The Lives of Celebrated Travellers, Vol. 3 (of 3)

Born on a modest Scottish farm in 1771, this intrepid explorer first pursued a medical path, apprenticing to a surgeon and studying at Edinburgh before setting his sights beyond the Highlands. A chance encounter with the eminent naturalist Sir Joseph Banks opened doors to the seas, and his early voyage to Sumatra yielded scientific notes on unfamiliar fishes, hinting at a restless curiosity for distant lands.

Soon after, driven by a desire to chart the mysterious rivers of West Africa, he accepted a commission from the African Association. Armed with clear instructions to trace the Niger’s course and visit legendary cities such as Timbuktu, he embarked from Portsmouth in 1795. Navigating the Gambia’s waters, mastering the Mandingo language, and confronting hostile terrain, he soon fell ill with a fever that forced him into a prolonged convalescence, testing his resolve and foreshadowing the hardships that lay ahead.