Delaware journal., 1827-10-12

lions, and afterward constructed a canoe with his
own hands on the bank of the Connecticut River at
Hanover, in which he descended alone to Hartford.
The pursuits of missionary, and the study oftheol-
ogy, not proving congenial to his temper, he em-
barked on voyage to the Mediterranean and the
West Indies. After returning home, he visited
England, Joined the British navy, obtained post in
Cooks last expedition, with which he continued
more than four years, till it arrived again in Eng
land. He was in the skirmish in which Cook lost
his life, at the Sandwich Islands, and was near the
great navigator when he fell. At the close of the
American war he came back to this country, having
been absent eight yenrs, and ~as the first to pro-
pose voyage to the Northwest coast In concert
with Robert Morris, he planned such voyage, but
after year spent in unsuccessful attempt to pro-
cure vessel and fit it out, the project failed With
letters from Mr.. Morris and other gentlemen he
hastened to Europe intending there 10 make an ef
fort TO accomplish his wish. For this purpose he
visited Spain and France, and more than two years
passed away in negotiations with mercantile compae
nes and individuals, but without success. He was
intimate with Jefferson lat that time minister in
Paris, with Lafayette, and with Paul Jones, who
encouraged and aided him.
After encountering numerous difficulties, and not
succeeding in his project of voyage to the North
west coast, he formed the design Of going by land
from Paris to Behring'S Straits, thence crossing
the American continent, and proceeding homeward
over the Rocky Mountains, with determination to
explore those unknown regions Through the in
tercesson ofthe Russian minister and Baron Grimm,
permission was granted by the Empress Of Russia
for him to pass through her dominons. In London
he was patronized by Sir Joseph Banks and other
gentlemen of eminence. He went over to Ham-
burgh, thence to Copenhagen, Stockholm, and
around the Gulf of Bothna in the midst ofwinter to
ST. Petersburg. He arrived there when the En-
press was on her famous tour to the Crmea, but by
the aid of Count Segur and Professor Pallas he OBJ
tanned passport from the proper minister and set
off for Siberia. 1t was so late in the season before
be reached the borders of Kamtscbatka, that the
governor of Yakutsk would not suffer him to proceed
further till the opening of spring Meantime the
empress became suspicious of his designs, and sent
two Russian soldiers after him, who brought him
back in the winter to the confines of Poland, dis
tance of more than six thousand miles, where they
left him in poverty and wretchedness. He found
his way to London and was again kindly received
by Sir Joseph Banks and his other friends. The
Association for Promoting Travels in Africa was
just at that time instituted. Being defeated in all
his attempts to explore his own country, Ledyard
eagerly grasped at the proposal to engage under the
auspices of this society. He spent few days in
Paris, and then proceeded to Marsailes, whence he
sailed for Alexandria in Egypt. At Grand Cairo he
passed several weeks in gaining acquaintance
with the language and habits of the people, who
travelled in the caravans, and had made agree
ment 10 accompany one ofthese to the interior, when
he was suddenly taken i'll, and +ded in January,
1890, being the hrstyictim in the cause of African
discovery, to which many have since become
martyrs.
His Siberian Journal has been preserved entire,
and several letters written from Russia 10 Mr.. JEFF
ferson and other persons. His celebrated eulogy
on women often repeated and so beautifully YER
sifed by Mrs. Barbauld, was written at Yathutsk in
Siberia. This journal, also, contains many Curl
remarks on hecharacter and customs of the
Tartars, as compared with the American Indians
and the South Sea Islanders, whom he had before
seen in various parts Of the globe His Journals
and letters while he was in France and Spain are