PREFACE. IX

African population. The sceptic in religion,

and the would-be renovator of politics, may

think differently on this subject ; but every ra-

tional individual must feel that British life,

British talent, and British treasure, would not

be employed in such a quarter if there were

not every wish to benefit and improve the con-

dition of our degraded fellow creatures.

In undertaking this mission I was not em-

ployed to create a fabulous history, or describe

romantic scenery ; I was employed to glean and

collect facts ; to effect discovery when it was

possible y to note down nothing which might not

lead to some useful result ; and, in the end, to

draw such honest inferences as will, I humbly

venture to trust, be found throughout these

pages.

With the wisdom of all the previous plans

adopted in exploring Western Africa I have

nothing to do, and for that in which I was en-

gaged,-! only feel myself responsible as far as

the resources placed within my reach. A dif-

ficult duty was assigned me ; I attempted its

execution ; and, be the results satisfactory or not,

I can safely say that my best exertions were in

no case wanting to meet the views of those

high authorities at home and abroad who con-

fided its performance to me. If I have par-

tially failed, the failure is attributable to circum-