BOWDICH, bou'dich, Thomas Edward, African traveler, one of the victims of the at tempts to explore the interior of the Dark Con tinent: b. Bristol, June 1791; d. 10 Jan. 1824. He was sent to Oxford, but was never regularly matriculated. At an early age he married, and engaged in trade at'Bristol. Finding the details of business irksome, he obtained the appoint ment of writer in the service of the African Company, and set sail for Africa in 1814. In 1816, it being thought desirable to send an em bassy to the negro King of Ashantee, Bowdich was chosen to conduct it and he executed with success the duties of his situation. After re maining some time in Africa he returned home, and soon after published his to Ash antee, with a Statistical Account of that King dom, and Geographical Notices of other Parts of the Interior of Africa.> Having offended the company in whose service he had been engaged, and having, therefore, no prospect of further employment, yet, wishing ardently to return to Africa for the purpose of visiting its hitherto unexplored regions, Bowdich re solved to make the attempt with such assistance as he could obtain from private individuals.
He, however, previously went to Paris to im prove his acquaintance with physical and mathematical science. His reception from the French literati was extremely flattering. A public eulogium was pronounced on him at a meeting of the Institute, and an advantageous appointment was offered him by the French government. To obtain funds for the prosecu tion of his favorite project, Bowdich also pub lished a translation of (Mollien's Travels to the Sources of the Senegal and Gambia.'