CHAPTER V. 



LEDYARD'S EXPEDITION TO CENTRAL AFRICA. 



the 30th of June, 1788, Ledyard bade adieu 

 to the British metropolis, and commenced his 

 journey toward the distant land of the Nile. He 

 visited his former friend Mr. Jefferson, when pass- 

 ing through Paris; who received him with great 

 cordiality, and encouraged him with cheering pros- 

 pects and anticipations of future prosperity. From 

 Paris Ledyard proceeded to Marseilles, at which 

 port he embarked for Alexandria. He thus de- 

 scribes, in a letter to Mr. Jefferson, his first expe- 

 riences of Eastern travel : 



"As I shall go to Cairo in a few days, from 

 whence it may be difficult for me to write to you, I 

 io it here, though unprepared. I am in good health 

 and spirits, and the prospects before me are flatter- 

 ing. This intelligence, with my wishes for your 

 happiness and an eternal remembrance of your 

 goodness to me, must form the only part of my letter 

 of any consequence, except that I desire tc be 

 remembered to the Marquis de la Fayette, his lady, 



V 321 



