His primary interest lay in the natural sciences, though he is best known for playing a minor role in the British exploration of Africa.
Based on the recommendation of Barrow, they left from Tripoli and thus had to cross the entire Sahara, an arduous journey no modern European had ever done before.
He was reserved, took little interest in the people and places he saw, took few notes, and generally spent much of his time indoors studying mathematics.
[1] Instead of stocking food and trade goods before departing Tripoli, Richie squandered the limited expedition funds on profligate items.
ex G.Don published Ritchiea, a genus of flowering plants from Tropical Africa, belonging to the family Capparaceae and named in Joseph Ritchie's honour.