Chap, v.] Geography, 49 



especially concerning the nations established near 

 the Nile, from its source to its mouths, than all 

 Europe could before have supplied. The travels of 

 Mr. Browne in Egypt, and some adjacent parts of 

 AfiMca, considerably enlarged the sum of our geo- 

 graphical knowledge, and presented to the inquisi- 

 tive reader a variety of curious information. 



In 1788 a number of the nobility, and other 

 gentlemen of liberal curiosity, in Great Britain, 

 formed an association, the express object of which 

 was to explore the interior of Africa. This object 

 they have pursued with a laudable zeal, and with a 

 very honourable and gratifying success*. The 

 successive travels of Houghton, Lucas, Ledyard f, 



-* See the Proceedings of the Afriean Association. 



•\ Mr. John Ledyard was an American, born in the state of 

 Connecticut. He entered Dartmouth college, in New Hamp- 

 shire, at the usual age, with a view to the study of divinity ; but, 

 being obliged to leave that institution, on account of tlie narrow- 

 ness of his circumstances, before his education was completed, he 

 resolved to indulge his taste for activity and enterprise. Ac- 

 cordingly, he engaged as a common sailor on board a ship bound 

 from New York to London. On his arrival there he entered as 

 corporal of marines with the celebrated captain Cook, then about 

 to sail on his third voyage of discover)^ Young Ledyard was a 

 favourite w^ith that illustrious navigator, and was one of the wit- 

 nesses of his tragical end. After this he travelled many tliousand 

 miles through the northern parts of Europe and Asia, intending to 

 pass'^from the latter to the American continent, and traverse the 

 interior of his native country. But being arrested in the pursuit 

 of this plan by order of the empress of Russia, he at length re- 

 turned to England, where, in ] 788, he engaged in the service of 

 the African Association, for the purpose of exploring the interior 

 of that country.' In pursuance of this agreement, he reached 

 Cairo, in Egypt, in the month of August of the same year. He 

 had, however, scarcely entered on his travels, when death uu-- 

 expectedly terminated his career. 



Vol. 1L E 



