thomas; St. Matthew; Cape Verd Isles, ten in number-the two largest are St. Jago and St. Anthony: Canary Isles, on one of which is the Peak of Teneriffe, said to be visible at the distance of 80 leagues, and which is more than 3 miles high; Madeira Island, remarkable for its wines.

AN ACCOUNT OF THE PRINCIPAL CANALS IN THE WORLD,

Supplemental to the account already given of those in England and Scotland.

CANALS IN EUROPE.

In Ireland a canal is formed from Dublin to the river Shannon, and another is completed from the town of Newry to the sea.

The inland navigation of Russia is very extensive. An intercourse is formed between the Caspian Sea and the Baltic, a distance of nearly 2,400 miles, by means of the canal of Vetni Volotchok, uniting the Twertza, which runs into the Wolga, and the Shlina, which communicates with the Baltic.

The canal of Ladoga passes along the lake of that name, and extends from the river Volk to the Neva, a space of 67 miles, and communicates with the former canal. Another canal leads from Moscow to the river Don, forming a communication with the Euxine.-Peter the Great intended to unite the Don and the Wolga, and thus to form an intercourse between the Caspian and Euxine Seas and the Baltic.

In Sweden an attempt has been made to unite Stockholm with Gottenburgh, by the canal styled that of Trolhattan, conducted along the river Gotha; but the attempt has hitherto failed.

The chief inland navigation of Denmark, is the canal of Kiel it unites the Baltic and the river Eyder, which flows

into the German Sea. Its length is about 21 miles; the breadth 100 feet at top, and 54 at bottom: the least depth about ten feet, so as to admit vessels of 120 tons.

A canal is made in the Prussian dominions to unite the Elbe with the Oder: its length is nearly 60 miles.

Holland is intersected with innumerable canals, which, for number and size, may be compared to our public highways. By them a great inland trade is carried on with France and Germany. In summer they are constantly crowded with boats of pleasure or of traffic; and in winter, when they are frozen over, the inhabitants travel on them with skates, and perform long journeys in a very short time.

In France the canal of Briare, otherwise styled the canal of Burgundy, unites the Loire and the Seine. From Briare, upon the Loire, it passes by Montargis, and falls into the Seine near Fontainbleau.

A canal from Orleans joins the last-mentioned canal at Montargis.

The canal of Picardy extends from the Somme to the Oise, beginning at St. Quintin.

But the chief canal of France is the celebrated one of Languedoc, which forms a junction between the Mediterranean and the Bay of Biscay. This noble canal begins at Cette, in the Bay of Languedoc, and joins the Garonne, below Toulouse. The breadth, including the towing paths, is 144 feet, the depth 6 feet, and the length 180 miles.

CANALS IN ASIA.

The canals of China have long excited the wonder of other nations. There is a large canal in every province, with branches to most of the towns and villages.

The imperial canal runs north and south, beginning at