Xll 
INTRODUCTION. 
infamous traffic carried on in the Bight of Benin, and also for extending the 
legitimate commerce of Great Britain with this part of Africa, and at the 
same time adding to our knowledge of the country, did not hesitate in 
adopting the arrangement which Clapperton had made with Bello. Accord- 
ingly it was determined to send him out again to that chief, by the way of 
Benin, with suitable companions and presents, in order that a communication 
might be opened between Soccatoo and the sea-coast, and an attempt made to 
carry into effect the objects to which Bello was supposed to have given his 
hearty assent. 
It had been arranged that, after a certain period agreed upon, Bello 
should^end down his messengers to Whidah, on the coast, to meet 'Captain 
Clapperton and his companions. On their arrival, however, in the Bight of 
Benin, they could neither gain any intelligence of Bello’s messengers, nor did 
any of the people there know any thing of such names as Funda or Raka, 
the places which were pointed out by Bello as lying on the sea-coast. The 
country of Houssa, however, was well known by name, and as the precise 
geographical position of Soccatoo had been ascertained, our enterprising 
travellers could have no difficulty in knowing what direction to take ; but the 
spot from whence it would be most advisable to start was a point not so easily 
to be determined. They finally, however, selected Badagry, for reasons that 
will be briefly stated ; and proceeding northerly, from one chief to another, 
the survivors met with some delay, but no serious impediments, in reaching 
the spot of their destination. 
The conduct, however, of Bello, though at first kind, was afterwards 
changed to every thing the reverse, for reasons which will appear in the course 
of the journal. His desire for establishing an amicable intercourse was not even 
hinted at, nor one word respecting the physician, the consul, or the slave- 
trade ; and, either through ignorance or design (the former, in all probability), 
Bello had totally misled Clapperton as to the position of the city or district 
of Funda ; which, instead of being on the sea-coast, as stated by him, is 
now ascertained to be at least 150 miles from the nearest part of the coast; 
and the other city, Raka, still farther in the interior. Indeed, one would 
almost suspect that Clapperton, from not being sufficiently acquainted with the 
Fellata language, must have mistaken the meaning of Bello on his former 
visit, had not the letter in Arabic, which he brought home from the latter, 
addressed to the king of England, borne him out in his representation of the 
