278 THE LIFE OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS 



which were all lost. Hooper afterwards became " Hortu- 

 lanus " at the Buitenzorg Botanic Garden, near Batavia. 



Another exploring scheme was to take the river Congo 

 from its estuary upward in order to prove its connection 

 with the Niger. In spite of some objectors it was generally 

 believed that the two rivers were one and the same. 

 One of these objectors was Reichard, a German geo- 

 grapher, whose idea was that the Niger poured its waters 

 into the Gulf of Benin. He was right, as it turned out ; 

 but at the period of which we are writing, Reichard 's 

 hypothesis was " entitled to very little esteem." 



Sir Joseph Banks learned of this project through a 

 letter of Mr. Barrow, Secretary to the Admiralty, dated 

 July 29, 1815. It was felt (he said) that an expedition 

 up the Congo was more likely to be successful than one 

 down the Niger. "As to whether the two streams are 

 one and the same, it would be discreditable for this 

 country to remain much longer in ignorance." In the 

 meantime, they could do nothing without Banks 's 

 assistance ; and would he be good enough to cast about 

 for a proper Nattiralist? He had found an excellent 

 fellow for commander, in Lieutenant John Kingston 

 Tuckey, R.N., who had already distinguished himself in 

 the seas surveyed by Flinders, and whose recently 

 published Maritime Geography and Statistics showed his 

 liking for this sort of work. 



Banks suggested a steamboat for the purpose of the river 

 voyage. This was at first approved, but after conferring 

 with Mr. Rennie, and Messrs. Boulton and Watt, Barrow 

 reported that they considered it quite impracticable to 

 build one suitable for the river. But Sir Joseph had 

 been aroused by the idea, and put forth all his old mental 

 energy. He wrote a long and reminiscent letter, deducing 

 from his own experience the best means for making the 

 thing a success. He persisted in favour of a small steam- 

 boat : " Is it conceivable " (he wrote) " that a rich and 



