S E C T . II. Preparations fo r the African Expedition. 177J. T " \U R IN G the major part o f the winter months I lived I J . in the town itfelf, and at times made preparations for my journey in feveral ways, among which might be reckoned my praCtifing phyfic and furgery; as what I acquired by thefe means, was a great help towards equipping me out in the expenfive manner my undertaking required. My travelling purfe was farther fortified by a lucky peculation in commerce, and likewife with fixty ducats {for which fum I had a right to draw a bill for acceptance) for my Engliih tranflation o f our able Swediih phyfician V a n R o s e n t e i n ’s Treatife on the Dif- eafes of Children. This work I undertook and finifhed in the laft year o f our cruifing in the South Sea, moftly in the rougher climates, as I at that time was the leaft taken up with bufinefs o f any other kind, except that o f writing; though even in this cafe I was not un- frequently obliged, on account of the ftormy weather, to cling with my legs round the foot of the table, and hold myfelf faft with one hand, In order to be able to 6 write write with the other. I take this opportunity o f ac- «ww March. knowledging my obligations to Mefifs. F o r s t e r for va- rious alterations they were fo kind as to beftow on the tranflation here alluded to, which my flender knowledge o f the Engliih tongue made extremely neceflary; as like» wife for their taking care o f the impreflion o f it at London in the year 1776. With a; view of rendering my intended' journey more agreeable and convenient, I made every poflible enquiry where I could hear any thing concerning i t ; butinftead o f gaining any ufeful intelligence, I was left moré in the dark than I was before, as móft of the information I could colleCt was confufed and perplexed ; the various accounts I heard, being often contradictory to each other, but ftill more frequently claihing with probability itfelf. I was chiefly difluaded from the journey, as being a very abfurd and dangerous undertaking, efpe- cially as, being a ftranger, as yet unacquainted’ with Africa, and far from rich, I mufl neceffarily fubjeCt myfelf to every kind of inconvenience; but fince I faw nothing impofiible in the affair, at leaft not in making the experiment, 1 purfued my defign. With this view I formed an acquaintance and even friendihip with Mr. D a n i e l F e r d i n a n d Im m e lm a n , a young African, who before this had, merely for the fake o f pleafure, made a little trip into the country, to which he was induced by the following fpirited reflection: that it was very little either to his honour or to that of the other African colonifts, that they had negledted inveftigating- their own country, fo that they would foon be obliged to apply to Q 2 me
27f 72-1
To see the actual publication please follow the link above