PREFACE. xvii 
would have been a ftrong prefumption in favour of 
future efforts. He expeded in that road to have 
feen part of the Niger ^ and even though he had 
been ftridly reftrained to the dired: road from Dar- 
Fur through Bernou and thence to Fezzan and 
TripoUy an opportunity muft have offered of verify- 
ing feveral important geographical pofitions, and 
obferving many fads worthy remembrance relative 
to commerce and general manners ; or, if thofe 
defigns had entirely failed, at leaft of marking 
a rough outline of the route, and facilitating the 
progrefs of fome future traveller. 
So fixed was his intention of executing fome one 
of thefe plans, that near three years of fuffering 
were unable to abate his refolution ; and the pain 
he endured at being ultimately compelled to relin- 
quifli them, had induced him to negled the only 
opportunity that was likely to offer of perfonal 
deliverance, till the deftitution of the means of liv- 
ing roufed him from his lethargy ; and the ridicule 
of his Mohammedan friends, who, fatalifts as they 
are, yield to circumftances, inftruded him that to 
defpair 
