Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51 Under the Orders and at the Expense of Her Majesty's Government

9781465562234

369 pages

Library of Alexandria

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As will be seen, the Mission was accompanied by two German gentlemen, Drs. Barth and Overwegthe former, of whom I had the pleasure of meeting in Egypt, after his enterprising ride along the coast of Libya. They are still in Central Africa, pushing their excursions on all sides, from Bornou into unknown tracts; and the accounts they may publish on their return will be anxiously looked for. The great traverse of the Saharan desert, however, with all its vicissitudes[vii] and dangers, the physical aspect of that wonderful region, and the manners of the various tribes that inhabit it, will, in the present volume, be found to be fully describednot, it is true, with much attempt at literary ornament, but in the vivid though simple language in which a man sets down impressions which he has just received. I have endeavoured to remove all the faults which may be supposed to have arisen from haste or carelessness, and have necessarily re-written several passages, and passed a correcting pen over the whole manuscript. But I think I may say with confidence, that there is no observation or statement in the following pages which cannot be justified by a reference to the original journals and scattered memoranda. To me this simple record of daily occurrences seems highly interesting. It divides itself, naturally, into a succession of parts of unequal importance.