Richard Lemon Lander had begun his explorations…

Richard Lemon Lander had begun his explorations of western Africa as an assistant to the Scottish explorer Hugh Clapperton on an expedition in 1825.

Clapperton had died in April 1827 near Sokoto, in present-day Nigeria, leaving Lander, the son of an innkeeper in a Truro, Cornwall, as the only surviving European member of the expedition.

He had proceeded southeast before returning to Britain in July 1828.

Lander returns to western Africa in 1830, accompanied by his brother John.

They land at Badagri on March 22 and follow the lower Niger River from Bussa to the sea.

After exploring about one hundred and sixty  kilometers of the Niger River upstream, they return to explore the Benue River and Niger Delta.