FIRST JOURNEY. 
the interior regions of Africa ftill continue unvalued, only, 
perhaps, becaufe unknown. 
But if ambition did not tempt the conquerors of the world 
to extend their empire acrofs the dreary deferts of Africa, nor 
commerce induce mankind to examine a country, the external 
appearance of which prefents few allurements to the mere 
lovers of gain, to compenfate for the dangers of exploring 
dreary and fcorching regions, inhabited by ravenous beafls and 
noxious reptiles ; yet there is one defcription of men to whom, 
with all their terrors, they will afford the moft ample gratifi- 
cation. The admirer of Nature has, in this country, a wide 
field for invefligation : here he will difcover objeds amply 
fufficient to fatisfy the moft inquifitive tafte : here he will 
find every objeft, fimple and unadorned ; and will behold, in 
the uncivilized Hottentot, thofe virtues, which he, perhaps, 
fought for in civilized fociety in vain. 
ImprelTed with thefe fentiments, and incited by the profpe^l 
of a country, the produdions of which were unknown, I left 
England with a view to gratify a curiofity, which, if not laud* 
able, was at leaft innocent. 
The period when we arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, 
being the middle of May, it was too late in the feafon to go 
mto Table Bay with fafety, owing to the variable ftate of the 
weather at this time, which is that of the fettins; in of the 
Quaod Monfoon, or winter ; we anchored, therefore, in the 
Bay Falfe, Immediately on our arrival, a very heavy fall of 
