PREFACE. 
vii 
the political and religious institutions, and upon the man- 
ners and customs of the people ' amongst whom I have 
sojourned, will not be found here; even had my prior 
studies directed my mind to this species of reflections, 
the scanty resources at my disposal, and the consequent 
necessity of a rapid passage, did not permit my residence 
in any place for a sufficient length of time to furnish a 
solid foundation for such researches. My principal object 
was to collect carefully and accurately all the facts, of 
whatsoever nature, which fell under my inspection, and 
especially to notice whatever appeared conducive to the 
improvement of geography and of our commerce with 
Africa. 
A long stay in our establishments of Senegal, and per- 
haps also, my own experience, had taught me how much 
this commerce, which had so long languished, needed 
new markets and new connections in the interior; but to 
form these new connections, to impose on the distant 
population a tribute to our industry, new discoveries were 
necessary; and increased geographical knowledge was 
indispensable to enable the government to extend sufficient 
encouragement to our mercantile establishments on the 
coast. A strong persuasion of this necessity, of this 
urgent need, under which our African commerce labours, 
became in a manner the soul of my inquiries, particularly 
in a certain portion of my travels. I was convinced that 
our colonial and all our commercial relations must sooner 
or later be powerfully influenced by clear and positive 
information, drawn from the fountain head, and deposited 
