MEMOIR OF BURCKHARDT. 25 



They subscribed the necessary funds, and sought 

 out persons duly qualified and possessed of suffi- 

 cient courage to undertake such distant and perilous 

 missions. A committee, which afterwards embraced 

 several noblemen, clergymen, members of parlia- 

 ment, and men of science, was appointed ; consisting 

 of Lord Rawdon (afterwards Marquis of Hastings), 

 Sir Joseph Banks, the Bishop of LlandaflP, Mr, 

 Beaufoy, and Mr. Stuart, who were nominated 

 managers. 



It might be supposed that the mere offer to 

 defray travelling expenses, ^vhich was all the So- 

 ciety's finances could afford, would be no great 

 temptation to induce persons endowed with the 

 requisite qualifications to embark in journeys beset 

 with dangers and difficulties of no ordinary kind. 

 Yet it so happened, that men eminently fitted for 

 the task presented themselves, even in greater num- 

 bers than the Association could receive. It is true, 

 that for some time the progress of discovery, from 

 various unfortunate accidents, was not at all com- 

 mensurate with the alacrity or the ability evinced 

 by those ardent adventurers who engaged in pursuit 

 of this very important object. Ledyard, the first 

 that offered his services, sailed for Cairo, where he 

 arrived on the 19tli of August, 17^8, intending to 

 proceed to Sennaar, and thence to traverse the entire 

 breadth of the African continent. But he died in 

 Egypt, before the caravan was ready to start, with 

 which he had proposed to take his departure. 



The Society next entered into tenns with Mr. 



