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. WITH A CHART OF THE ROUTES, AND A VARIETY OF COLOURED PLATES, ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE COSTUMES OF THE SEVERAL NATIVES OF NORTHERN AFRICA. * * * * * BY CAPTAIN G. F. LYON, R. N. COMPANION OF THE LATE MR. RITCHIE. * * * * * LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. * * * * * 1821. LONDON: PRINTED BY THOMAS DAVISON, WHITEFRIARS. TO HIS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY =GEORGE THE FOURTH.= * * * * * SIRE, For the gracious condescension of Your Majesty, in permitting me to place the following pages under Your Royal Patronage, I shall ever be impressed with the most sincere gratitude. That Your Majesty may long, happily, and uninterruptedly reign in the hearts and over the destinies of your faithful people, is the constant and fervent prayer of, Your Majesty’s Most dutiful and most devoted Subject and Servant, GEORGE FRANCIS LYON. MARCH, 1821. =PREFACE.= * * * * * The situation of an author, when he presents himself to the scrutinizing observation of the public, must ever be one of the greatest doubt and anxiety; but as the following pages are intended only to detail facts in the plainest manner, without attempt at embellishment of any kind, it is hoped that they will not only meet with indulgence from the general reader, but escape, without very severe comment, from the examination of the critic. All that can be said in their recommendation is, that they adhere strictly to truth, and that not a single incident described by the author is in the slightest degree exaggerated; on the contrary, he has not only abridged but, in some instances, entirely omitted to mention circumstances which occurred to him, fearing either to excite doubt in the minds of his readers, or by too long details to trespass on their patience.