Journal of an Expedition to Explore the Course and Termination of the Niger

This gripping volume of the Landers' celebrated expedition journal follows their hazardous descent of the Niger toward its lower reaches, from Zagozhi and Egga through Eboe, Brass Town, and beyond to the Atlantic world. Along the way, the explorers confront storm-tossed waters, crocodile-haunted banks, hippos in the dark, leaky canoes, and the constant need to bargain for paddles, boats, food, and safe passage. Their progress depends on uneasy negotiations with chiefs, canoe-men, traders, and local rulers, revealing a river world shaped by diplomacy, suspicion, and endurance. At the same time, the narrative is rich with close observation: flooded banks, low islands, rice fields, fishing villages, bustling canoes, and markets where barter is conducted with tense precision. The Landers find moments of wonder and hospitality amid hardship, from Gungo's music and gifts to the changing landscape and the growing influence of Muslim leaders. They also witness the sorrow of an enslaved woman leaving her birthplace behind, a haunting reminder of the human cost of the journey. Adventure, geography, and firsthand history combine in a vivid record of nineteenth-century exploration. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.