to a degree of perfection which he never saw it possess elsewhere. Adams was a fine looking man, about sixty. He denied having been at all privy to the conspiracy, though, when the crisis came, viewing with horror the severity of Captain Bligh, he had attached himself to the fortunes of Christian. Though sensible that he had thus forfeited all claim to his native country, and was even become liable, by its laws, to the punishment of death, he was yet possessed with the most ardent longing to revisit its shores. He had even made arrangements for returning in the Briton; but the moment this intelligence spread through the colony, it excited such a tempest of tears and lamentations, that he found it necessary to relinquish his intention. We agree with Mr Shilliber in thinking, that his very meritorious conduct in the management of this colony might well atone for guilt so long past, and in which he appears to have so slightly participated.

It is to be regretted that scarcity of provisions did not permit the Briton to stop at the island. She proceeded thence to the American coast, and touched at Valparaiso, Santiago, and Callao, at which last place she remained for some time. Here, with due inquiry, most important information might have been collected. The author, however, saw little, and instead of communicating that little, he fills his pages chiefly with extracts from Robertson and other writers, whose works are in every body's hands.

Some particulars are given, however, of the abolition of the inquisition at Lima. The Marquis of Concordia, on receiving orders to this effect from the Cortes, kept them back for nearly six months, till, the fact transpiring, the populace rose, burst open the gates, set the prisoners at liberty, and destroyed all the ensigns of inquisitorial power. The author saw the remains of the council chamber, and the offices of the inquisitors, which displayed the utmost splendour. The cells in which the prisoners had been immured, presented a dismal contrast. They were about eight or ten feet square, and twenty feet high, having a small opening at top for the admission of light and air. We are sorry to say that this detestable tribunal has since been reestablished. At the period of its

overthrow, a gentleman of Lima obtained possession of a series of inquisitorial trials, which he afterwards put into the hands of our author, who proposes to publish them, with an English translation. We have no doubt they will possess considerable interest, provided the selection be good, and the translation be made or revised by some one who can write English grammatically.

The Briton touched also at Juan Fernandez, famed for being the solitary refuge of Selkirk, and for the glowing description given of it by Lord Anson. Mr Shilliber confirms every thing which the latter reports concerning the fertility of the soil, and the picturesque beauty of the scenery. It was employed, however, for a dismal purpose,-as a prison for the exiled patriots of Chili. Here they found about sixty venerable old men, whom, a few months before, they had seen at Santiago, living in splendour, now reduced to the most abject misery. During the interval, the old government had regained the ascendancy, which, however, we believe, they have since lost.

The return voyage did not present any incident deserving of record, and the Briton arrived at Plymouth on the 7th of July 1815.

ly in regard to this mysterious continent. Adverting to the brilliant pictures which the ancient poets have drawn of the Hesperian Gardens, the Fortunate Islands, the Islands of the Blest,-abodes of felicity which geography has never been able to refer to any definite position,-he thus naturally accounts for that fugitive coyness with which they retired from the eager gaze of discovery :~

“There arises involuntarily in the heart of man, a longing after forms of being, fairer and happier than any presented by the world before him-bright scenes, which he seeks, and never finds, in the circuit of real existence. But imagination casily creates them in that dim boundary which separates the known from the unknown world. In the first discoverers of any such region, novelty usually produces an exalted state of the imagination and passions; under the influence of which, every object is painted in higher colours than those of nature. Nor does the illusion cease, when a fuller examination proves, that, in the place thus assigned, no such beings or objects exist. The human heart still clings, while it remains possible, to its fond chimeras. It quickly transfers them to the yet unknown region beyond; and, when driven from thence, discovers still another more remote, in which they can take refuge. The first position of the Hesperian Gardens appears to have been at the western extremity of Libya, then the farthest boundary, upon that side, of ancient knowledge. The spectacle which it often presented, a circuit of blooming verdure amid the desert, was calculated to make a powerful impression on Grecian fancy, and to suggest the idea of a terrestrial paradise. It excited also the image of islands, which ever after adhered to those visionary creations. As the first spot became frequented, it was soon stripped of its fabled beauty. So pleasing an idea, however, was not to be easily relinquished. Another place was quickly found for it; and every traveller, as he discovered a new portion of that fertile and beautiful coast, fondly imagined that he had at length arrived at the long-sought-for Islands of the Blest. At length, when the Continent had been sought in vain, they were transferred to the ocean beyond, which the original idea of islands rendered an easy step. Those of the Canaries having never been passed, nor even fully explored, continued always to be the Fortunate Islands, not from any peculiar felicity of soil and climate, but merely because distance, and imperfect knowledge, left full scope to poetical fancy."

Though ancient geographers were alike ignorant of the extent and of

the form of Africa, accounts have been preserved of several attempts to explore the length of its coasts, or to penetrate into the depth of the interior. One celebrated expedition, undertaken, at the command of Necho, King of Egypt, by some Phoenician mariners, who are said to have sailed from the Red Sea, and to have returned by the Pillars of Hercules, (the Straits of Gibraltar,) has given rise to much disancient and modern times. We are incussion among the learned, both of clined, with Mr Murray, to yield to the able arguments by which Major Rennell has supported the probability of this circumnavigation, while we admit the force of the reasoning employed by M. Gosselin and Dr Vincent, to prove the total inadequacy of the means which navigation could furnish, in that period of its infancy, for so important a voyage. Of the attempts to circumnavigate Africa, made by Sataspes, a Persian nobleman, at the command of Xerxes, and by Eudoxus, an enterprising adventurer of Cyzicus, Mr Murray has given an account as detailed, and interesting as the scanty notices to be found in the ancient historians and geographers enabled him to furnish. It is sufficient here barely to advert to these voyages, which seem to have been followed by no important results. No other instances are recorded of any attempts made in those early ages to sail round Africa; but several voyages were undertaken for the purpose of exploring, to a certain extent, its unknown shores. Of these the most ancient, as well as the most memorable, was that of Hanno the Carthaginian, who was entrusted with an armament of sixty large vessels, equipped by the authority of the senate, and at the public expence, and was directed to proceed southwards from the Pillars of Hercules along the western coast. Through the fabulous colouring thrown over this voyage, it is not difficult to recognize a resemblance to many circumstances which more recent observations have ascertained. It is less easy to determine between the different

opinions which have been entertained in regard to the extent of coast which Hanno traversed, and the various objects to which his description applies. For the different opinions upon this subject, and the grounds upon which they are supported, our

limits oblige us to refer to the work itself.

Such of our readers as wish to know how much of the interior of Africa was comprehended within the limits of ancient geography, will find the subject very ably discussed by Mr Murray in his second volume, where he gives a historical view of the different geographical systems which have been formed relating to that mysterious continent. In this introductory chapter, his plan is rather to mark the steps by which discovery had advanced. He adverts, accordingly, to the celebrated journey of the five Nasamonian youths, who, setting out from a district of Northern Africa, which forms part of the modern Tripoli, penetrated many days' journey westward into the great desart, when they were surprised and seized by a body of men, black, and small in stature, and carried through extensive lakes or marshes to a city inhabited by people of a similar appearance. This city was traversed by a great river flowing from west to east, which Major Rennell supposes to have been the Niger. The frantic and disastrous expeditions of Cambyses to the south and west of Egypt, and the scarcely less disastrous march of Alexander to the temple of Jupiter Ammon, seem to have been the only attempts made for several ages to penetrate these terrific regions. The extensive knowledge of the geographers of the first and second centuries, proves that the spirit of inquiry had, during that long interval, been actively directed to that quarter; but of the progressive steps which led to that knowledge, no satisfactory record is now to be found.

On the rise of the Mahometan power, the Arabians, among whom science, banished from every other region, had found her only asylum, were impelled at once, by their migratory disposition, their spirit of commercial enterprise, and their zeal in pursuit of geographical information, to penetrate into the unknown countries of interior Africa. The habits acquired in their native desarts rendered the dangers of the Sahara less appalling to the Arabians than to other adventurers; while the camel, formed by nature for traversing such dreary tracts, enabled them not merely to effect a single journey of discovery, but to establish a regular and constant communication between the

countries separated by that wide and dismal barrier. Their first route was probably the same that is still followed by the Cassina caravan from Fezzan to Agades, where the immense breadth of the desart is broken by these large oases, and by others of smaller magnitude. The beauty and fertility of the regions which they found on the southern borders of the Sahara, were greatly heightened, of course, to their imagination, by the desolation of the tract through which they approached them; and their favourable report of these countries, and particularly the gold with which they described them as abounding, soon attracted many other adventurers. During the convulsions which afterwards shook the caliphate, thousands of its subjects sought refuge in these concealed and delightful regions; and before the close of the eleventh century, the banks of the Niger were covered with Mahometan kingdoms. Of these by far the most splendid was Ghana, situated on the eastern part of the Niger, which the Arabian writers called the Nile of the Negroes. To this kingdom was subject Wangara, or the Land of Gold, a kind of island formed by branches of the Niger, by which, during the rainy season, it is almost completely inundated. When the inundation subsides, the inhabitants are said to rush out, and eagerly to dig up the earth, in every part of which they find a greater or less quantity of gold. This gold they give in exchange for various commodities to the merchants who arrive, immediately after, from every part of Africa.

The celebrated description of Africa by Leo Africanus, forms the link between the narrative of Arabian geographers and the discoveries of modern travellers.

We are particularly indebted to Mr Murray for the entertaining detail with which he has favoured us of the exertions made by the Portuguese to penetrate into the interior of Africa, with the view of discovering the empire of Prester John. This detail may be considered as almost entirely new to the English reader; for though something was known of the progress of these enterprising adventurers, the account of their transactions had been either "locked up in the writings of the Portuguese authors, or had been

reported elsewhere in a very mutilated and imperfect state." We shall transcribe, in Mr Murray's own words, the account which he has given of the whimsical object which the Portuguese kept in view in all these attempts to explore the interior.

"The encouragement afforded by the royal family, and the general excitement throughout the nation, gave a sufficient impulse to the career into which the Por

tuguese nation had entered. Yet, into the most splendid of human enterprises, there usually enters some odd and capricious mixture. The glory of the Portuguese name, the discovery of new worlds, even the opening of the sources of golden wealth, were all considered as subordinate to the higher aim of discovering the abode of a person, who was known in Europe under the uncouth appellation of Prester John. The origin of this mysterious name, which formed the guiding star to the Portuguese in their career of discovery, is somewhat difficult to trace. It attached itself originally to the centre of Asia, where it was reported by the early travellers, particularly by Rubruquis, that a Christian monarch of that name actually resided. The report probably arose from a confused rumour of the Grand Lama or Priest Sovereign of Thibet. The search, accordingly, in that direction, proved altogether fruitless. At length it was rumoured very confidently, that on the eastern coast of Africa there did exist a Christian sovereign, whose dominions stretched far into the interior. Thence

forth it appeared no longer doubtful, that this was the real Prester John, and that the search had hitherto been made in a wrong direction. The maps of Ptolemy, then the sole guide of geographical inquirers, were spread out; and on viewing in them the general aspect of the continent, it was inferred, incorrectly indeed, yet not unplausibly, that an empire which stretched so far inward from the eastern coast, must ap

proximate to the western; and that by penetrating deep on that side, they could scarcely fail at length to reach its frontier. For this reason, whenever an expedition was sent out to any part of the coast, the first instruction given, was to inquire diligently, if the inhabitants knew any thing of the monarch in question. Every opportunity was also to be embraced of penetrating into the interior; and on hearing the name of any sovereign, an embassy was to be sent to ascertain, if he either was Prester John, or could throw any light as to where that personage might be found."

In search of this imaginary monarch, the Portuguese advanced a considerable way inward from the western coast, and formed considerable settlements

along the borders of the Senegal' and Gambia. Even in the language of Bambouk, the French found a mixture of Portuguese words, and were informed by the natives that their country had once been invaded and conquered by Portugal. It was owing entirely to the mad bigotry of some of their missionaries, and their ill-judged interference in the public concerns of some of the native states, that they were prevented from penetrating still farther eastward, and forming, as they advanced, more permanent settlements. The simple negroes seldom shewed any aversion to adopt the name of Christians, and as a certain portion of salt, there a highly prized commodity, was administered at baptism, they submitted very willingly to that sacred rite. They could not always be so easily convinced, however, of the necessity of relinquishing all their former superstitions; and the arguments of the Portuguese divines were generally more overpowering than persuasive. The following specimen of the mode of conversion which they occasionally practised may serve to account for the ultimate failure of their missions:

"Meeting with one of the queens," (in the rocky district of Maopongo,)" who with a numerous train was giving the air to an idol, and singing its praise, the missionary stopped her, and began a long discourse to shew the vanity of this worship. of no avail, he determined to employ a Seeing, however, that his arguments were sharper instrument, the whip. Such was the awe of the missionaries, that not one of the attendants attempted to defend their mistress in this extremity. The father, therefore, immediately directed his two attendants to begin the work of flagellation. sacred person of her majesty, her understandIn proportion as the blows descended on the ing, it is said, was gradually opened; so that, when a due number had been applied, she declared herself wholly unable to withstand such sensible proofs of the excellence of is not said to have expressed gratitude for their doctrine. The fair convert, however, this mode of delivering her from the errors of paganism; nor would it appear as if she reported the occurrence very favourably to the king. That monarch shewed, ever after, the most marked coldness to the missionaries, and was evidently deterred only by the dread of the Portuguese power from banishing them instantly out of his dominions."

The details of this chapter are in no small degree interesting, and exhi→

bit an apparently faithful account of the manners and condition of states, not only in the course of the great rivers in the west of Africa, but of the Congo and other streams in Lower Guinea, which no other Europeans have had an opportunity of visiting.

It was not till the reign of Lewis XIV. that the French began to direct their views towards Africa. Under the auspices of that monarch, an association was established, under the title of the West India Company, with the exclusive privilege of trading to Africa, and the West Indian colonies. The visionary schemes of that company soon terminated in ruin; and it was followed by several others equally sanguine and equally unsuccessful. Their agents, however, had the glory of penetrating farther into Africa, and of obtaining more information respecting the most interesting portion of its interior, than any European nation, prior to the spirited exertions of the African Association. Of these adventurers, the most celebrated were Jannequin, who was the first Frenchman who penetrated into the interior of Africa, and who ascended seventy leagues up the Senegal; and De Brue, who, in repeated excursions, reached the falls of Felu, and procured much valuable knowledge respecting the soil, climate, and productions of these formerly unknown countries, and the manners, customs, and condition of the natives. In this career of discovery he was followed by Compagnon, who first entered Bambouk, and succeeded in carrying off some specimens of its golden earth. This kingdom, so attractive from its gold, to the cupidity of European merchants, was afterwards visited by Messieurs Levons, Pelays, and Legrand, and by M. David, who surveyed some of its most interesting districts. Some years after, (1749-50,) the banks of the Senegal were visited by Adanson, the celebrated naturalist, whose narrative is rendered extremely interesting by the variety of curious information which he collected. The last Frenchman who ventured in this hazardous tract was Saugnier, who, viewing every thing through the medium of discontent, has given a distorted representation of the country and its inhabitants, with whom his ill humour in volved him in perpetual quarrels.

The exploratory adventures of the English in this quarter, previous to the establishment of the African Association, were neither numerous nor very important. So early as the year 1588, a patent was granted by Queen Elizabeth to certain rich merchants, to carry on the trade of the Senegal and Gambia. In 1618, a company was formed for the purpose of penetrating to the country of gold, and to Tombuctoo. Thompson, a Barbary merchant, was the first emissary of this company. He advanced as far as Tenda, far beyond the former limits of European discovery; but unfortunately fell a victim to the resentment of the natives, with whom he is said to have quarrelled. Jobson, who followed him in the same career, penetrated with much toil and difficulty beyond the falls of Baraconda, to Tenda, which was ceded to him in perpetual right for a few bottles of brandy. He did not long retain, however, his new possession, but took an early opportunity of sailing down the Gambia and returning to Europe. This tract was again pursued in the years 1723-4, by Captain Stibbs, who reached the same spot which had arrested the progress of Jobson. Intelligence was some time after obtained about the interior of Africa, through a very remarkable channel. A young prince, named Job, had been sent by his father, the king of Bunda, to carry on some traffic on the Gambia, with strict injunctions not to cross the river, the opposite bank of which was occupied by the Mandingoes, the deadly enemies of Foota. Curiosity, however, impelled the young prince to transgress the boundary prescribed to him. The evil, of which he had been forewarned, overtook him. He was seized by the Mandingoes, and brought to Joar, where he was sold to an English captain, who was then taking in slaves for America. The miseries which he experienced in his state of servitude in Maryland, to which he had been conveyed, made him resolve to attempt an escape. He had fled across the woods to the county of Kent, in Delaware, where he was apprehended by virtue of the act against fugitive negroes. His situation attracted attention. An old Jaloff, who understood his language, having met him accidentally, explained his whole history; and he was ransomed and