4 MEMOIR OF THE LIFE 
excursions. In August, 18303 he made acquaintance with a 
member of the African Civilization Society, which had arisen 
in London under the patronage of Prince Albert, with the 
view of extending civilization amongst the natives of Western 
Africa and putting an end to the slave trade, who chanced 
then to be at Bonn. The British Government fitted out 
three steamers,* destined to run into the Niger, or Quorra, 
at its entrance into the Bight of Benin, on the western coast 
of Central Africa, to penetrate by this vast navigable river, 
into the interior of this little-known country, to make treaties 
with the inhabitants, and to establish an emporium at some 
suitable place. A Botanist- was needed, to ascertain the 
vegetable productions of the country and the capabilities of 
the soil; and Dr. Vogel was found willing to hold this office, 
hoping by these means to satisfy his eager desire to explore 
a rich and almost unknown vegetation. He undertook, there- 
fore, in September and October of the same year, a journey 
to England, to make a personal acquaintance with the com- 
mittee of the society: returned for a few weeks to Germany, 
to arrange definitively his affairs, and finally left Bonn on the 
3nd of December, 1840, to enter upon his journey, having 
obtained from the proper authorities a two years' leave of 
absence. : 
The departure of the expedition, which, according to the 
first plan, was to be in the end of January, 1841, was 
deferred from various circumstances and impediments to the 
third week in May; when, finally, the ships left Plymouth 
harbour and Europe, Dr. Vogel embarking in the Wilber- 
force. During his four months’ residence in England, Vogel 
prepared himself in every possible way for his new destina- 
tion, and in the parts for March and July of a Journal 
entitled ** The Friend of Africa,” he published an * Essay on 
the Botany of Western Central Africa ;” in which the hitherto 
written treatises on the vegetable productions of this part 
of the world were reviewed. From Madeira he addressed 
* The Albert, the Wilberforce,-and Soudan. 
tissa 
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