Breadth 2505 200 & 320 N. lang.}

Sq. Miles. 140,700

Boundaries.] north; by the Red Sea, eaft; by AbyfT is bounded by the Mediterranean Sea, finia, or the Upper Ethiopia, on the fouth; by the Defert of Barca, and the unknown parts of Africa, weft. It is divided into Lower and Upper Egypt.

Climate.] It is obferved by M. Volney, that, during eight months of the year, (from March to November) the heat is almost infuppórtable by an European. During the whole of this feason, the air is inflamed, the sky fparkling, and the heat oppreffive to all unaccuftomed to it." The other months are more temper ate. The foutherly winds which fometimes blow in Egypt, are, by the natives, called poisonous winds, or the hot winds of the defert. They are of fuch extreme heat and drynefs, that no animated body expofed to it can withstand their fatal influence. During the three days which it generally lafts, the streets are deferted; and woe to the traveller, whom this wind furprises remote from fhelter when it exceeds three days, it is infupportable.

The foil is exceedingly fruitful, occafioned by the overflowing of the Nile, which leaves a fattening flime behind it. Thofe parts not overflowed by the Nile, are uncultivated, fandy and barren. Egypt produces corn, rice, fugar, flax, linen, falt, fal ammoniac, balfam, and various forts of fruits and drugs.

pire.*

Egypt till lately was governed by a Bashaw, fent from Conftantinople, and was a province of the Turkish emThe Turks and Arabs are Mahometans. Mahometanifm is the established religion of Egypt; but there are many Chriftians called Copts, and the Jews are very numerous.

The number of inhabitants in Egypt, according to M. Volney, is about 2,300,000; of which, Cairo, the capital, contains 250,000.

Egypt

* The late convulfions in this country have produced fome changes in its government, and its affairs are yet in an unfettled

ftate.

1

Egypt is famous for its pyramids, thofe ftupendous works of folly. The Egyptians were the only people who were acquainted with the art of embalming or preferving dead bodies from putrefaction. Here is the river Nile, celebrated for its fertilizing inundations, and for the fubtle, voracious crocodiles which inhabit its fhores. The natives at the head of this famous river pay divine honours to it. Thousands of cattle are offered to the Deity, who is fuppofed to refide at its fource. This was the theatre of thofe remarkable tranfactions, which make up the beautiful and affecting history of Jofeph. Here Pharaoh exhibited fcenes of cruelty, tyranny and oppreffion towards the Ifraelites, in the courfe of their 400 years bondage to the Egyptians. Here too, Mofes was born, and was preferved in the little ark, among the flags on the banks of the Nile. Here, through the inftrumentality of this great man, the Egyptians were afflicted with many grievous plagues, which induced them at laft to let Ifrael go. Here, Mofes with his rod, divided the Red Sea, and Ifrael paffed it on dry land; which the Egyptians, attempting to do, were overwhelmed by the returning of the waters. To this fcene fucceeded the Ifraelites' memorable 40 years march through the deferts of Ara. bia, before they reached the land of Canaan.

THE STATES OF BARBARY,

UND

NDER this head, we fhall rank the countries of, 1. Morocco and Fez; 2. Algiers; 3. Tunis; 4. Tripoli and Barca.

The empire of Morocco, including Fez, is bounded on the north, by the Mediterranean fea; on the fouth, by Tafilet; and on the eaft, by Segelmefla and the kingdom of Algiers, being 500 miles in length, and 48c in breadth.

Fez, which is now united to Morocco, is about 125 miles in length, and much the fame in breadth. It lies between the kingdom of Algiers to the eaft, and Mo-, rocco on the fouth, and is furrounded on other parts by the fea.

Algiers, formerly a kingdom, is bounded on the east, by the kingdom of Tunis; on the north, by the Mediterranean; on the fouth, by Mount Atlas, and on the weft, by the kingdoms of Morocco and Tafilet. According to Dr. Shaw, who refided 12 years at Algiers, this country extends in length 480 miles along the coaft of the Mediterranean, and between 40 and 100 miles in breadth.

Tunis is bounded by the Mediterranean on the north and eaft; by the kingdom of Algiers on the weft; and by Tripoli, with part of Biledulgerid, on the fouth; being 220 miles in length, from north to fouth, and 170 in breadth, from eaft to weft.

Tripoli, including Barca, is bounded on the north, by the Mediterranean fea; on the fouth, by the country of the Beriberies; on the weft, by the kingdom of Tunis, Biledulgerid, and a territory of the Gadamis; and on the eaft,-by Egypt; extending about 1100 miles along the fea coaft; and the breadth is from 1 to 300 miles.

Each capital bears the name of the state or kingdom to which it belongs, but the capital of Belidulgerid (the ancient Numidia) is Dara.

The Barbary ftates form a great political confederacy, though each is independent as to the exercise of its internal policy.

The air of thefe ftates is mild and agreeable.

Under the Roman empire, they were justly denominated the garden of the world; and to have a refidence there, was confidered as the highest state of luxury.

The produce of their foil formed thofe magazines, which furnished all Italy, and great part of the Roman empire, with corn, wine and oil. Though the lands are now uncultivated, through the oppreffion and barbarity of their conftitution, yet they are ftill fertile, not only in the above mentioned commodities, but in dates, figs, raifins, almonds, apples, pears, cherries, plums, citrons, lemons, oranges, pomegranates, with plenty of roots and herbs in their kitchen gardens. Excellent hemp and flax grow on their plains.

MOROCCO, the capital of the empire of the fame name, is thought to contain 25,000 inhabitants.

The

The city of Algiers is not above a mile and an half in circuit, though it is computed to contain near 120,000 inhabitants, 15,000 houfes, and 107 mofques. Their public baths are large, and handfomely paved with marble. The profpect of the country and fea from Algiers is very beautiful, being built on the declivity of a mountain; but the city, though for several ages it has braved fome of the greateft powers in Chriftendom, it is faid, could make but a faint defence againft a regular fiege, and that three Englifh fifty-gun fhips might batter it about the ears of its inhabitants from the harbour. If fo, the Spaniards must have been very deficient either in courage or conduct. They attacked it in the year 1775, by land and by fea, but were repulfed with great› lofs, though they had near 20,000 foot and 2,oco horse, and 47 king's fhips of different rates, and 346 transports. In the year 1783 and 1784, they also renewed their at tacks by fea to deftroy the city and gallies; but after Spending a quantity of ammunition, bombs, &c. were forced to retire, without either its capture or extinction.

Tunis is the most polished republic of all the Barbary ftates. The capital contains 10,000 families, and above 3000 tradefmen's fhops, and its fuburbs confift of 1000 houfes. The Tunifine women are very handfome in their perfons; and though the men are funburnt, the complexion of the ladies is very delicate, nor are they lefs neat and elegant in their drefs; but they improve the beauty of their eyes by art, particularly the powder of lead ore, the fame pigment, according to the opinion of the learned Dr. Shaw, that Jezebel made ufe of when the is faid (2 Kings, chap. ix. verfe 30) to have painted her face; the words of the original being, that the fet off her eyes with the powder of lead ore.

Tripoli was once the richest, most populous and opulent of all the ftates on the coaft; but it is now much reduced, and the inhabitants, who are faid to amount to between 4 and 500,000, have all the vices of the Algerines.

All foreigners are here allowed the open profeffion of their religion, but the inhabitants of these flates are Mahometans; and many subjects of Morocco follow the tenets of one Hamed, a modern fectarist, and an

A

enemy

enemy to the ancient doctrine of the califs. The Moors of Barbary, as the inhabitants of these states are now promifcuously called, (because the Saracens first entered Europe from. Mauritania, the country of the Moors) have adopted the very wort parts of the Mahometan religion, and feem to have retained only as much of it as countenances their vices..

The Emperor of Morocco is an arbitrary Prince. Algiers is governed by a Prince, called the Dey, elected by the army. The fovereigns of Tunis and Tripoli, called Beys, are not fo independent as the former. Thefe three states may be looked upon as republics of foldiers, under the protection of the Grand Seignior. With Algiers the United States have lately negociated a treaty of peace, and have confirmed that which befare exifted with Morocco. On this coast, food the famous city of Carthage, which was deftroyed by the Romans. Among the great men Africa has produced, are, Tertullian, Cyprian, Julius Africanus, Arnobius, Lactantius, and St. Auftin, all Bishops of the church. The warriors of note, are, Hamilcar, Hannibal and Afdrubal. Among the poets, are, Terence and Apulejus.

Of AFRICA, from the Tropic of Cancer, to the Cape of Good Hope.

HIS immenfe territory is, comparatively fpeaking,

THE

very little known; there is no modern traveller that hath penetrated into the interior parts; fo that we are ignorant not only of the bounds, but even of the names of feveral inland countries. In many material circumftances, the inhabitants of this extenfive continent agree with each other. If we except the people of Abyffinia, they are all of a black complexion. In their religion, except on the fea-coafts, which have been vifited and fettled by ftrangers, they are Pagans; and the form of government is every where monarchical or defpotic. Few princes, however, poffefs a very extenfive jurifdiction; for as the natives of this part of Africa are faid to be grofsly ignorant in all the arts of utility or refinement, they mult be little acquainted with one.

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