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A Practical Medico-Historical Account of the Western Coast of Africa
A Practical MedicoHistorical Account of the Western Coast of Africa Author:James Boyle Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: The Coast, Rivers, and Settlements between the Gambia to the Isles de Los. On leaving the Gambia and proceeding along the coast to the southward the land is r... more »ather low, thickly wooded, and intersected by many streams. There is no river, however, accessible until you come to the Kasamansa, which is in lat. 12 48' N. It has three fathoms at the entrance, with rocks on either side, and is a muddy stream branching into narrow creeks. The country about the river is tolerably well cultivated, and is rather numerously peopled, but the inhabitants are in a most savage state. They are equally incapable of acknowledging a kindness, or of forgiving an injury- Near the mouth of the river, in an unhealthy tract, the Portuguese have a wretched fort and sort of garrison. Leaving the Kasamansa, and still proceeding to the southward, Cape Roxo is the next most striking object. Cape Roxo is in bat. 12 27' N. and long. 16 28' W. About it the land is low, with some remarkable trees and a sandy beach. This was formerly the southern boundary of the English government of Senegambia. The natives are simple, superstitious negroes, abhorring the Portuguese, by whom they have been greatly oppressed. Nine leagues E. by S. of Cape Roxo is the St. Domingo, or Chacheo River. At a considerable distance up this river, on the south side, the Portuguese have their principal settlement, which is defended by two forts and a small garrison. Its situation is marshy and unhealthy. From the Chacheo to Rio Grande innumerable islands occur. Many of them are evidently alluvial, being a deposition from the waters of the neighbouring rivers. A few of these islands are partially inhabited and cultivated, and abound in game. Bissao is the largest, and is about thirty leagues in circuit, with a clear channel of one mile from ...« less