Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 3.djvu/160

 128 WEST AFEICA. are no longer directly purchased, the European dealers continue the work of moral degradation. While reproaching the Negro populations with cruelty they incite them to war; while complaining of their intemperate, depraved, or indolent habits, they persist in supplying them with fiery alcoholic drinks. The real value of European influences is not to be estimated by flourishing trade returns. The natives in sharing their land with the stranger have a right to demand in return the substantiyl benefit of increased moral and intellectual well-being as well as mere material progress. Senegal Easin and Futa-Jallon. The regions either directly administered by France, or in which her military ascendancy is uncontested, may be roughly estimated at 200,000 square miles, or very nearly the area of France itself. The term Senegal, by which French Sene- gambia was until recently designated, has naturally been replaced by the more comprehensive expression, French Sudan. The former name, however, is still reserved for the territory skirting the navigable part of the river between Saint- Louis and Medina. At the same time to this great artery the whole regioQ undoubtedly owes its geographical unity, just as from its name, combined with that of the Gambia (Senegal-Gambia), it takes its general designation of Sene- gambia. The Senegal is the first perennial stream which reaches the south coast of the Siharian wastes. Between its mouth and that of the Um-er-Rbia the last per- manent Maroccan river, the distance in a bee-line is no less than 1,320 miles, and 1,800 including the indentations along the coastline. Throughout its course and that of its numerous tributaries the Senegal indicates the northern limit of the zone of abundant periodical rains. Its bed prolongs westwards the winding line of running waters formed eastwards by the Niger, the Tsad affluents, and the great tributaries of the Nile — the Bahr-el-Arab and Bahr-el-Azraq. It was possibly owing to a vague idea of this geographical fact that, down to the last century, mention was at all times made of a Nile with many mouths traversing the whole of Africa. According to the traveller Cadamosto the " Senega " is at once the Gihon, " river of the earthly paradise," the Niger, and the Nile. In the extent of its basin the Senegal ranks only as a secondary African liver, being inferior not only to the Congo, Nile, Joliba, and Zambesi, but according to some approximate estimates, even to the Limpopo, Orange, and Juba. But great discrepancies prevail on this point ; and while Chavanne calculates the Senegal at 176,000 square miles. Yon Kloden reduces it to little over 103,000 square miles. These discrepancies are due to the fact that the Saharian slope of the river has not yet been accurately surveyed, and that some include this region of intermittent wadies in the Senegal basin, while others bring it within the zone of inland drain- age. According to the former view the Senegal must have in any Case an area of 145,0li0 square miles, or very nearly two-thirds of the whole of France. From the source of the Bafing to the bar at its mouth, the total length is as nearly as possible 1,000 miles, but as the bird flies not more than 170 miles.