146 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



their failures may even be counted for victories, in the 

 paths prepared for their successors. Without the pioneer 

 work of the African Association, the opening up of the 

 western parts of the Dark Continent might have been 

 delayed for two or three generations. 



The Association was soon at work. It happened that 

 John Ledyard called one day upon Sir Joseph Led- 

 yard was from Connecticut, a genuine wanderer, and a 

 brave fellow. He lived a long time among the North 

 American Indians, worked his way to England before the 

 mast, and joined Captain Cook's third circumnavigation, 

 serving as a marine on board the Resolution. After this 

 he was concerned in a journey to Kamtchatka, by land. 

 Reaching St. Petersburg, he obtained twenty guineas 

 from the Portuguese ambassador, on the credit of Sir 

 Joseph Banks. At Yakutsk he fell in with Joseph 

 Billings's Expedition, 1 and was prepared to join him. 

 But he was suddenly arrested, taken back across Russia, 

 and landed on the Polish frontier. Ledyard found him- 

 self at Konigsberg, poor and ragged, and out of health. 

 Yet somebody was found, in this remote quarter, who 

 was willing to take his draft for five guineas on the Presi- 

 dent of the Royal Society ! 



He could now get to England. He soon waited on Sir 

 Joseph, who was struck with Ledyard 's manly but rest- 

 less personality : a figure of great strength and activity, 

 although but of middle size. His manners were easy, 

 though unpolished, and he appeared to exhibit that rare 



1 Billings was another adventurous spirit (? from Lincolnshire). He 

 had sailed on the Discovery (sister-ship to the Resolution) as able 

 seaman and astronomer's assistant. When William Coxe, the traveller, 

 was in Russia in 1784, he recommended, through Dr. Pallas, to the 

 Empress an expedition to complete the geographical knowledge of the 

 more distant parts of the Empire. " Commodore Joseph Billings " was 

 given the command of the undertaking, which occupied the years 1785- 

 1 794. Martin Sauer, Secretary to the Expedition, published' in London 

 (1802) an account of it and dedicated it to Sir Joseph Banks. Billings 

 had been befriended by Banks more than once, and was most likely 

 financed by him on this occasion.] 



