604 
SKETCH OP AFRICAN DISCOVERT. 
After doubling tho Capo, he pursued his courso along the 
eastern coast of Africa, and then strotchcd across tho ocean 
to India. Tho Portuguese had now ascertained tho general 
outline of Africa and the position of many of tho principal 
rivers and headlands. With tho exception of a portion of 
the coast from tho Straits of Bab el Mandeb to Mukdocsha, 
situated in 3 C north latitude, tho whole of the coast had 
been traced by tho Portuguese, and their zeal and enthu- 
siasm, which had at one period been troatod with ridicule, 
were at length triumphantly rewarded, about fbur yoars 
before Columbus had achieved his great discovery, which, 
with that of Vasco do Gama, amply repaid a century of 
■spoculativo enterprise. This interesting combination of 
events had a sensible effect upon tho goneral mind of 
Europo. Tho Portuguese soon formed sottlomonts in 
Africa, and began to acquire a knowledge of tho interior 
of the countiy. They were followod by tho French, and 
afterward by tho English and tho Dutch. 
It is chiefly -within tho last fifty yoars that discoveries 
m tho interior of Africa havo boon porsevoringly and sys- 
tematically prosecuted. In I7S8, a society was established 
m London with tho design of encouraging men of entor- 
nriso to explore tho African continent. John Ledyard, 
an American, was tho first person selected by tho African 
Association for this task ; and ho set out in 1788 with tho 
intention of travorsing tho widest part of tho continent 
from oast to west, in tho supposed latitudo of tho rivor 
Niger. Unfortunately, ho was seized at Cairo with a 
fever, of which ho died. Ho possossod few s jiontific ac- 
quirements ; but his vigor and powers of endurance, mental 
and bodily, his indifference to pain, hardship, and fatiguo, 
would havo rendered him an admirablo geographical pio- 
neer. “I havo known/’ ho said, shortly before leaving 
England for tho last time, “hungor and nakedness to the 
utmost extremity of human suffering: I havo known what 
it is to havo food given as charity to a madman, and have 
at timos boon obliged to shelter myself under the miser. os 
