of inhospitable Denmark, through honest Sweden, frozen Lapland, rude and churlish Finland, unprincipled Russia, and the widespread regions of the wandering Tartar, if hungry, dry, cold, wet, or sick, woman has ever been friendly to me, and uniformly so; and to add to this virtue, so worthy of the appellation of benevolence, these actions have been performed in so free and so kind a manner, that if I was dry, I drank the sweet draught, and if hungry, ate the coarse morsel with a double relish."

The weariness of his winter captivity in Yakutsk was thus relieved by the exercises of composition, hasty and imperfect to be sure, but exciting to an imagination alive with the freshness of the things described. An unexpected surprise was in store for him while in the midst of these employments. He had not been quite two months in his winter quarters when the town was aroused from its usual lethargy by the arrival of Captain Billings, who was employed by the Empress of Russia on a mission for exploring the northeastern regions of her territory, and who came now from his expedition to superintend the construction of certain boats necessary for farther explorations. Billings was an old acquaintance of Ledyard's; they had served together on Cook's voyage, and were mutually astonished to meet thus unexpectedly in the heart of Siberia. He was now on his way to Irkutsk, and, needing a companion, invited Ledyard to accompany him back to that town. The latter was of course glad of any opportunity of killing time, and at once cheerfully assented, intending to return in the spring and prosecute his journey northward. They started on the 29th of December, and traveled in sledges up the River Lena, on the ice, with such rapidity that in seventeen days they covered the distance, fifteen hundred miles.

Having leisure and companions, Ledyard enjoyed himself in society, and made the most of the long, dreary evenings, now that he could do so. The following extract from Sauer's "Account of a Geographical and Astronomical Expedition to the Northern parts of Russia" will explain how this period of repose was brought to a sudden close: "In the evening of the 24th of February," says Sauer," while I was playing at cards with the brigadier and some company of his, a secretary belonging to one of the courts of justice came in, and told us, with great concern, that the governor general had received positive orders from the empress immediately to send one of the expedition, an Englishman,

under guard, to the private inquisition at Moscow, but that he did not know the name of the person, and that Captain Billings was with a private party at the governor general's. Now, as Ledyard and I were the only Englishmen here, I could not help smiling at the news, when two hussars came into the room, and told me that the commandant wished to speak to me immediately. The consternation into which the visitors were thrown is not to be described. I assured them that it must be a mistake, and went with the guards to the commandant.

"There I found Mr. Ledyard under arrest. He told me that he had sent to Captain Billings, but he would not come to him. He then began to explain his situation, and said he was taken up as a French spy, whereas Captain Billings could prove the conand trary, but he supposed that he knew nothing of the matter, requested that I would inform him. I did so, but the captain assured me that it was an absolute order from the empress, and that he could not help him. He, however, sent him a few rubles, and gave him a pelisse; and I procured him his linen quite wet from the wash-tub. Ledyard took a friendly leave of me, desired his remembrance to his friends, and, with astonishing composure, leaped into the kibitka, and drove off, with two guards, one on each side. I wished to travel with him a little way, but was not permitted. I therefore returned to my company, and explained the matter to them."

In this cruel manner were all his schemes once more frustrated. He was hurried to Moscow, and then, without any investigation of the ridiculous charge of being a French spy, ordered to quit the Russian dominions, and informed that if he returned he would assuredly be hanged. The actual cause of his arrest appears to be shrouded in much mystery. It is probable, however, that it arose from the jealous unwillingness of Russia to have her new possessions on the western coast of America examined by a foreigner, especially when she had an expedition on the spot for the purpose of examining them herself for her own private advantage.

We hear little of Ledyard after this severe rebuff until we find him once more in London, after an absence of one year and five months. Here he found his old friend, Sir Joseph Banks, ready to receive him with open arms. All the incidents of his eventful journey were listened to with eagerness, and Ledyard received the sympathy of one man of science for another. Sir Joseph

The secre

questioned him about his future movements, and recommended to his attention an expedition to Central Africa, which the African Association were anxious to have undertaken. Nothing could have given Ledyard greater satisfaction than this project. It was with a light and elastic step that he left Sir Joseph, and made his way to the rooms of the association. The secretary was struck with the manliness of his person, the breadth of his chest, the openness of his countenance, and the inquietude of his eye. He spread the map of Africa before him, and, tracing a line from Cairo to Sennaar, and from thence westward in the latitude and supposed direction of the Niger, told him that was the route by which the association were anxious that Africa might, if possible, be explored. Ledyard replied that he should consider himself singularly fortunate to be trusted with the venture. tary then asked him when he would be ready to set out. Ledyard replied, "To-morrow morning." The association immediately closed with a man who displayed such fearless promptitude and eagerness, but they were, of course, unable to dispatch him on the following morning. On the 30th of June he left London, and proceeded through France to the Mediterranean, thence to Alexandria, where he passed ten days, and then up the Nile to Cairo, where he arrived on the 19th of August. Having letters of introduction to the British consul, he found no difficulty in procuring such information as he needed for the prosecution of his journey. His intention was to join a caravan bound to the interior, and continue with it to the end of its route. After that he would have to be guided entirely by circumstances. He passed three months in Cairo studying the habits of the people he was about to associate with, and in otherwise preparing himself.

His zeal in these respects was attended with the most melancholy end. Exposure to the action of the sun produced a bilious complaint, and he treated it, with no apprehensions of its result, in the usual way, with vitriolic acid. The quantity he took was excessive, and produced burning pains, that threatened to be fatal unless immediate relief could be procured. A powerful dose of tartar emetic was administered, but in vain. The principal doctors of Cairo were called in, but their advice was impracticable and too late. In the thirty-eighth year of his age, he was doomed to end his strange career in this unfortunate and miserable way. The precise day of his death is not known, but it was toward the

end of November, 1788. He was decently interred, and his remains were followed to the grave by many European residents in the capital of Egypt.

It is impossible to read the history of John Ledyard without experiencing the keenest sensation of regret that a career so energetic and promising was thus abruptly terminated. A more unfortunate man it would be hard to find in the world. His life was one constant struggle against poverty, but the cheerfulness of his disposition made him underrate the actual hardships beneath which he was constantly groaning. He was so accustomed to disappointments that they ceased to excite his indignation. With a steadiness of purpose which can not be too largely imitated, he entered upon the execution of his plans, totally indifferent to the obstacles which surrounded him. The one great object of his life he may be said to have accomplished, namely, to travel through the Russian possessions to the coast of America. A desire nearly as strong as this was to penetrate into the central parts of Africa. Under circumstances of peculiar good luck he started on this enterprise. For the first time in his life he was backed by liberal patrons, and discomfort arising from scanty means seemed impossible. With natural gayety and ardor he started for the burning land of the African, when death, as if dissatisfied with his triumph, smote him, and he fell in the pride of manhood and strength.

The following description of Mr. Ledyard is from the pen of Mr. Beaufoy, Secretary of the African Society. "To those who have never seen Mr. Ledyard, it may not, perhaps, be uninteresting to know that his person, though scarcely exceeding the middle size, was remarkably expressive of activity and strength; and that his manners, though unpolished, were neither uncivil nor unpleasing. Little attentive to difference of rank, he seemed to consider all men as his equals, and as such he respected them. His genius, though uncultivated and irregular, was original and comprehensive. Ardent in his wishes, yet calm in his deliberations; daring in his purposes, but guarded in his measures; impatient of control, yet capable of strong endurance; adventurous beyond the conception of ordinary men, yet wary and considerate, and attentive to all precautions, he appeared to be formed by nature for achievements of hardihood and peril.”

CONCERNING the early history of this eccentric and remarkable man we know but little, except that he was a native of France, and born in the environs of Bordeaux, on the 24th of May, 1750. His parents were in very humble circumstances, and Girard does not appear to have been indebted to them for any advantage beyond the essential one of birth. It is probable that his early years were passed in much misery, for he never desired to return to the scene of them. Gratitude, which is certainly a feature in the character of most self-made men, did not infuse warmth into Girard's heart, and even his parents were not remembered with the usual prompt affection of nature. Of education he had but little, being barely able to read his own language. The knowledge of this deficiency weighed heavily on his mind through life, and was undoubtedly one cause of that munificence which has given lasting interest to his name.

He is supposed to have left France at the early age of ten or twelve years, in the capacity of a cabin-boy, bound for the West Indies. Many causes have been assigned for this step; among