system ; and finally, and above all, he must have an accurate and practical knowledge o f their language, in order to cut o ff one otherwise universal source o f error, misconception, and misrepresentation. Certainly no country has o f late occupied so much attention as Africa , and the exertions o f the African Association to explore the interior o f this interesting quarter o f the globe, do them the highest c r e d i t ; and i f their emissaries have not always been successful, or obtained information only o f minor importance compared with the great object o f their researches, it is to be attributed to their want o f a sufficient knowledge o f the nature o f the country, and the character and prejudices o f its inhabitants, without which, science to a traveller in these regions, is comparatively o f little v a lu e . Wh en we consider the disadvantages under which Mr. Parke laboured in this respect, and that he trave lled in an European dress, it is re a lly astonishing that that gentleman should have penetrated so far as he did, in his first m ission; and we are not so much surprised at the perils he endured, as that he should have returned in safety to his n ative country. Had he previou sly resided a short time in Barbary, and obtained there a tolerable proficiency in the A fr ican A rabic, and w ith the customs adopted the dress o f the country, what might we not ha ve expected from his perseverance and enterprising spirit? Wh ate ve r plans future travellers may adopt, I would recommend to them to lay aside P R E F A C E . the dress o f ¡Europe; for, besides its being a badge o f C hristian ity wherever lie goes, it in ev itab ly exposes him to danger; and it is so indecent in the eyes o f th e Arabs and Moors, that a man w ith no other clothing than a piece o f linen round his m id d le , would excite in them less indignation. Mr. Horneman, in the above respects, certainly set out with a more probable chance o f success; though I much fear the expectations which he raised w ill never be fulfilled. From- his Journal, indeed, be appears to ha ve been o f far too sanguine a disposition, and to ha ve relied too much on the fair professions o f his A fr ican fellow-travellers, an instance o f which occurs in his letter from Mourzouk, where he says, “ Under protection o f two great Shereefs I have the best hopes o f success in m y undertaking.” Here the hopes o f success originate in th e v e r y cause that would induce a man versed in the character and springs o f action o f the Africans, to despair o f success. It was the promises o f these people that led Major Houghton to his ru in ; and the fair representations made b y some o f them to the first emissaries o f the A fr ican Association have been proved to h e f a t e b y the difficulties and dangers which their successors h a v e had to encounter, in attempting to penetrate to Timbuctoo. T h e Shereefs are v e ry plausible people ; many o f them possess uncommon suavity o f manners, which is too apt to throw the confiding European o ff his guard, and make him the vic tim o f b
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