rkee went out in person to hunt down
the subjects of his own sovereign, that he might pay his debts by
selling them into captivity. After another considerable delay Mr.
Richardson was enabled to start once more, and being obliged to change
his original plan proceeded to Kuka, the capital of Bornou, by way of
Minyo. Shortly after leaving Gurai, the chief town of that province, the
unfortunate traveller found his strength to be gradually giving way. He
had already previously complained of the heat and fatigue, but did not
seem to have felt any great alarm. Now, however, the climate seems to
have told upon him with sudden and fatal violence. His last moments are
described in a letter from his fellow-traveller, Dr. Barth, who hastened
to the spot with laudable energy as soon as he heard of the melancholy
catastrophe that had taken place. Mr. Richardson died at Ungurutua,
about six days' journey from Kuka, the capital of Bornou, on the 4th of
March, 1851, eleven months after his departure from Tripoli.

I have observed that the Mission, the first transactions of which are
described in these volumes, is entitled to be called successful.
Although the original promoter and director died just as he was on the
point of reaching the termination of his journey, his enterprising
companions, Drs. Barth and Overweg, seem to have carried on and
developed admirably the plan at first laid down. If they be spared to
return to Europe they will bring home, no doubt, geographical
information so valuable that all Mr. Richardson's predictions will be
found to be amply fulfilled. As it is, however, the object of our
practical fellow-countryman may be said to have been accomplished. He
did not lay so much stress on the accurate determination of latitude and
longitude, of the heights of mountains and the courses of valleys, as on
matters that come more nearly home to human sympathies. The abolition of
the system of slavery--many affecting illustrations of which will be
found in these volumes--seems to have engaged the chief of his
attention. It was with this benevolent object that he originally turned
his attention to Africa; and he had become convinced that the best means
of effecting it was to encourage legitimate traffic between Europe and
the great nurseries of slaves. Among other things, he wished to show the
possibility of entering into treaties of amity and commerce with the
most important states of Central Africa; and although these treati