PREFACE. 
Since the activity of coniniefcc, and tlie necessity 
of understanding its relations, induced the maritime 
powers of Europe to attempt fresh discoveries, ali 
their efforts have been directed towards tlie new 
Avorld. When tlie most fertile parts of that continent, 
and its still more productive isles, were discovered, 
and explored, the enterprising spirit of navigators 
carried them even to the south pole; in short, the 
most distant and hazardous expeditions were under- 
taken, and immense sums were disbursed to find out 
a few corners of the earth which were uninhabited. 
While, however, those navigators were pursuing 
their adventures, the discoveries which had long be- 
fore been made, and the establishments which had 
been formed in the richest country in the world, a 
country most proper for producing colonial goods, 
and one situated nearest to Europe, were neglected. 
That country would probably have been abandoned 
altogether, if the necessity of obtaining for other 
regions its robust cultivators, had not drawn many 
vessels towards the part which exchisivcly aiforded 
such a resource. 
I allude to the western part of Africa, wliich, whe- 
ther an the shores of the sea, or in the interior dis- 
tricts, is of the greatest importance in the double 
respect of agriculture and commerce. It appears 
that the ancients were only acquainted with the 
northern coast of Africa, which extends from the 
straits of Gibraltar to the isthmus of Suez, and with 
the eastern coast, contiguous to the Red Sea. The 
southern part was totally unknow^n to them ; while their 
notions of the western coast were very confined, and 
they did nothing but sail along it: even this route, 
which is now so easy, was to them a dano-erous ad- 
venture: the Phenicians, Persians, Greeks, Cartha- 
ginians, and Romans, successively attempted to re- 
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