This country has always presented most formidable obstacles to
the progress of discovery: its immense and trackless deserts, its burning
and fatal climate, its barbarous and treacherous inhabitants, have united
to keep a very large portion of it from the intercourse, and even the
approach of European travellers. Even its northern parts, which are most
accessible to Europe, and which for 2000 years have been occasionally
visited by Europeans, are guarded by the cruel jealousy of its inhabitants;
or, if that is overcome, advances to any very great distance from the coast
are effectively impeded by natives still more savage, or by waterless and
foodless deserts.
The west coast of Africa, ever since it was ascertained that slaves, ivory,
gold dust, gums, &c. could be obtained there, has been eagerly colonized by
Europeans; and though these colonies have now existed for upwards of three
hundred years, and though the same love of gain which founded them must
have directed a powerful wish on those interior countries from which these
precious articles of traffic were brought, yet such have been the
difficulties, and dangers, and dread, that the most enthusiastic traveller,
and the most determined lover of gain, have scarcely penetrated beyond the
very frontier of the coast. If we turn to the east coast, still less has
been done to explore the interior from that side; the nature, bearings, &c.
of the coast itself are not accurately known; and accessions to our
knowledge respecting it have been the result rather of accident than of a
settled plan, or of any expedition with that view.
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