ADVERTISEMENT TO THE SECOND EDITION. THE favourable reception experienced by the first edition of this Work, has induced the writer to spare no pains in improving the present one. The whole has been carefully revised, and some parts nearly new modelled. A considerable number of early English voyages to the western coast have been introduced for the first time. They were omitted in the last edition, as belonging properly to a part of the Work (Book II. chap. 4.) which, being executed by Dr LEYDEN upon a. plan chiefly descriptive, had not embraced these narratives. Some persons, however, for whose opinion the Author entertains a particular respect, have expressed a wish to see them included; and it has occurred that they might form not an unappropriate introduction to the narra tive of the attempts made by the English to penetrate into the interior by the route of the Gambia. A complete view is thus exhibited of the progress of English navigation to this part of the world. As the chapter on English discoveries became thus much prior in chronological order to that on French discoveries, the arrangement of the two has been transposed. The valuable narrative of the expedition to the Congo has been analyzed as fully as space would permit; and a series of interesting notices in the Quarterly Review have enabled some account to be given of the researches of M. Belzoni in Egypt, of the expedition to Ashantee, and of the plans now on foot for exploring Africa. To make room for these additions, without too much increasing the bulk of the work, a few passages have been omitted, which were either of secondary importance, or have been superseded by later information. CONTENTS OF VOLUME I. Division of the Ancient World into Continents.-Medi- terranean Coast.-Influence of poetical ideas.-Curiosi- ty of the Ancients respecting the interior.-Attempts to circumnavigate Africa; Phenicians under Necho; Satas- pes; Eudoxus.-Voyages along the Western Coast: Hanno; Scylax; Polybius.-Eastern Coast: Eveme- rus; Arrian's Periplus.-Attempts to penetrate into &c.-Limits of their Knowledge.-Leo Africanus.-——— DISCOVERIES OF THE portuguese, AND TRAVELS IN CONGO. Early Voyages along the Western Coast.-Prester John.- Establishment at Arguin.-Expedition to the Senegal. -Early Accounts of Tombuctoo and Jenné.-Discovery of, and Voyage up the Congo, by Diego Cam.-Con- version of the Monarch to Christianity.-Missions to the Upper Part of the Congo.-Batta.-Pango.-Sundi.— Esseno. Concobella.-Mission to Matamba; Zingha.- To Maopongo.-Voyage of Carli.-Of Merolla.- Of French African Companies.-Jannequin.-First Voyage of Brue; the Siratik.-Second Voyage of Brue; Gallam; Accounts of Bambarra and Tombuctoo.-Third Voyage TRAVELS IN THE SAHARA, OR GREAT DESERT. General View of the Great Desert.-Adventures of Saug- |