84 
PLAN FOR EXPLORING AFRICA. 
to Laing. Had it not been for the precautions I was com- 
pelled to observe in my Arabic disguise^ I would have given 
a good price for it ; but I could not, without betraying my- 
self, show that I attached the least value to an instrument, 
of the use of which I was supposed to be ignorant. 
I have left a wide field of discovery for those who 
come after me, especially in the geography and natural his- 
toiy of this country. What I have suffered should not dis- 
courage future enquirers. Their attempts will doubtless be 
attended with hardships and danger ; but an enterprise 
conducted with prudence would triumph over obstacles. 
To ensure success, the traveller should, I think, make no 
sort of display ; he should externally adopt the worship 
of Mahomet, and pass himself off for an Arab. A pre- 
tended convert would not enjoy so much liberty, and would 
be an object of suspicion to such distrustful people. Besides, 
I am of opinion that a converted christian would not be 
tolerated among the negro tribes. The best plan would be, I 
think to cross the great desert of Sahara in the character of 
an Arab, provided with adequate but concealed resources. 
After remaining for some time in the Musulman town se- 
lected by the traveller as his starting point, where he might 
give himself out as a merchant, to avoid suspicion, he might 
purchase some merchandise in that town, under the pre- 
tence of going to trade further on, carefully abstaining from 
all mention of the city of Timbuctoo. 
Let us suppose Tangiers or Arbate to be the place chosen 
as the point of departure ; mercantile business at Fez might 
be alleged as an excuse for setting off. Still adopting the 
same pretence, the traveller might proceed from Fez to Ta- 
filet, and thence to Timbuctoo. At Tafilet there would be 
no danger of speaking of Timbuctoo, for there a journey to 
the Soudan is an affair of frequent occurrence and it excites 
no attention. It would be advisable to purchase merchan- 
