INTRODUCTION. 5 



In speaking of what has been done by the Expedition, 

 it should always be understood that Dr. Kirk, Mr. Charles 

 Livingstone, Mr. K. Thornton, and others composed it. In 

 using the plural number they are meant, and I wish to 

 bear testimony to the untiring zeal, energy, courage, 

 and perseverance with which my companions laboured ; 

 undaunted by difficulties, dangers, or hard fare. It is my 

 firm belief that, were their services required in any other 

 capacity, they might be implicitly relied on to perform 

 their duty like men. The reason why Dr. Kirk's name 

 does not appear on the title-page of this narrative is, 

 because it is hoped that he may give an account of the 

 botany and natural history of the Expedition in a separate 

 work from his own pen. He collected above four thousand 

 species of plants, specimens of most of the valuable woods, 

 of the different native manufactures, of the articles of 

 food, and of the different kinds of cotton from every spot 

 we visited, and a great variety of birds and insects ; 

 besides making meteorological observations, and affording, 

 as our instructions required, medical assistance to the 

 natives in every case where he could be of any use. 



Charles Livingstone was also fully occupied in his 

 duties in following out the general objects of our mission, 

 in encouraging the culture of cotton, in making many 

 magnetic and meteorological observations, in photograph- 

 ing so long as the materials would serve, and in collecting 

 a large number of birds, insects, and other objects of 

 interest. The collections, being Government property, 

 have been forwarded to the British Museum, and to the 

 Eoyal Botanic Gardens at Kew; and should Dr. Kirk 

 undertake their description, three or four years will be 

 required for the purpose. 



Though collections were made, it was always distinctly 

 understood that, however desirable these and our explora- 

 tions might be, " Her Majesty's Government attached 



