‘England has always marched at the head of the nations （for it is noticeable that the nations invariably march at each others heads）， through the intrepidity of her travellers in the sphere of geographical discovery. （Hear， hear.） Dr Samuel Fergusson， one of her famous sons， will not fail the land of his birth. （Hear， hear， from all sides.） This venture， if it succeeds （It will succeed！）， will link together and complete the present scattered knowledge of African cartography， and——（vehement applause），and if it fails （No！ No！ ） it will at least live as one of the most audaciousconceptions of the human mind！ （Frenzied cheers.）
Hurrah！ hurrah！ shouted the assembly， electrified by these stirring words.
Three cheers for brave Fergusson！ cried one of the more exuberantmembers of the audience， and there was an outburst of enthusiastic cheer-ing. The name of Fergusson was on all lips， and we are justified in thinking that it gained considerably from its passage through English throats， The Session Hall was shaken with it.
Yet this was a gathering of bold explorers， aged and worn， whom theirrestless temperaments had dragged through the four quarters of the world.Physically or morally， they had practically all escaped from shipwreck，fire， the tomahawk of the Indian， the club of the savage， the torture-stake，and Polynesian stomachs！
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