ABSTRACT
Richard Lander and John Lander were brothers, born in Cornwall to humble parentage. Their father ran a public house called the Fighting Cocks. Richard, by his own admission, was a restless soul, preferring to skip school and ramble from village to village. Even though Richard and John Lander did not die on their mission, it led to their early deaths. After returning successfully from his journey, Richard went out again in 1832 with some merchants from Liverpool who wanted to establish trade with Central Africa. The Landers were expected to find the Niger, taking the same route as Clapperton's second journey. They were to locate the Niger and follow it to its termination, whether that be the sea or Lake Chad, at which point they could return to England by whatever route they wished. They left Portsmouth in January 1830, and landed in Cape Coast Castle in February to begin their journey.
