Royal Geographical Society by the king, and his brother John obtained
employment under Government suitable to his abilities.

CHAPTER TEN.

TRAVELS AND ADVENTURES OF DR. BARTH IN NORTH AND CENTRAL AFRICA, 1849.

LEAVES TRIPOLI WITH MR. RICHARDSON AND DR. OVERWEG--SUPPRESSION OF SLAVE
TRADE THE CHIEF OBJECT OF THE EXPEDITION--NUMEROUS RUINS SEEN--CROSS THE
HAMMADA DESERT--REST AT AN OASIS--REACH MOURZOUK--DR. BARTH'S
ADVENTURE--NEARLY PERISHES IN THE DESERT--DIFFICULTIES OF JOURNEY--
FOLLOWED BY TAWAREK FREEBOOTERS--PREPARATIONS FOR AN ATTACK--STRANGE
DANCERS--TRIBUTE DEMANDED--CAMP AT NIGHT--EXPECTING AN ATTACK--CONSTANT
FIRING KEPT UP--CAMELS STOLEN--PURSUED--DANGEROUS SITUATION--TRAVELLERS
EXPECT DEATH--SAVED BY FRIENDLY CHIEF--DR. BARTH VISITS AGADES--A
SALT-CARAVAN--THE CARAVAN REACHES TAGELEL.

The British Government had, in 1849, appointed Mr Richardson, an
experienced traveller in Africa, to the command of an expedition which
was to start from Tripoli, on the north coast, and thence endeavour to
penetrate to the central part of the continent. By the recommendation
of the Chevalier Bunsen Dr Barth, who had spent three years travelling
through Barbary and the desert tracts to the westward bordering the
shores of the Mediterranean, was allowed, accompanied by another German,
Dr Overweg, to join the expedition.

A light boat, which was divided into two portions and could be carried
on the backs of camels, was provided, and a sailor to navigate her
either on Lake Chad or down the Niger.

Dr Barth and his countryman at once pushed on for Tripoli, in the
neighbourhood of which they made long excursions while waiting for the
arrival of Mr Richardson, who had remained in Paris for despatches.

One of the principal objects of the expedition was the abolition of the
slave trade, which it was known was carried on to a fearful extent in
those regions. The principal employment of the Moorish tribes on the
borders of the territories inhabited by blacks is still, as it was in
the days of Mungo Park and Clapperton, slave-hunting. Villages are
attacked for the purpose, when the prisoners captured are carried
northward across the desert and sold in Morocco and the other Barbary
states.

Another object was the opening up a lawful commercial intercourse with
the people who might be visited, and the exploration of the country for
scientific purposes, as well as to discover the course of the great
river which the Lander