114 NICHOLLS— ROENTGEN. 



on the Niger, where he fell a victim, not to any hostility on 

 the part of the natives, but to disease and the climate. A 

 young man vras even met with, who professed to be his son, 

 though there was some doubt as to the grounds of his claim 

 to that character. 



The Association, when their hopes from Homeman had 

 failed, began to look round for other instruments ; and there 

 was still a number of active and daring spirits ready to 

 brave the dangers with which this undertaking was sur- 

 rounded. Mr. NichoUs, in 1804, repaired to Calabar, in 

 the Gulf of Benin, with the view of penetrating into the 

 interior by this route, which appeared shorter than any 

 other. He was well received by the chiefs on that coast, 

 but could not gain much intelligence respecting the Niger, 

 being informed that most of the slaves came from the west, 

 and that the navigation of the river, at no great distance, 

 was mterrupted by an immense waterfall, beyond which the 

 surface of the country became very elevated. Unfortu- 

 nately, of all the sickly climates of Africa this is perhaps 

 the most pestilential ; and Mr. NichoUs, even before he had 

 commenced his journey fell a victim to the epidemic fever. 



Another German, named Roentgen, recommended also 

 by Professor Blumenbach, undertook to penetrate into the 

 interior of Africa by the way of Morocco. He was de- 

 scribed as possessing an unblemished character, ardent zeal 

 in the cause, with great strength both of mind and body. 

 Like Homeman, he made hunself master of Arabic, and 

 proposed to pass for a Mohammedan. Having, in 1809, 

 arrived at Mogadore, he hired two guides, and set out to 

 join the Soudan caravan. But his career was short indeed ; 

 for soon afterward his body was found at a little distance 

 from the place whence he set out. No infonnation could 

 ever be obtained as to the particulars of his death ; but it 

 was, too probably, conjectured that his guides had murdered 

 him with the view of seizing his property. 



The public mind, meantime, continued fixed with intense 

 interest on Africa, and eveiy channel by which even the 

 most imperfect information respecting it could be obtained 

 was carefully examined. Much attention was at one time 

 excited by tidings derived even from a foreign and rather 

 doubtful source. The African coast from Morocco to the 

 Senegiil is singularly perilous, beset with numerous sand- 



