Cape Town (45,000, on the sonth-west shore of Table
Bay, is the chief city and seat of Ahe colonial Parliament.
Table Mountain, 3,580 feet high, rises south of the town,
nnd is so called from its flat summit. Vines are exten-
zively cultivated on its slopes. The other towns of impor-
tance are Grahem’s Town, 500 miles to the east of Uape
Town, Port Elizabeth (13,049), and Alndherty (13,590).
British Xaffraria, formerly a separate colony, was in
1865 formed into a distriet of Vape Colony. It is sepa-
rated by the Great Kei River from native Kaflraria. 'Tho
Kaflırs arc a fierce people, often at war with the British.
Natal was formed into a colony in 1845, It lies to the
north of British Kaffraria, Coal and iron are abundant,
und cotton, indigo, and sugar are easily cultivated. „The
population is about 365,000, Port Naftal is the seaport,
and Dieftermaryitzhirg, 50 miles inland, the eanital.
To the north of Cape Colony are the Dutch repuhlices,
Transraal and Orange Free State. These are peopled
„hiefly by natives and by Dutch boers, or farmers, who
have formed them into independent repuhlies.
Between the Dutch republies and the Atlantie is the
ountry of the Bechuanas, Namaquas, and Damaras, an
inoffensive, pastoral people, The Zulus are a warlike
Iribe of Kaflirs whose territory lies north of Natal.
EASTERN AFRICA.
The countries on the eastern coast of Africa are still
little known, although opened up by recent enterprise.
SOMALI, between the Strait of Babelmandeb and Cape
{inardafni, is celebrated for its myrrh and spiees, whielh
are exported through Arabia. „Ajın is barren along the
roast, but fertile in the interior. ZANGUREBAR islow and
marshy, and unhealtlıy towards the sea. To the west are
Ihe ranges of mountains which enclose the table-lands of
Central Africa, with the peanksof Kilmandjaro (20,065 feet)
and Xenia (18,000 feet). "The Sultan of Zanzibar claims
sovereignty over the countries as far south as Cape Del-
zado. From there to (’ape Delagon, inelnding MozAM-
BIQUE and SOFALA, the Portuguese hold anthority.
U’hoy formerly possessed the whole eastern coast, but have
been gradually driven away. Their prineinal posts are
Senna and Trte, on the Zambesi River.
ISLANDS OF AFRICA.
MADAGASCAR.
Arca, 228,570 square miles; rather larger {han the province of Ouehee ;
population, 3,000,0100,
Madagascar is the largest of the African Islands, and
8 separated from the cast const of Africa hbv the Mozam-
hique Channel.
Lofty mountains traverse it from north to sonth, ap-
nroaching nearest to the eastern shore. "The eclimate is
AFRICA.
7
hot, and the soil fertile, producing riee and sugar abun-
dantly. Iron is fomnd in the mountains. "The gov-
arnment is despotie. Christianityv, to which the natives
were formerly hostile, has now become the estabhlishod
religion. Teuvandrico (80,000), the capital, is situated on
ı lofty table-land, near the centre of the island. Tama-
‘re, on the east coast, is the principal seaport.
Socotra, in the Indian Ocean, about 120 miles east of
Cape Guardafui, is a large island belonging to the Sultan
of Keslin in Arabia, producing the finest aloes,
BRITISH ISLANDS.
Ascension, a small island in the Atlantic, is frequented
by ships as a place of call on the voyage to the Cape. St.
Melena, 850 miles south-east of Ascension, is famous as
he place of exile of Napoleon Banaparte, where he died
'n 1821. Manritius (360,000), a considerable island, for-
merly called the Isle of France, is 480 miles to the east of
Madagascar, Port Louis (66,000) is the capital and seaport.
Rodriguez, east of Mauritius, the Seychelles and Amitrante
Kelande, north-east of Madagascar, and the Chagres group,
*arther east, are dependencies of Mauritius, and are of
Gtfle importanece.
FRENCH ISLANDS.
Röunion, or Bourbon (184,000), rather larger than
Mauritius, lies 90 miles south-west of it It is of vol-
sanic formation, and contains one active volcano in the
south. It produces coffee and sugar largely. Mount
Piton des Neiges 18 10,000 feet high. France also pos-
sesses some small islands in the Comoro group, in the
north of the Mozambique Channel, and some on the
„nast of Madazasenr, which are dependeneies of Reunion.
PORTUGUESE ISLANDS.
Madeira (132,000), a beautiful island, rising abruptly
’rom the Atlantie, 360 miles west of Marocco. It con-
sts of a mass of volcanie rock, the highest summit
being about 6,000 feet. It is celebrated for its wines and
zor its salııbrious elimate. Funchal is the chief town.
The Cupe Verde Ishtnds (90,000), about 320 miles west of
Cape Verde, are also of volcanie formation. A volcano
n Fogo, one of the islands, is about 9,200 feet high. St.
fugo is the prineipal island. St. Zhomas and Prince
Flame in the Gulf of Guinea, also helang to Portugal.
SPANISH ISLANDS,
The Canaries (280,000), off the north-west coast of
Africa, seven in number, contain lofty volcanic moun-
tains. Their chief product is wine. The Peak of Ten-
ariffe rises about 12,200 feet in height. Santa Cruz, in
Teneriffe, is the capital, but Palına is the largest town.
Fernundo Po and Annaboen are small islands in the Gnlf
of Guinen.
