2 
PLAN OF THE MISSION. 
in the background — the abolition of the slave-trade ; 
one subsidiary, and yet important in itself — the pro- 
motion of commerce by way of the Great Desert ; 
appeared to me, and to the distinguished persons 
who promoted the undertaking, of sufficient magni- 
tude to justify considerable sacrifices. Much pre- 
liminary discussion took place ; but the impediments 
and difficulties that naturally start up at the com- 
mencement of any enterprise possessing the cha- 
racter of novelty were graduall}^ overcome, and in 
the summer of 1849 it was generally known that 
I was about to proceed, by way of Tripoli and the 
Sahara, and the hitherto unexplored kingdom of 
Aheer, to endeavour to open commercial relations 
and conclude treaties with any native power so 
disposed, but especially with the Sultan of Bornou. 
It was not thought necessary, however, to surround 
my Mission with any circumstances of diplomatic 
splendour ; and it was still in the character of 
Yakob — a name already known throughout the 
greater portion of the route intended to be traversed 
— that I proposed to resume my intercourse with the 
Moors, the Fezzanees, the Tibboos, the Tuaricks, 
and other tribes and peoples of the desert and the 
countries beyond. 
The various preparations for the expedition 
occupied a considerable time before I could leave 
Europe ; but I shall pass over all account of these, 
and enter as soon as possible on the plain narrative 
of my journey. We reached Tripoli on January 
