Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 July 1877 — Central Africa. [ARTICLE]

Central Africa.

Those who have attained maturity may recollect seeing upon maps of Africa a large blank space in the center, indicating a land unexplored and unknoAvn. Of late yearn explorers have pierced its mysteries, and ascertained that this region of great equatorial lakes is one of the most populous and fertile of the earth, and that an immense plateau, among mountains crowned with eternal snow, is watered by great streams proceeding from them, and offers climates of various degrees of temperature. This inviting land is, however, the abode of savages, who are at perpetual war with each other, and who mutually cause a destruction of human life computed at hundreds of thousands a year. At least 40,000 slaves are also annually captured there, for use upon the continent, or for shipment elsewhere. Tlie International African Association, headed by the King of the Belgians, desires to commence the civilization of tlie country by establishing stations for scientific observations and for the use and protection of travelers ; and branches of the association have been formed in several European countries.