98 Smith's Report of the Expedition 



REVIEWS. 



Art. I. Report of the Expedition for exploring Central Africa^ 

 from the Cape of Good Hope. (Published for the Subscribers 

 only.) 



In the year 1834, some spirited individuals resident at the 

 Cape, from a desire to promote the objects of science and like- 

 wise to benefit the commercial interests of the colonists, 

 raised a fund for the purpose of fitting out an expedition to 

 explore a portion of Central Africa. With these ends in view, 

 rather a numerous party equipped in a very efficient manner, 

 were dispatched from the Cape, the arrangements and whole 

 superintendence of the expedition being committed to the care 

 of Dr. Andrew Smith ; and, among the instructions placed in 

 his hands, particular directions were given for collecting all 

 the materials in his power, relating to the natural history of 

 the districts which he was about to explore. 



After an absence of about eighteen months, the party have 

 returned; and a report, containing a description of the route 

 which they pursued, a list of the various specimens collected, 

 and a general summary of their whole proceedings, is now 

 laid before the subscribers. 



The undertaking appears to have been very judiciously 

 and ably conducted by Dr. Smith, who seems to have met 

 with the most zealous cooperation on the part of the mis- 

 sionaries ; he thus concludes his narrative — 



" The importance of the services which were rendered by the various 

 missionaries we visited will, ere this, have been apparent ; yet, compara- 

 tively speaking, but a small proportion of their real utility has been 

 noticed, from the necessity of abstaining, on the present occasion, from 

 particular details. To all^of them I consider the Association to be deeply 

 indehted for whatever degree of success has attended the exertions of the 

 expedition ; and to the Rev. Mr. Moffat especially, for the friendly recep- 

 tion and kind treatment which we experienced from Umsiligas.* To the 

 general activity and good feeling of the majority of the members of the 

 party itself, I am bound to attribute, in a great measure, the fortunate 

 result of the enterprise ; and, should it ever be my good fortune to obtain 

 leave to proceed on another journey of the kind, I should be delighted to 

 have with me nearly all of the individuals of the late party, and more than 

 delighted to have those gentlemen the fruits of whose talents -J- are this 

 day conspicuous before you. 



" Having now given a general outline of the proceedings of the expedi- 

 tion, I shall sum up concisely what appears to me to have been some of 

 the principal results : — 



" 1st. It has put us in possession of much information respecting many 

 tribes even hitherto unknown to us by name ; and has enabled us also to 

 extend very considerably our knowledge of those which had previously 



* An African chief. -f- 497 drawings. 



