Travels through Central Africa to Timbuctoo; and across the Great Desert, to Morocco, performed in the years 1824-1828, Vol. 1 (of 2)

RENÉ CAILLIÉ.
London. Published by Henry Colburn & Richard Bentley, New Burlington Street.
BY RENÉ CAILLIÉ.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
LONDON: HENRY COLBURN AND RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 1830.
LONDON: PRINTED BY G. SCHULZE, 13, POLAND STREET.
Among the geographical problems which, during the last half century, have occupied the attention of the scientific world and awakened a spirit of adventure in enterprizing individuals, has been the existence of a large and populous city in the heart of Central Africa. The solution of this problem appeared to be a subject worthy of the solicitude even of Societies and Governments; and various expeditions have been dispatched at their expense to explore the unknown interior of that continent, with a particular view to the settlement of this long agitated question. In vain, however, have Houghton, Browne, Hornemann, and Park—in vain have their successors, our countrymen, Tuckey, Peddie, Campbell, Gray, Ritchie, Bowdich, Oudney, Clapperton, Denham and Laing—in vain have other European travellers, Burckhardt, Beaufort, Mollien, Belzoni, started from different points of the coast of Africa, animated with the hope of removing the veil which enveloped the mysterious city:—all have either perished or been baffled in the attempt. Of this number Major Laing alone reached the desired goal; but the results of his perseverance and his observations were lost to his country and to the world through the barbarous murder of that officer, and the consequent dispersion of his papers and effects.
Our neighbours, the French, have therefore just ground for exultation in the fact, that what British enterprize, seconded by the liberality of the British government, failed to accomplish, has been achieved by a very humble individual of their nation, and by means of his own slender unassisted resources; and they have certainly a right to boast that M. Caillié, the author of the work here presented to the public, is the first European who has succeeded in the attempt to penetrate to Timbuctoo, and returned, in spite of the perils interposed by the climate and by the still more destructive passions of men, to communicate all the information that circumstances enabled him to collect.