THE EXPEDITION. 3 



by the Niger as that by the Rhine, the Danube, 

 the Mississippi, or the Oronooko, is into their 

 respective countries. To the merchant it offer- 

 ed a boundless field for enterprise ; to the manu- 

 facturer, an extensive market for his goods ; 

 and to the energy and ardour of youth, it pre- 

 sented the irresistible charms of novelty, danger, 

 and adventure. 



It must not, however, be supposed that these 

 were the sole motives that actuated the pro- 

 moters of that expedition, the proceedings of 

 which are related in the following pages : other 

 and nobler objects were connected with them. 

 By introducing legitimate commerce with all 

 its attendant blessings into the centre of the 

 country, they knew that they were striking a 

 mortal blow to that debasing and demoralising 

 trafHc which has for centuries cursed that un- 

 happy land, and rendered some of the loveliest 

 tracts on the face of the globe the habitation 

 of wild beasts and noxious reptiles, or of man 

 in a condition more disgusting and degraded 

 than either. Under Providence, they aspired to 

 become the means of rescuing millions of their 

 fellow-men from the miseries of a religion cha- 

 racterised by violence and blood, by imparting 



B 2 



