Acacia and cork trees grow in the woods of Algeria; the natives obtain gum from the acacia.  There are many mines, but the Algerines make no use of them.  The people themselves are strong in body, and of a tawny complexion.

Tunis is another of the Barbary States, and contains a great number of people,—­Moors, Turks, Arabs, Jews, and Christians, merchants and slaves.  All these carry on a large trade in Morocco leather, linens, gold-dust, oil, woollen cloth, lead, ostrich feathers, horses, and soap.  There are the same variety of vegetable productions that there are in Algeria.

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The Cape of Good Hope is in the south of Africa; it produces fine fruits and flowers, grapes, lemons, oranges, and figs, but no nuts.  The aloe and myrtle grow to a great size, and the almond and wild chestnut are very plentiful.  There are scarcely any manufactures, but the farmers keep immense flocks of sheep, and herds of cattle; and there is a vast quantity of fine wool sent every year to England; and ships provisions, such as beef, pork, and butter, are supplied to the vessels sailing to India, Australia, and many other parts of the world; their other chief export is Cape wine.

In some parts of this country are large herds of zebras, antelopes, and giraffes, which are usually preyed upon by lions, obliging the shepherds to watch their flocks, and the farmers to ride about with loaded guns.  A strange mode, my little readers will think, of being shepherds.

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There have been no scarcity of French contributions; rich silks, velvets, satins, linens, fruits, woods, herbs, statues, machinery, furniture, iron-work, glass, plate, and a heap more of industrial products; and such splendid carpets.  In the “Arabian Nights’ Entertainments” we read about the Palaces of Fairies and Genii, with the floors covered with the richest carpets, and divans and cushions or gorgeous tapestry, and we long to see these carpets in reality; and so we shall at the Exhibition, for there are some so magnificent, that I do not think the Princess Badroulboudour, or the Fairy Queen Pari Banou, ever sat on finer.  And charming little models of ships; and such beautiful fans.  Do you know how many persons it takes to make a fan?  Fifteen; and although those fans at the Exhibition are each worth several guineas, yet, in France, tens of thousands are sold at not more than a halfpenny a-piece.  The French fan-makers get two shillings and six-pence a-day each, for their labour.  The people of France are our next-door neighbours, almost; and from being our bitterest enemies they have now become our most intimate friends, and exchange visits constantly with us; steam vessels and railways having made the journey one of only a few hours.