A narrative of travels in northern Africa in the years 1818, 19, and 20; accompanied by geographical notices of Soudan and of the course of the Niger

In the spring of 1818 a young British officer set out from the Mediterranean port of Malta, eager to trace the trade routes that link the bustling city of Tripoli with the desert kingdoms beyond. His companion, the learned Mr. Ritchie, documented the customs of the coastal peoples, from the vivid dress of market women to the solemn rituals observed in public baths.

Together they pushed inland across the stark Gharian mountains, sketching the rugged terrain and noting the geology of the Fezzan with help from an Oxford mineralogist. The journey was marked by lively encounters—festivals of the Marāboots, camel caravans carrying brides, and the austere hospitality of desert sheikhs—offering a vivid portrait of a region rarely seen by Europeans.

Tragedy struck when Mr. Ritchie fell ill and died near the fortress of Mourzouk, leaving the narrator to continue the expedition alone. His remaining notes preserve a remarkable record of the people, the landscape, and the early 19th‑century effort to map the Niger’s elusive course.