rought what, on
a cursory examination, appeared a mere chaotic mass, into a shape that
would have accorded with his own idea of a book of travels. Such being
the case, I thought it best--in order to leave the stamp of authenticity
on this singular record of enterprise--to do little more than the author
would himself have done. In the form of a diary, therefore--written
sometimes with Oriental _naivete_--the reader will here find what may be
called the domestic history of one of the most successful expeditions
undertaken for the exploration of Central Africa. I believe it would
have been possible to get up a work of more temporary interest from the
same materials; but this could only have been done by sacrificing
truthfulness of detail. In the present form, Mr. Richardson's journal
will always remain as an authority on the geography and present
condition of a large portion of the Saharan desert, hitherto unvisited,
at any rate undescribed.

As will be seen, the Mission was accompanied by two German gentlemen,
Drs. Barth and Overweg--the former, of whom I had the pleasure of
meeting in Egypt, after his enterprising ride along the coast of Libya.
They are still in Central Africa, pushing their excursions on all sides,
from Bornou into unknown tracts; and the accounts they may publish on
their return will be anxiously looked for. The great traverse of the
Saharan desert, however, with all its vicissitudes and dangers, the
physical aspect of that wonderful region, and the manners of the various
tribes that inhabit it, will, in the present volume, be found to be
fully described--not, it is true, with much attempt at literary
ornament, but in the vivid though simple language in which a man sets
down impressions which he has just received. I have endeavoured to
remove all the faults which may be supposed to have arisen from haste or
carelessness, and have necessarily re-written several passages, and
passed a correcting pen over the whole manuscript. But I think I may say
with confidence, that there is no observation or statement in the
following pages which cannot be justified by a reference to the original
journals and scattered memoranda.

To me this simple record of daily occurrences seems highly interesting.
It divides itself, naturally, into a succession of parts of unequal
importance. First comes an account of the journey to Mourzuk, the
capital of Fezzan, containing the traverse of the frightful Hamadah or
plateau whic