I found myself under the absolute necessity of soon returning to England to receive instructions for my further proceedings (supposing me still to be employed on the mission), for although money for the additional grant of £1000 could have been procured from Tripoli, much time must have elapsed before I could have obtained it; and even then, I must have gone in person for it. I had no one whom in my absence I could have left in charge of my goods at Morzouk, Belford being too sick and helpless either to keep guard over them, or to remain alone in that place. Added to this, £1000 was a sum by no means adequate to carry me through Africa; as it would be requisite to purchase merchandise totally different from that which had already been provided, and without which I could not have made my way. Belford, from his weak state, could not accompany me far, and to proceed alone would have been actual madness, until the necessary arrangements for my future operations, and regulations as to pecuniary matters had been fully understood and arranged. Under all these circumstances, therefore, and to my great regret, I could only resolve on a short progress into the Interior. As soon as we recovered sufficient strength to get up stairs, I opened Mr. Ritchie’s sitting-room, where we found only a few scattered papers, an unfinished journal, and some letters. These I collected, and in Belford’s presence burnt all which were private; but every other document bearing Mr. Ritchie’s handwriting I carefully preserved. We were both much astonished at his having left so few memoranda, as we felt confident, that though for many months he had, from repeated illness, been unable to write, that at least, prior to his arrival in Morzouk, he must have made many notes, as well as composed a regular journal. I knew that he had always trusted much to his singularly retentive memory, and was also aware that he expressed great impatience for the arrival of more cool weather, when he might, with less inconvenience, commit his ideas to paper; and these reasons might probably account for his having left so few mementos of the scientific mind with which he certainly was gifted. It is also to be regretted that Mr. Ritchie, during his illnesses, would never avail himself of my repeated offers to take down in writing any observations which he might have considered worthy of note; and from this unfortunate circumstance much, very much valuable information has been lost.