XIV 
PREFACE. 
cessary to include those parts of the coast 
by which the attempts to penetrate inward 
have been chiefly made,— as Congo, and the 
banks of the Senegal and Gambia. The 
Second Book exhibits the discoveries in the 
maritime countries, beginning with Abys- 
sinia, the chief native power, and making 
thence the circuit of Africa. The Third 
Book is occupied with geographical illus- 
trations and views of the present state of 
Africa. Under the former head, it is at- 
tempted to exhibit, as a branch of the history 
of science, a view of the progress of inquiry 
and speculation relative to this continent, 
from the earliest ages, ratlier than to indulge 
in present conjectures, which a few years, 
it may be hoped, would render superfluous. 
In this part of the work I have been fortu- 
nate enough to obtain from my friend. Pro- 
fessor Jameson, a general view of the natural 
history of Africa, the great importance of 
which cannot fail to be appreciated by every 
reader. 
In the Appendix will be found transla- 
tions of some scarce and curious passages 
of the early geographers, relating to central 
