BENGUE1A, a country of western Africa. the limits of which are not very definitely fixed. It is usually- represented as lying between lat. 9° and 16' s., and long. 12° and 17' cast. The river Coanza separates it from Angola on the n., the mountains behind cape Negro bound it on the s., and the Atlantic ocean on the west. Its surface is generally moun tainous, rising from the const-line inland, in a series of terraces; several important rivers flow through it in a n.w. direction to the Atlantic. These rivers have numerotta affluents. and water Is everywhere so plentiful that it may be found by digging 2 ft. beneath the surface. 'Vegetation of the most luxuriant and' varied description is the consequence of this humidity. The frnit-trees both of tropical and subtropical climates, succeed extremely well. The inhabitants, however, are too ignorant or indolent to take of the productiveness of the soil. Animals of all kinds common to western Africa abound in 11., both on land and in water. Peacocks are said to be accounted sacred iu 13., and kept tame about the graves of the great chiefs. Sulphur, copper, and petroleum are found in the mountains, and also gold and silver in small quantities. The coast is unusually unhealthy, but the interior is more salubrious. B. is inhabited by a
variety of petty tribes, some of which arc cannibals, and barbarous beyond even the barbarism of Africa. As might be anticipated, religion exists only in the form of fetich ism. The Portuguese claim 13., but they exercise no real power in the interior.
BENGIrE1A, Sr. PHILIP DE, the Portuguese capital of the above region, on the Atlan tic, near the mouth of the river Catumbella. Lat. 12' 33' s., long. 13° 25' cast. It is very unhealthy; so inimical to European life, indeed, that the Portuguese affirm their countrywomen could not live three months in it. It has a miserable appear ance, being built of half-baked bricks, and made ruinous-like by a practice that pre vails of never repairing the houses, which, whenever they exhibit symptoms of decay, are abandoned for new ones erected in the vicinity. Pop. 3500, chiefly free blacks or slaves. It was a great slave-station at one time, exporting annually 20,000 slaves, The trade has fallen off greatly of late years. The town was, some time ago, invaded by a herd of thirsty elephants in quest of water, and almost entirely destroyed.