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The intention was to prepare only a small pamphlet, containing those points of general information respecting the Egbas and Yorubas, as persons interested in the objects of my visit to those people would wish to learn; but in spite of efforts to be brief, the work has attained its present dimensions, with the length of which, however, as a book, there is certainly no cause of complaint. The narrative is, as far as possible, confined to personal observations, though this has perhaps deprived the casual reader of some details otherwise interesting. Much error, particularly in reference to Africa, has been propagated in consequence of writers generally not confining the subject of their books to their own observations. In my own case, I presume, the sources of information being equally accessible, that the intelligent reader can obtain for himself, as easily as I can for him, whatever information he desires about the early history of Africa, its ancient races, and the efforts of the Portuguese, British and Dutch to circumnavigate and colonize the continent.

Several items of information are omitted, partly because they are not of general interest, and partly because my worthy colleague and brother, Dr. M. R. Delany, will include