Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 1 | Page 5

Governor of Zinder, to the Queen, which I shall enclose in my report to Government. I send you, besides, an authentic list of all the objects found in Mr. Richardson's possession, as it has been made up on the things being deposited with Haj Beshir.
"I beg you to assure Mrs. Richardson of my most sincere sympathy, and that I hope she will find a good deal of consolation in the rich journal of the deceased."
I have given the above narrative in the words of Dr. Barth; but must direct the reader's attention to vol. ii. p. 261, where he will find that the whole account of the prophetic dream is distorted by the very unauthentic medium of Oriental report. There is no reason to suppose that Mr. Richardson was unusually affected by this circumstance, although any dismal suggestion is likely to disturb a person of sensibility placed in a dangerous position. The remaining facts, as they seem confirmed by concurrent testimony, may be taken as a sufficiently accurate account of the death of this lamented traveller.
From the statements which have from time to time appeared in the press, the public are already aware, that the presents and the treaty intended for the Sheikh of Bornou were duly presented and accepted, and that the boat which caused Mr. Richardson so much anxiety on the road was ultimately launched, as he desired, on lake Tchad, and employed in the survey of that celebrated piece of water. It is unnecessary here to notice the results of this survey, or of the explorations subsequently undertaken by Messrs. Barth and Overweg. These gentlemen, it is to be hoped, will be more fortunate than their colleague, and return to give in person an account of their exertions and discoveries.
I shall conclude by expressing my hope that Mr. Richardson's reputation will not suffer from the way in which I have superintended the publication of his remains, and my regret that I am not able to do justice to the great services which he has rendered to philology by his copious collections of vocabularies of the languages, both of the Sahara and of the various kingdoms of Central Africa.
BAYLE ST. JOHN,
London, January 1853.
P.S. It may be as well to mention that the extensive collections of vocabularies made by Mr. Richardson are now preserved at the Foreign Office, together with specimens of translations from the Scriptures. All these collections are extremely valuable, but especially those of the Bornou language, which were much wanted.

CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Origin of the Missions--Its Objects and Plan--Preparations--Arrival at Tripoli--Prussian Colleagues--Necessary Delay--The Boat for Lake Tchad--Wind-bound--Anxieties at Tripoli--Correspondence with Mourzuk and Ghat--Circular Letter of Izhet Pasha--Composition of the Caravan--An aristocratic Interpreter--A Mohammedan Toper--The Chaouches--Free Blacks returning to their Countries--Marabout--Camel-drivers--Rate of Desert travelling--Trade of Tripoli with the Interior--Slavery--Caravans from Central Africa--Details on Commerce--Promotion of legitimate Traffic--Spread of Civilisation.
CHAPTER II.
Start from the Masheeah--Painful Parting--Chaouch's Tent--A Family Quarrel--Wady Majeeneen--A Rainy Day--Moknee's Wives--Two mad Fellows--Great Ascent of Gharian--Tedious Day's Work--The Castle--View over the Country--Garrison--Troglodytes--Turkish Tax-gathering--Quarrelsome Servants--Proceed over the lofty Plain--Underground Villages--Kaleebah--The Batoum--Geology--A Slave Caravan--Cheerful Blacks--Rows--Oasis of Mizdah--Double Village--Intestine Discords--Interview with the Sheikh Omer--A Pocket Province--A Dream of Good Omen--Quarrels on Quarrels--Character of Fezzanees--A Leopard abroad.
CHAPTER III.
Leave Mizdah--Gloomy Country--Matrimonial Squabbles in the Caravan--"Playing at Powder"--Desert Geology--A Roman Mausoleum--Sport--A Bully tamed--Fatiguing March--Wady Taghijah--Our old Friend the Ethel-Tree--The Waled Bou Seif--Independent Arabs--A splendid Mausoleum--One of the Nagahs foals--Division of a Goat--March over a monotonous Country--Valley of Amjam--Two new Trees--Saluting the New Moon--Sight the Plateau of the Hamadah--Wady Tubooneeah--Travelling Flies--The Desert Hour--A secluded Oasis--Buying Barley--Ghareeah--Roman Remains--Oasian Cultivation--Taxation--Sand-Pillar--Arrangements for crossing the Hamadah--An Emeute in the Caravan--Are compelled to discharge the quarrelsome Ali.
CHAPTER IV.
Commence crossing the Hamadah--Last Pillar of the Romans--Travelling in the Desert--Rapid March--Merry Blacks--Dawn--Temperature--Ali returns--Day-travelling--Night-feelings--Animals--Graves of Children--Mirage--Extent of the Plateau--It breaks up--Valley of El-Hasee--Farewell to the Hamadah--Arduous Journey--The Camel-drivers--New Country--Moral and religious Disquisitions--The Chaouches--Reach Edree--Abd-el-Galeel--Description of Edree--Subterranean Dwellings--Playing at Powder--The Ka?d--Arabic Literature--Desertion of the Zintanah--Leave Edree--Sandy Desert--Bou Keta the Camel-driver--Wady El-Makmak--The Lizard--Reach Wady Takadafah--Sand--Another Embroglio.
CHAPTER V.
More sandy Desert--Fatiguing March--Water and Herbage--Water-drinking--Sight the Plateau over the Mourzuk--Hot Wind--Arrival in El-Wady--Tuaricks--Laghareefah--Fezzanees--The Chaouches astray--The Sheikh Abd-el-Hady--Description of the Oasis--Tempest--Native Huts--Official Visits--Desert News--Camel-drivers--Ruins of Azerna--Move on--The Ka?d--Modest Requests--Ladies of the Wady--Leave the Oasis--Vast Plain--Instinct of the Camel--Reach Agar--Reception--Precede the Caravan--Reach Mourzuk--Mr. Gagliuffi--Honours paid to the Mission--Acting Pasha--Climate--Route from Tripoli--Its Division into Zones--Rain in the Desert.
CHAPTER VI.
The Oasis of Fezzan--Population--Ten Districts--Their Denomination and Condition--Sockna--Honn--Worm of the Natron Lakes--Zoueelah--Mixed Race--Improvements in Mourzuk--Heavy Ottoman Yoke--Results of the Census--Amount of Revenue--Military Force--Arab Cavaliers--Barracks--Method of Recruiting--Turkish System superior to French--Razzias--Population of Mourzuk--Annual Market--Articles of Traffic--Acting-Governor and his Coadjutors--Story of a faithless Woman--Transit Duties in Fezzan--Slave Trade--Sulphur in the Syrtis--Proposed Colony from Malta.
CHAPTER VII.
DIARY OF A RESIDENCE AT MOURZUK.
Sickness of Gagliuffi--Baggage left at Mizdah--Runthar Aga--The Hospital--Various Visits--Arrival of the New Governor--Animated Scene--Correspondence--Visit Mustapha Agha--Bragging Sheikh Boro--Tibboos of Tibesty--Curious Country--Presents to Turkish Functionaries--A Woman divorced--Haj Lameen--Presents expected--Brilliant Atmosphere--Water-Melons--The Gardens--Winnowing Grain--Houses of Salt Mud--Nymphs of the Gardens--Wells--Presents