NICHOLLS — ROENTGEN* 
native merchants in that part of Africa were in 
habits of frequent communication with the coun- 
try of Houssa. Mr NichoUs, therefore, having 
obtained recommendations from the principal 
traders in Liverpool, sailed from that place on 
the 1st November 1804, and arrived at Calabar 
in the January following. Several letters were 
received from him, by which it appeared that he 
was well received by the chiefs and principal 
traders. He did not gain much information about 
the interior, as most of the slaves came from the 
west ; and the Howatt country, through which he 
meant to travel, traded with Calabar only for 
yams. The natives had not been able to ascend 
the river of Calabar very high, as, after sailing a 
certain distance, they came to an immense fall 
of water, which was heard for several miles j after 
passing which, the land rose very rapidly. 
From these circumstances, very sanguine hopes 
were entertained from the mission of Mr Nicholls j 
but these were wholly extinguished by the next 
accounts, which stated, that he had been seized 
with the fever of the country, and had fallen a 
victim to it. 
The next adventurer in African discovery was 
. a German of the name of Roentgen,* recom- 
mended to Sir Joseph Banks by Professor Blumen- 
* Quarterly Review for July 1817. 
VOL. L ? f 
