rivers and lakes of the interior; and that these reaching Ptolemy by way of Fezzan, were by him blended with that region,— amplifying all its dimensions, and giving it a character not its own. Either Ptolemy had such a knowledge of Central Africa, or he had none at all; in either case, it is impossible to make out from him any thing definitive or connected respecting the geographical features of that obscure region.

Having thus shown, as we think, that Ptolemy's Geography, from its imperfections, was incapable of supporting any system relative to Central Africa, we have thought it unnecessary to view it in relation to Sir Rufane's actual theory; or even, as yet, to state what that theory is. It is now high time to do so, and to consider it in reference to modern information, which alone affords any solid materials for deciding the question. Sir Rufane, then, takes up the Niger, where it was last seen by Clapperton, rolling southward from Boussa. He supposes it there to turn eastward, to become the Yeou, and pour itself by that channel into the Tchad. Thence, in despite of the negative testimony of Barca Gana, it finds some passage above or below ground, by which it issues forth, and proceeds west and north, till it has united itself with the Misselad, from Lake Fittre. Out of this junction arises the Nile of Bornou, which rolls a broad stream northward, through the sands to the west of Nubia, till it enters the Lakes of Domboo,-supposed to be the Chelonide of Ptolemy. Here to human eye it disappears; but as these lakes, it is contended, cannot be the final receptacle of so great a river, Sir Rufane has contrived for it a course beneath the silicious sands of Africa, by which moisture, it is said, is always transmitted, and never absorbed. Thus it pours to the northward its subterraneous stream, till it approaches the Mediterranean; when, coming into contact with the violent tide which agitates the Syrtis, it forms that marshy quicksand, of which such alarming reports are given by ancient and modern navigators. The Nile of Bornou did not always hold this dark and hidden course: at one time, we are assured, it had its cities, its sages, its warriors, its works of art, and its inundations, like the Classic Nile.' 'The great Nile of Central Africa rolled forward majestically to the shores of the Mediterranean, through countries swarming with people, and animated by intelligence; and

through valleys either bespangled by cities, or enamelled by the varied productions of a luxuriant soil, fertilized by the waters of a noble stream, whose very existence has been for centuries forgotten."

Afterwards, in a strain of high animation, Egypt is forewarned of her fate :

In the same way shall perish the Nile of Egypt and its valley! its pyramids, its temples, and its cities! The Delta shall become a plashy quicksand-a second Syrtis! and the Nile shall cease to exist from the Lower Cataract downwards; for this is about the measure or height of the giant principle of destruction already treading on the Egyptian valley, and which is advancing from the Libyan Desert, backed by other deserts whose names and numbers we do not even know, but which we have endeavoured to class under the ill-defined denomination of Sahara,-advancing, I repeat, to the annihilation of Egypt and all her glories, with the silence, but with the certainty too, of all-devouring time!

"There is something quite appalling in the bare contemplation of this inexorable onward march of wholesale death to kingdoms, to mighty rivers, and to nations; the more so, when we reflect that the destruction must, from its nature, be not only complete, but eternal, on the spot on which it falls!'

But from these sublime and awful contemplations, let us return to Boussa, and examine the actual steps by which Sir Rufane conducts the Niger through so strange and devious a course. First, as has been said, he makes it turn east, and, as the Yeou, flow into Lake Tchad. It might not be difficult to show, that the general tenor of Denham and Clapperton's accounts derives this comparatively small river from the hilly region southward of Houssa. But any lengthened discussion is superseded by Lander's route from Kano to Dunrora; which, bringing him within a day's journey of the Shary, made a section across the only line by which the Quolla could connect itself with the Yeou. The Shary is, then, the only possible channel by which the waters of the Niger can be poured into the Tchad; and as Sir Rufane may hold that it will equally serve his purpose, we shall suppose this to be the case, and proceed to consider its farther progress.

That the Tchad is insufficient to contain the mass of waters poured into it, is an opinion generally prevalent, though, to ourselves, the impossibility does not appear very manifest. Denham and Clapperton describe this lake as an immense expanse, navi

gated by decked vessels, and containing large islands, in which a people, called the Biddoomah, have established a formidable piratical power. Its extraordinary extension during the rains, -covering then vast districts that are afterwards abandoned, may account for the surplus waters poured in during that season, and indicates little the existence of any ample or regular outlet. The weight of testimony certainly preponderates against any river flowing out of the Tchad; however as the testimony is not quite complete, let us concede that there may be such a river, and pursue its further course.

Sir Rufane having, as he thinks, conducted the Niger into and out of the Tchad, carries it eastward, till he effects its junction with the Misselad; supposed to have flowed into and out of Lake Fittre. Of the Misselad we shall say very little, since all we know of it is from the report of Browne, to whom it was represented as flowing to the south of Darfur. The passage through Lake Fittre, and conversion into the Wad-el-Ghazel, are mere geographical hypotheses. Still more hypothetical is its junction with the Niger, hypothetically brought out of Lake Tchad. The junction, however, being supposed, this Nile of Bornou, represented in our maps for the last thirty years, as flowing northward towards the Mediterranean, becomes the basis on which Sir Rufane rests the main weight of his hypothesis. But the mere presence of a geographical feature on the maps of Africa, till we have ascertained how it found its place, can scarcely be considered as forming even a presumption in favour of its actual existence. We hesitate not to say that, in the place and direction now assigned in our maps, there is no such river. The river of Bornou is and can be no other than the river, which flows through Bornou:-that is, the Yeou Bornou, as we formerly observed, (vol. xliv. p. 218-19,) through the indistinct and misconceived notices collected by the first African missionaries, was placed a thousand miles distant from what Denham and Clapperton have now ascertained to be its real position. Bornou being thus removed to this great distance, the river of Bornou moves along with it; and instead of running northward through the great desert towards the Mediterranean, is found to run eastward through Central Africa to fall into the Tchad. With it must depart every foundation on which Sir Rufane can rest his hypothesis, for there is now neither prouf nar presump

tion of any great river flowing through this part of Africa, to the north of the tenth or twelfth degrees of latitude; or which, consequently, is not at least twenty degrees distant from the embouchure which he has provided for it.

With regard to the nature of that embouchure, a few words will suffice. We observed, in treating of Captain Beechey's late expedition to the Syrtis, (vol. xlviii. p. 225) that there is nothing in that gulf strictly meriting the appellation of quicksand, from which it has derived so much celebrity. There is, however, an extensive, deep, and dangerous marsh; and the one, doubtless, may be just as well calculated for receiving the Niger as the other. But be it marsh or be it quicksand, we hope to be excused from just now plunging farther into it. The Niger must be brought nearer, and by some legitimate channel, before we can consider the discussion as at all relevant. At present, when all we know is, that in one part of Africa, there is a river, and in another, nearly two thousand miles distant, a vast marsh, the hypothesis that this river must penetrate so immense a space under ground, to form the marsh, seems to overleap every bound of reasonable concession or genuine theory. The phenomenon of a stream partially subterraneous is not very uncommon on a small scale; but, that one of the great rivers which water a continent should have its flood thus disposed of, is, we apprehend, wholly without example; for the instances alleged by Ptolemy and Pliny were manifestly mere hypotheses, by which two or three imperfectly known rivers were, in their system, linked together into one.

Having disposed thus freely of the main question, we have to repeat that notwithstanding the failure as to it, which we consider complete, the work displays decided marks of scholarship and talent; and, viewed as the production of a very gallant soldier, whose life has been passed amidst active scenes, is certainly entitled to much commendation. It embraces, we may add, various curious collateral discussions, into some of which, had not our limits been exhausted, we might have been tempted to dip. As it is, we shall only recommend to the inquisitive reader, the discussions respecting the direction and character of the mountain-chains of Africa, the probable sources of the Congo, and the comparison between the geographical systems of Ptolemy and D'Anville.

Temperance in Liberia.

Some surprise has been expressed, that measures were not adopted by the Board of Managers of the Colonization Society, to prohibit the introduction of ardent spirits into the Colony of Liberia. But those who have felt this surprise, have doubtless. been unacquainted with the circumstances which render the execution of measures to this effect impossible. They have not been aware that in the judgment of the most sober and worthy Colonists, the native traders would entirely abandon the Colony, were ardent spirits absolutely excluded from its commerce; that, consequently, any order of the Board requiring this exclusion, would be viewed as little less than an order to abandon all traffic with the natives; that facilities for introducing the article clandestinely are innumerable; and that if it were prohibited it would be offered by slave traders on the coast within a few leagues of the Colony, thus encouraging the natives to sell their brethren for the gratification, or rather the miseries of Intemperance, and rendering them the instruments of their own self-destruction, rather than labourers to build up a Christian Colony.

The Managers have believed, that in addition to the heavy duties imposed upon ardent spirits, which have operated greatly to diminish the quantity introduced into the Colony, nothing more effectual could be done to promote the cause of temperance in Liberia, than earnestly to recommend the formation of Temperance Societies on the principle of entire abstinence, and its utter abandonment as an article of trade with the natives.

At a meeting of the Board of Managers, Nov. 8th, 1830, on motion by F. S. Key, Esq. it was

"Resolved, That the Secretary be requested to prepare an address to the Colonists, to be sent out by the next vessel, in which, among other things to be recommended to their observance for their welfare, he shall encourage them to form Temperance Societies, and adopt such other measures as may tend to diminish the use and the sale of ardent spirits in the Colony; and also, that in the commerce with the natives, they discontinue dealing in such articles; also, that the Secretary communicate to the Colonial Agent the wishes of the Board upon this subject."

The following is an extract from the Address prepared in obedience to the foregoing Resolution.

"The Managers are grieved and mortified to think that ardent spirits should still be an article of trade in Liberia, and that the poor natives