Notes taken during travels in Africa

A vivid, hand‑written travelogue from the early nineteenth century, this collection offers a window into the restless curiosity of an Englishman journeying across Europe and into Africa. The author’s entries blend practical details—coaching routes, ship schedules, and weather reports—with vivid sketches of places like Exeter, Gibraltar, and the bustling streets of Cádiz, all punctuated by his companion Abou’s astonished remarks on the speed of travel and the character of the lands they cross.

Beyond the logistics, the notes capture fleeting impressions of local customs, military drills, and the everyday rhythms of towns and ports. The writer’s candid tone reveals both admiration for the people he meets and the era’s uneasy anxieties about politics and cultural misunderstandings. Listeners are invited to travel alongside him, feeling the sway of the ship’s deck, the chatter of market stalls, and the tentative hopes that accompany each new horizon.