Travels in Africa 
Mr. Dochard wished much (notwithstanding his 
enfeebled state of health) to accompany me, 
but I could not injustice to him, to my own 
feelings, or indeed to the service in which I 
was so warmly engaged, comply with his re- 
quest. I was thus reduced to the very last 
effort ; and however reluctantly I parted with 
those officers and men who had been my com- 
panions in privations, difficulties, and anxiety 
since 1818, I felt a satisfaction in saying to 
them that the circumstances I was then placed 
in could alone induce me to dispense with the 
services which on all occasions, and in the most 
trying cases, they had rendered with so much 
cheerfulness and patience. When selecting 
from the party such men as I conceived best 
adapted to the peculiarity of the service we were 
about to enter on, nearly every man volunteered 
to accompany me to the very last moment ; but 
my means were then reduced to so limited a 
compass, and the necessity of proceeding with a 
small party in such circumstances so decidedly 
imperious, that I could not accept of their fur- 
ther services, and therefore chose fifteen, among 
whom was my sergeant-major (Lee), a man, 
who to the strictest sentiments of honor add- 
ed those of cool determined bravery and a 
strong impulse to render every possible assist- 
ance in bringing our service to a favourable 
termination. All the others were men of co- 
lour, either soldiers of the African corps or in- 
