Travels in Western Africa, in the Years 1818 21 From the River Gambia to the River Niger
9781465684042
213 pages
Library of Alexandria
Overview
In offering to the public the following pages, it may be necessary to state the motives which operated to my acceptance of that important command, which it will be their business to disclose. Though not born in the camp, nor altogether educated in the field, I have been early taught in that frankness which generally characterises the soldier, and, I trust, it will be found that, in all I describe, I have never deviated from strictly acting on that honourable and faithful basis. I had reached the shores of Africa, in my tour of service, well remembering on my passage the labours and researches of the informed and the brave who perished in the exalted struggle of benefiting their country and the benighted Africans; while, at the same time, I could not help reflecting on the disappointing results which often attend the best directed human exertions. The brave and the scientific were gone; their country consecrated their labours, though partially abortive; and the enterprising mind felt no alarm in tracing their progress, while a chance remained of redeeming their fate by more successful exertions. Greece and Rome alternately fought and conquered, and were subdued by arms, the short summary of most nations’ history, while it remained for the British Government alone to extend their empire through the enlightened agency of moral sway, of civil institutes, and Christian regulations, and convey to the hapless, the neglected, and the enslaved, the highest blessings which can dignify, improve, or adorn man. Warmed with those feelings, I felt an honourable pride in being entrusted with a command to explore the uncultivated regions of Western Africa. It was a task of peril, but the measure of danger was the measure of honour; and with a strong distrust of my own capacity I accepted the office of conducting the expedition. As soon as I became acquainted with its objects, it may be naturally supposed that I felt some uneasiness; but such were the measures taken by a superior commander, now no more, that any insufficiency on my part was compensated by the wisdom of a gallant and enlightened officer. The objects of the mission were not the mere acquisition of territory, or the unfair advantage of commerce; they were the improvement of science, the enlargement of trade, and the consequent diffusion of increased happiness to the African population. The sceptic in religion, and the would be renovator of politics, may think differently on this subject; but every rational 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 condition of our degraded fellow creatures.
