PREFACE.

Towards the close of the year 1837 I undertook,

at the request of a friend, a journey into the most

distant portion of the countries under the govern-

ment of the Viceroy of Egypt, in order to collect

information referring to commerce, but more espe-

cially with the view of convincing myself whether

trade might be carried on with these countries

directly, instead of through the intermediation of

agents, in whose hands it had hitherto rested. The

task, although rather arduous, was not displeasing

to me, for a residence of several years in Egypt

had rendered me tolerably proficient in the Arabic

language and colloquial dialect, and my prior tra-

vels in various parts of the Soudan had made me

familiar with the habits of the natives, besides