THE AFRICAN ASSOCIATION. 
287 
lowing persons, chosen by ballot : Lord Rawdon, 
(now Marquis of Hastings), the Bishop of LlandafF, 
Sir Joseph Banks, Mr Beaufoy, and Mr Stuart. 
The result of their labours has thrown new lustre on 
the British name, and widely extended the boun- 
daries of human knowledge. They have thus 
earned a solid and permanent glory, and have ac- 
quired higher claims to the admiration of mankind, 
than many of those whose achievements fill the first 
place in the page of history. It is now time, how- 
ever, to proceed to the details of their operations. 
Mr Ledyard, the first geographical missionary 
employed by the association, was of American ex- 
traction. Stimulated from his early youth by a vio- 
lent propensity to explore unknown countries, he 
had lived several years with the American Indians, 
and studied their manners and habits ; he had sailed 
round the world with Captain Cook, and had made 
this voyage in the humble station of corporal of 
marines, rather than relinquish the adventure, At 
his return from this expedition, he determined to 
traverse the vast continent of America, from the 
Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, commencing from 
the north-western coast which Cook had partly ex- 
plored, and proceeding to the eastern, with which 
he himself was familiar. Prevented from sailing: 
in a commercial adventure to Nootka Sound, he 
determined to travel over land to Kamschatka ; 
and for this purpose, after crossing the British 
