But I still felt myself at a loss for materials, and I did not know where to get them; when going by accident into a friend's house, I took up a newspaper then lying on his table.

One of the articles, which attracted my notice, was an advertisement of Anthony Benezet's Historical Account of Guinea.

I soon left my friend and his paper, and, to lose no time, hastened to London to buy it.

In this precious book I found almost all I wanted.

I obtained, by means of it, a knowledge of, and gained access to, the great authorities of Adanson, Moore, Barbot, Smith, Bosman and others.