, active, intelligent,
inquisitive, observant, and undaunted; full of zeal, and sanguine of
success; and, at the same time, open, kind, and insinuating in his looks
and manners. At Cairo he prepared himself for his undertaking, by visiting
the slave market, in order to converse with the merchants of the various
caravans, and learn all the particulars connected with his proposed
journey, and the countries from which they came. But be proceeded no
farther than Cairo: here he was seized with an illness, occasioned or
aggravated by the delay in the caravans setting out for Sennaar, which
proved fatal.

Mr Lucas was the next person employed by the African Institution. In
October, 1788, he arrived at Tripoli, from whence he set out with two
shereefs for Fezzan, by the way of Mescerata. On the fourth day after his
departure, he reached Lebida, on the sea coast, the Leptis Magna of the
Romans. He found, on his arrival at Mescerata, that he should not be able
to procure the number of camels necessary to convey his goods to Fezzan;
and was obliged to abandon his enterprize. From the information which he
derived, at Mescerata, confirmed as it was by what the Association had
learnt from the narrative of a native of Morocco, the geography of Africa
was extended from Fezzan, across the eastern division of the Desert, to
Bornou, Cashna, and the Niger.

In a year or two after the return of Mr. Lucas, the African Association,
who were indefatigable in endeavouring to obtain information from all
sources, learnt some interesting and original circumstances from an Arab.
This person described a large empire on the banks of the Niger, in the
capital of which, Housa, he had resided two years: this city he rather
vaguely and inconsistently described as equalling London and Cairo in
extent and population. As it was necessary to scrutinize the truth and
consistency of his narrative, what he related was at first received with
caution and doubt, but an incidental circumstance seemed to prove him
worthy of credit; for in describing the manner in which pottery was
manufactured at Housa, which he did by imitating the actions of those who
made it, it was remarked that he actually described the ancient Grecian
wheel.

In order to learn whether the accounts of this man were true and accurate,
the African Institution sent out Major Houghton: he was instructed to
ascertain the course, and, if possible, the rise and termination of the
Niger; to visit To