DISCOVERIES OP THE FRENCH. 149 
Notwithstanding the rapid downfal of these 
successive companies, each, at its commencement, 
had a period of hope and activity, during which 
vigorous exertions were made to extend the chan- 
nels of its commerce. The French, therefore, in 
the course of the eighteenth century, penetrated 
deeper into Africa, and obtained more information 
respecting the most interesting portion of its interi- 
or, than any other European nation ; and they main- 
tained this pre-eminence till the splendid exertions 
of the African association enabled that body to out- 
strip all former competitors. Among French disco- 
verers, the most active by far was the Sieur Brue, 
who had the management of African affairs under 
the fourth company. The narrative of his various 
journeys, though not published by himself, is pre- 
served by Labat in his Afrique Occidentale* There 
exists, however, one relation of a journey, per- 
formed at a prior period, (in 1637) by Claude Jan- 
nequin, who deserves notice, as being the first 
Frenchman who penetrated into the interior of 
those vast regions. 
Jannequin was a young man of some rank ; but 
happening, as he walked on the harbour of Dieppe, 
to see a vessel bound for Africa, he was seized 
with the most ardent desire of visiting that distant 
region. He immediately engaged himself as a sol- 
dier, and set sail. After touching at the Cana- 
ries, the crew landed on the coast of the Sahara, 
