skeletons and bones, as witnessed by Oudney, Denham, and other travellers, are found scattered over the sands of the desert, more particularly near the stopping places or wells of water.

The Arabs originated from Asia, and their character and manners as exhibited in Africa, are substantially the same as in their native country. They are remarkably temperate and abstemious in eating and drinking, and patient of hunger and fatigue. They live upon milk, millet, dates, and such light food, and are happy if they can be supplied with a sufficiency of pure water to drink. Yet no people, perhaps, in the world, are more distinguished for bodily activity and vigour. Pasturage and plunder are their favorite pursuits.

When they come with their families and flocks to a grassy district in the desert, they pitch their tents; and after a residence of a few days or weeks, they remove to another favorite spot; perhaps travelling in the night that they may avoid the scorching influence of the sun, and steer their course by the stars.

The Tuaricks and Tibboos are ferocious tribes of natives, occupying tracts of country on the southern side of the desert, and they, not unfrequently, prove troublesome and dangerous to the merchants, and also to the people of the neighboring Negro villages. The Monsel. mins, Mongearts, Wadelims, and Labdessebas are predatory tribes and cruel monsters, who hover around the coast between Cape Blanco and Morocco, eager to spy every ill-fated ship that may chance to dash against the rocks or quicksands, and ever ready to take possession of the property and persons of poor shipwrecked sailors.

QUESTIONS.

What is the literal meaning of the word Sahara? How is the desert Sahara, in its most general extent, bounded? What is its length, breadth, and number of square miles? How divided? Which is the largest and most desolate part of the desert ? What is its general surface? What is an oasis? What is the most extensive oasis in the great desert? What is the capital of Fezzan? How do the prevailing winds blow over the Sahara? What is the consequence of the great prevalence of easterly winds here? How do the sands appear in Western Sahara? Are springs and fertile spots more rare in this part? What is said of the desert shore ? What has often happened to mariners on this coast? How do the sky and atmosphere frequently appear on the desert? How are the pillars of sand described? Have many perished in these sands, or by hunger and thirst? What is said of the caravans, &c.? In what do they carry water? Are they sometimes disappointed and lost by the springs being dried up? What is said of human skeletons found here? What is the origin of the Arabs in this desert? For what are they remarkable? Upon what do they live? For what distinguished? What are their pursuits? Where do the Tuaricks and Tibboos reside? To whom are they troublesome? Where are the Monselmins, Mongearts, &c. found? What is their character and habits?

AFRICAN ISLANDS ON THE WEST.

These are the Azores or Western Islands, Madeira, Canaries, Cape Verd isles, islands of the Gulf of Guinea, St. Matthews, Ascension, and St. Helena.

The Azores or Western islands are situated in the latitude of Portugal and Philadelphia, about 1200 miles west of Lisbon. They are nine

in number, of which St. Michael, Fayal, and Terceira are the most distinguished. Their climate is delightful, and the soil very rich in fruits and wines. The population, 160,000, are under the government of Portugal. Angra, on the island of Terceira, is the capital.

The Madeiras are opposite to the coast of Morocco, about 400 miles distant. Madeira, the principal isle, contains about 1000 square miles and a population of 100,000. The climate is spring-like, and pleasant in a high degree. The Portuguese are the proprietors of this island, from which 16,000 pipes of excellent wine are annually exported. The capital is Funchal.

The Canaries, or Fortunate Isles, are a group belonging to Spain, situated near the African coast. They are 13 in number. The Teneriffe and the Grand Canary are the most lofty, fertile, and populous islands. The peak of Teneriffe is celebrated for its height, which is nearly 13,000 feet, and may be discerned at a great distance. Palma, on the Grand Canary, is the capital of the whole cluster.

The Cape Verd isles take their name from Cape Verd in Senegam. bia, from which they lie about 400 miles west. They are about fifteen in number, and are in the possession of the Portuguese, who procure here little that is valuable except salt and hides. Pop. 100,000. St. Jago is the principal island, and Porto Praya the chief town.

The islands in the gulf of Guinea are four, viz., Fernando Po, in possession of the British; and Prince's island, St. Thomas, and Annabon, subject to Portugal. St. Matthews is far west from them. Ascension is about 400 miles farther south. It is a barren, uninhabited island.

St. Helena is 600 miles south-east of Ascension, 1,200 miles from the coast of Africa, and 1,800 from South America. It is a steep, high rock, about 25 miles round, resembling a castle in the midst of the sea. It exhibits a bleak and dreary aspect, but there are some fertile spots and pleasant vallies. A great part of the rock is covered with about a foot of soil, and there are little plantations, fields and gardens, which produce something for the support of the inhabitants, nearly 3,000 in number, and for the refreshment of ships returning from India. At a narrow opening, where alone the rock is accessible, is built the village of Jamestown. This island belongs to the British, and has be. come famous for the imprisonment of Napoleon, commencing in 1815, and for the interment of his remains in 1821.

QUESTIONS.

What are the names of the W. African islands? What is the situation of the Azores? How many in number? Which are the three principal isles? What of the climate? Soil and products? To what are they subject? What is the population, of what origin and under what is the government? The capital? Where are the Madeiras? What are their names? Which is the largest and how large and populous? How are its mountains described? Its products? What of the climate ? Proprietors? Capital? How many pipes of wine exported? What is the situation of the Canaries? Their number? Their aspect? Who are the people, how many and of what character? In what do these isles abound? Which two are

the most lofty and fertile? How do the mountains appear? What is said of the

island and the peak of Teneriffe? Where and how many are the Cape Verd isles ? In whose possession? What are the products? The climate and soil? Which is the principal island? The chief town? What are the isles in the gulf of Guinea ? Where is St. Matthews? Which way from it is Ascension and how described? What course and distance from it is St. Helena? How far from South America ? How described? How many inhabitants? To whom subject? For what is St. Helena noted?

EAST AFRICAN ISLANDS.

Madagascar in point of magnitude, is the third island on the globe, being about 900 miles in length, and 225,000 square miles in extent, with a population of above 4,000,00. It is separated from Africa by the channel of Mozambique, 275 miles wide, and it is traversed from north to south by a central range of lofty mountains. These mountains abound in minerals, and give rise to numerous streams which abundantly water and enrich the plains and valleys, and render them fruitful in rice, sugar cane, cocoa, banana and other tropical vegetables. The natural features of the island are variegated and interesting.

The climate is agreeably tempered by the sea breezes and the moun. tain air. Many trees of the forests are peculiarly grand and beautiful. The production of silk is spontaneous and abundant, and there is plenty of wool of a fine quality. The territory is divided into several king. doms, and the inhabitants are of various tribes, complexions and manners. Negroes, Arabs and Malays, are here blended together; some are in the savage state, others partially civilized. Some profess Mahometanism, many are idolaters. One of the most powerful native princes has consented to the abolition of the slave trade, and appears favorable to the introduction of English teachers and useful learning among the people.

Mauritius, or the Isle of France, is near 500 miles east of Madagascar, and is about 200 miles in circumference. It formerly belonged to the French, but since 1810, it has been in possession of the British. It is a mountainous and healthful island, but not extensively fertile, and is much exposed to hurricanes. It produces ebony, coffee, indigo, cloves, and various tropical fruits in perfection. Pop. 95,000.

Bourbon is 400 miles from Madagascar, is 60 miles in length, and composed of two mountains, one of which is an active volcano and answers for a light house to sailors. The island belongs to France. A portion of it is very pleasant and fertile. The coffee and tobacco produced here are of the first quality. Pop. 60,000, consisting of whites and negroes.

The Comoro isles, of which Joanna is the principal, are situated in the channel of Mozambique, and often furnish refreshments to vessels bound for Bombay. They are less populous than formerly, having been to a great extent desolated by a ferocious band of pirates from the north-west coast of Madagascar. The inhabitants, with those of the island of Socotra, are Mahometans.

QUESTIONS.

What are the length, extent and population of the island of Madagascar? What

channel divides it from Africa and how wide? By what is the island traversed? What is said of the streams, soil and products? Of the climate? Of the trees of the forests? Of silk and wool? How is the territory divided? Of what are the inhabitants composed? In what state are they and of what religion? What is said of a powerful prince here? Where is cape St. Mary? Cape Ambre? Where is port Dauphin? Tamatave? Talcar? How large is the island of Mauritius? What course and distance from Madagascar? In whose possession? What is said of the island and its products? Where and how long is the island of Bourbon ! Of what composed? To whom belonging? What does it produce? What is the situation of the Comoro isles? Which is the principal? Are they populous? Of what religion?

Bread Fruit Tree.
OCEANICA,

OR ISLANDS CHIEFLY OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

Extent, 4,500,000 sq. ms.-Pop. 20,000,000-4 per sq. m. The Pacific ocean is bounded on the west and north-west by Asia, on the north-east by North America, on the south-east by South America, and on the south-west it embraces, or partly embraces, the vast island of New Holland. The islands embosomed in this ocean, which collectively are called Oceanica, are supposed to constitute about one tenth part of the land on the globe, or to be equal to one tenth of the surface of the Pacific. The islands in the vicinity of Asia, have the name of Asiatic or East India islands, or north-western Oceanica. New Holland and the adjacent isles, are called Australia or Central Oceanica, and the remaining islands of the Pacific on both sides of the equator are together styled Polynesia or eastern Oceanica.

These islands in general exhibit great inequalities of surface, are diversified with mountains, rocks, valleys and plains, and afford some of the most sublime and beautiful scenes in nature. ha: the mountains ususally range from north to south. Many of them It is observed

are volcanoes. Several of the islands are composed chiefly of coral rocks, which are said to have been formed in the progress of ages, by certain small marine insects called zoophites.

The general climate of Oceanica is mild and desirable. Though the islands for the most part are situated within the tropics, the heat, through the influence of the sea breezes is moderate and less sultry and oppressive than the parts of the continent in the same latitudes. Especially is this true of islands more remote from the main land. Spring and summer, or early autumn, are here joined in a happy and perpetual union. The atmosphere is perfumed, and the senses are regaled at once with promising buds and blossoms, and a rich variety of ripened fruits, pleasant to the eye and sweet to the taste. The trees, vegetables and fruits are many of them such as are common in tropical regions; others are more rare and peculiar. Some of the most valuable productions are the palm tree, the cocoa nut, the bread fruit tree, the plantain and the taro root. The palm tree exists in several varieties. The trunk is slender and long, rising to a great height, with a thick growth of broad leaves at the top. The leaves are used for fans and for writing paper, for umbrellas, and for the covering of cottages. Three or four of the broadest leaves will make a roof to a wigwam, and eight or ten men may find shade and shelter under a single leaf. The juice of the palm is rich and nourishing and will make a species of wine, or by drying may be converted into a valuable article of food. From the fruit of the bread tree and plantain, by baking it in the embers, a kind of bread is prepared little inferior to that made of grain. A sin. gle bread fruit tree will support one of the natives for three months. The wood of the tree, also, is used in building their canoes and huts; the leaves are useful for napkins, the inner bark for making cloth, and the juice for glue or cement. Oceanica abounds in the most delicious fruits, as oranges, tamarinds, pomegranates, almonds, pine apples and bananas; in a variety of flowering shrubs of beautiful forms and brilliant hues; and in groves of the richest spices, gums and aromatic productions, as cinnamon, cloves, nutmegs, frankincense and myrrh.

The large animals of Asia and Africa are scarcely found in these islands. The ourang-outang, the kangaroo, cassowary and some others, are natives of Oceanica. Here also may be found in great numbers the birds of paradise, macaws and parrots and others of the feathered tribe, of beautiful plumage and of various and delightful notes, which give an additional interest to these vernal tropical scenes, and fill the fragrant groves with music.

The inhabitants of these isles bear a mutual relation and resem. blance. They are generally reduceable to two great classes. First, The race of Malays which is prevalent in the Indian or Asiatic islands and in Polynesia; and Second, The Papuan or New Guinea race of negroes, which centres in New Guinea and is common throughout all Australia. The Malays are short of stature, but stoutly built, of a yellow or tawny complexion, and long black hair. In genius they are live. ly and intelligent, and in character a part are very inoffensive, while