Ε E . Sect. III. The Climate, Soil, Product, Animals wild and tame, Vegetables, Insects, IV. Of the several People and Nations that inhabit the Abyssinian Empire; their Complexion, Features, Genius, Difpo- fition, Arts, Trades and Occupations, Dress, Food, Drink, and other Cuf- V. Of the natural and artificial Rarities of VI. Of the Government, Laws, Emperor's Court, Power, Coronation, pompous Titles, Camp, Retinue, Army, Re- venue, and other Prerogatives, 133 VII. Of the Religion of the Abyssinians, both before and since their Conversion to the Christian Faith, and the Hierarchy VIII. Of the Faith and Practice of the Abyssi- nian Church, with respect to the other Parts of their Religion, and the Errors into which it has fallen since its Con- IX. The Chronology, Succession, and Series of the Abyslinian Monarchs; and their History from the Time of the Portu- The History of the Kingdoms adjacent to Abyssinia. Axan; and of the Kingdoms and 304 305 IV. History of the Kingdom of Magadoxo, and the Republic of Brava, 320, 322 The History of the principal Kingdoms on the Coast of Zanguebar, 325 Sect. I. The History of the Kingdom of Melinda, 329 II. The History of the Kingdoms and Islands of Mombaso and Quiloa, 339, 343 III. The Kingdom of Mosambico, 361 IV. The History of the Kingdom of Sofala, 367 V. The History of the Empire of Monomo tapa, or Munemotapa, 395 VII. The History of Cafraria, or the Land of the Caffers, or Kaffers, and various 378 . 400 СНАР. The History of the various Nations of the Hottena tots, with their Coasts; together with the Dutch Settlements on or about them. 402 SECT. I. Situation of the Country; Account of the several Tribes of Hottentots, their Manners, Customs, &c. by the Europeans ; and the Settlement 426 W E come now to the Cape Verd Islands, so called Cape Vera from their proximity to the cape of that name Isands. on the continent of Africa, to which they are directly opposite. The Portuguese call them Ilhas 'Verdas, or the Green Isands, because the surrounding sea is deeply tinged with that colour, or rather filled with a weed of an exquisite fine green, lying so thick that ships are scarce able to make their way through it. Others, and particularly the French writers, have called them the Salt Islands, from the quantity of salt made in them, and transported to all parts of the continent of Africa ; but the general' name by which they are known to all Europe, is Cape Verd. It is the opinion of some writers, that the Cape de Verd Islands are the same as Mela has described under the name of Corgones, in the Atlantic Ocean, and Pliny by that of Gorgades, the residence of the three Mod. VOL. XII. B daughters daughters of Phorcus, known by the fabulous names of Medufa, Sthenio, and Euryale & Others again believe them to be the Hesperides of Ptolemy, fituared near the cape or promontory of that name; though it is most probable that they were utterly unknown before the Portuguese paved the way for discoveries of new worlds b. They are situate opposite to Cape de Verd, or rather between it and Cape Blanco, about forty-two leagues from the continent, and stretching into the sea, till the farthest is feventy leagues from shore. In general, they lie between 13 deg. 50 min. and 17. deg. 40 min. north latitude, and between the 22d and 25th deg. of longi-tude west from London. With respect to their number, there is no agreement among writers or voyagers, some reckoning twelve, fome cleven, and others no more than nine, perhaps because some take into their account iflands which others think too inconsiderable to be mentioned; or possibly two islands which lie fo contiguous as to be separated only by a small gut, may have been de-:. fcribed as one. The names of the ten agreed upon are as follow ; Ilha del Sal, Ilha Buena-vista, Ilha Mayo, Ilha de Sant Jago, Ilha dei Fogo, Ilha del Bracca, Ilha del Sant Nicholas, Ilha del Sant Lucia, Ilha del Sant Vincent, Ilha del Sant Antonio, besides others of less note, to which no names have been asigned. It is affirmed, that these islands, if not absolutely discovered for the first time, were at least unknown to the moderns till the year 1440, when Antonio Nolli, a Genoese, fell in with them. According to Jurin, the Portuguese were the first discoverers, about fix years after this period o; and Sanutus afferts, that the honour is due to a Venetian, of the family of Cadamostod, sent by the prince of Portugal upon the discovery of unknown countries. At present they are almost all well-peopled, though in some the climate is extremely unhealthy, but in general wholsome, pure, and serene. They were peopled originally by Europeans, fome say by criminals banished out, of Portugal; at least it is certain, that they were uninhabited when first discovered, whatever they might have b«en in the days of Pliny and Mela, if they had any kulow a La Martiniere. b La Croix, toni. iv. p. 631. Davity, tom. v. p. 625 c Thevet, Coim. lib. iii. Lin. p. 695. Pyrard. lils. i. Jarric. lib. v. cap. 44. Herrera, cap. v, d Man. Hist. Venet. lib. v. Dandolo, lib. vii, cap. 3; lege |
