20 INTRODUCTION 



tunately, has presented to the world his reminis- 

 cences of that country, in one of the most fas- 

 cinating" volumes which of late years has issued 

 from the press. 



*' It would however appear that the African 

 scheme, the darling project of his life, had again 

 recurred to him at a later period ; for in the course 

 of the present spring, before setting out on that 

 journey which was destined to be his last, the fol- 

 lowing expressions occur in one of his letters : — 



" * My movements are uncertain, for I am try- 

 ing to get up a yacht voyage to Borneo and the 

 Indian Archipelago ; have volunteered to Govern- 

 ment to explore Central Africa ; and the Abori- 

 genes Protection Society wish me to go out to 

 Canada to organize the Indian tribes ; whilst, for 

 my own part and inclination, I wish to go to all 

 parts of the world at once.' 



" His last letter, written just before his depar- 

 ture from England, a few weeks previous to his 

 death, will hardly be read by anyone who ever 

 knew the writer without a tear of sympathy for 

 the sad fate of this fine young man, dying miser- 

 ably in a strange land, before he had well com- 

 menced the hazardous journey whose excitement 

 and dangers he so joyously anticipated: — 



*' ' As you say, human nature can't go on feed- 

 ing on civilized fixings in this big village ; and this 

 child has felt like going west for many a month, 

 being " half froze for buffler-meat and mountain 



