- E.]
That these voyages may be the better understood, I have thought proper
to premise a brief description of Africa, on the west coast of which
great division of the world, the coast of Guinea begins at Cape Verd in
about lat. 12 deg. N. and about two degrees in longitude _from the measuring
line_[189]; whence running from north to south, and in some places by
east, within 5, 4, and 3-1/2 degrees into the equinoctial, and so forth
in manner directly east and north, for the space of about 36 degrees in
longitude from west to east, as shall more plainly appear in the second
voyage[190].
[Footnote 189: Evidently meaning the first meridian passing through the
island of Ferro, one of the Canaries, from which Cape Verd is about 2 deg.
W. - E.]
[Footnote 190: These geographical indications respecting the coast of
Guinea, are extremely obscure, so as to be almost unintelligible. - E.]
* * * * *
_Brief Description of Africa, by Richard Eden_[191].
In the lesser Africa are the kingdoms of Tunis and Constantina, which
latter is at this day subject to Tunis, and also the regions of Bugia,
Tripoli, and Ezzah. This part of Africa is very barren, by reason of the
great deserts of Numidia and Barca. The principal ports of the kingdom
of Tunis are, Goletta, Bizerta, Potofarnia, Bona, and Stora. Tunis and
Constantina are the chief cities, with several others. To this kingdom
belong the following islands, Zerbi, Lampadola, Pantalarea, Limoso,
Beit, Gamelaro, and Malta; in which the grand-master of the knights of
Rhodes now resides. To the south of this kingdom are the great deserts
of Lybia. All the nations of this lesser Africa are of the sect of
Mahomet, a rustical people living scattered in villages.
[Footnote 191: This brief description of Africa is preserved, rather for
the purpose of shewing what were the ideas of the English on this
subject towards the end of the sixteenth century, than for any
excellence. - E.]
The best of this part of Africa is Mauritania, now called Barbary, on
the coast of the Mediterranean. Mauritania is divided into two parts,
Tingitana and Cesariensis. Mauritania Tingitana is now called the
kingdoms of Fez and Marocco, of which the capitals bear the same names.
Mauritania, Cesariensis is now called the kingdom of Tremessan, the
capital of which is named Tremessan or Telensin. This region is full of
deserts, and reaches to the Mediterranean, to the city of Oran with the
port of Mersalquiber. The kingdom of Fez reaches to the ocean, from the
west to the city of Arzilla, and Sala or Salee is the port of this
kingdom. The kingdom of Marocco also extends to the ocean, on which it
has the cities of Azamor and Azafi.
