UNPUBLISHED DOCUMENTS IN THE POSSESSION OF THE LATE
CAPT. JOHN WILLIAM BARBER FULLERTON,
Employed in the African Service:
WITH
A Prefatory Analysis of the Previous Travels
OF
PARK, DENHAM, CLAPPERTON, ADAMS, LYON, RITCHIE, &c.
Into the hitherto unexplored Countries of Africa.
Author of the "Last Voyage of Capt. Sir John Ross, to the ArcticRegions," "Memoirs of W. Cobbett, Esq." "Private and Political Lifeof the late Henry Hunt, Esq." &c. &c. &c.
(Printed for the Proprietors,)
1836.
Many are the acquisitions which geography has made since theboundaries of commerce have been extended, and the spirit ofenterprise has carried our adventurous countrymen into countrieswhich had never yet been indented by a European foot; and which, inthe great map of the world, appeared as barren and uninhabitableplaces, destitute of all resources from which the traveller couldderive a subsistence. It must, however, on the other hand, beadmitted, that design has frequently had little to do in thediscovery of those countries, however well it may have beenconceived, and however great the perseverance may have been, whichwas exhibited in the pursuit. The discovery of America was, indeed,a splendid example of an enlightened conception, and an undauntedheroism, crowned with the most complete success; and the laudable andunabated ardour which this country, in despite of the most appallingobstacles, has persisted in solving the great geographical problem ofthe Course and Termination of the Niger, may be placed second in rankto the discovery of America.
As long as any fact is shut out from the knowledge of man, he who isin search of it will supply the deficiency by his own conclusions,which will be more or less removed from the object of his pursuit,according to the previous opinions which he may have formed, or tothe credit which he may have placed on the reports of others. Theseremarks cannot be better illustrated, than in the case furnished bythe Joliba, the Quorra, or Niger, the termination of which river wasutterly unknown until Richard and John Lander, braving difficultieswhich would have broken any other hearts than theirs, succeeded innavigating the river until its conflux with the ocean. Since Park'sfirst discovery of the Joliba, every point of the compass has beenassumed for the ulterior course and termination of that river, andhowever wrong subsequent discovery has proved this speculativegeography to have been, it is not to be regarded as useless. Theoriesmay be far short of the truth, but while they display the ingenuityand reasoning powers of their authors, they tend to keep alive thatspirit of inquiry and thirst for knowledge which terminates indiscovery.
Various accounts of this river had been gradually collected fromdifferent sources, which afforded grounds for fresh theoriesrespecting its termination. That of Reichard was the favourite, hesupposing that it assumed a southwest course, and terminated in thegulph of Guinea. It was observed at the time, that there was neitherevidence on which such an opinion could be supported, nor any bywhich it could be refuted. Discovery has proved him to be right inrespect to its ultimate disposal; but at the same time, h