GEORGE FREDERICK RUXTON. V 



believe not one instance could be adduced of even the 

 most polished and civilised of men, who had once tasted 

 the sweets of its attendant liberty, and freedom from every 

 worldly care, not regretting the moment when he exchanged 

 it for the monotonous life of the settlements, nor sighing 

 and sighing again once more to partake of its pleasures and 

 allurements." 



On his return to Europe from the Far West, Mr Kuxton, 

 animated with a spirit as enterprising and fearless as that 

 of Raleigh, planned a scheme for the exploration of Central 

 Africa, which was thus characterised by the President of 

 the Royal Geographical Society, in his anniversary address 

 for 1845 : " To my great surprise, I recently conversed 

 with an ardent and accomplished youth, Lieutenant Rux- 

 ton, late of the 89th Regiment, who had formed the daring 

 project of traversing Africa in the parallel of the southern 

 tropic, and has actually started for this purpose. Prepar- 

 ing himself by previous excursions on foot in North Africa 

 and Algeria, he sailed from Liverpool early in December 

 last, in the Royalist, for Ichaboe. From that spot he was 

 to repair to Walvish Bay, where we have already mercan- 

 tile establishments. The intrepid traveller had received 

 from the agents of these establishments such favourable 

 accounts of the nations towards the interior, as also of the 

 nature of the climate, that he has the most sanguine hopes 

 of being able to penetrate to the central region, if not of 

 traversing it to the Portuguese colonies of Mozambique. 

 If this be accomplished, then indeed will Lieutenant Rux- 

 ton have acquired for himself a permanent name among 

 British travellers, by making us acquainted with the nature 

 of the axis of the great continent of which we possess the 

 southern extremity." 



In pursuance of this hazardous scheme, Ruxton, with a 

 single companion, landed on the coast of Africa, a little to 

 the south of Ichaboe, and commenced his journey of ex- 



