English; and goes as my interpreter. My terms with him are ten bars per month, from the time he leaves Pifania till his return; five bars per month to his wife, during his abfence; and, if he accompanies me as far as Sego, he is to receive the price of two prime flaves on his return. The other is one of Dr. Laidley's own fervants; he has always behaved in the most faithful manner; and the Doctor has offered him, as a reward for going with me, his freedom when he returns. A blacksmith and his fon likewife accompany us; they have been employed by the Doctor for two years, and are now going to their native town, Jumbo, in the kingdom of Karrta.

With this small but felect party, I fhall take my departure, tomorrow morning, from Pifania. It is my intention to travel with as much expedition as poffible, till I have crofled the Senegal, and got into the kingdom of Caffon. I fhall then think the most troublefome part of this journey is over, and take the firft opportunity of writing to the Affociation.

As all my former communications have fallen into the hands of the French, I fhall here repeat fome of the moft material points of information contained in them. I fhall begin, by enumerating the days journies between this and Sego, by the northern route, which is the route commonly used by the Slatees, and that by which I fhall travel. They are as follow:--From Pifania, Coota, Cunda, Wooli, Color, Tambacunda, Nomataba, Jalica, firft town of Bondou; Fittayeraboy, Cufang, Dibboo, Goolemboo, or Galambob, laft town of Bendon; Gung-gadi, on the north

ern bank of the Senegal, in the fmall kingdom of Cajaga; Kirifna ni, firft town of Caflen; Saboofura, Cooniakari, Soomina, Como-, roo, Saimpo, the laft town of Caffon, fituated at the bottom of the Banbara mountains; Karrunculla Gemmoo, or Kimmoo (for the ✪ founds hard) Fangoomba, DibbongMeiffang, Seco, Karrabejanga, Com ba, Dubbila, laft town of Karrta; Pampara, firft of Sego, Nyamoo Glungorrollo, Dampa, Finimarboo Scracorro, Fanimboo, Wooloocomboo, Doolinkeeboo, Diggani, Sego

'Diggani ftands on the northern bank of the Joliba, oppofite to Se go, which is upon the fouthern bank of that river. The Joliba is very broad here, but fo fhallow, that people can wade over it in a dry feafon: but the king would be much offended at any merchant that croffed the river in this manner; for the old fishermen are entirely fupported by the fmall fares they receive for carrying passengers over the river.

'The route from Sego to Genné lies along the fouthern bank of Jo liba, by the places mentioned on the chart of the Affociation; and from Genné they proceed, by was ter, to Tombuctoo: few of the Slatees go farther than Sego, and none, I believe, farther than Gen. né. The only perfon I have yet feen who has been at Tombuctoo, was an old prieft; he represents it as a very large town; and says, that Houffa is thirty days by land, and forty-five by water, to the coast of Tombuctoo; that the canoes are large, and not made of one tree, but of many planks put together; and, what is more furprifing, that they are navigated by people as white as I am,

• Thefe

Dr. Laidley to Mr. Willis. Sir, River Gambia, May 22, 1796. Your efteemed note, per the Robert, Captain Grandifon, I duly received. Your letter to Mr. Park will be fent off immediately, although I have but little hopes of its reaching him. A meffenger, who arrived here yefterday, informs me that he had paffed Gyttim, in his way to Sego, two months ago, and had paffed the territories of Deffy previoufly to the breaking out of the war that now rages between him and the king of Sego: had that not been the cafe, he would have been under the difagreeable neceffity of returning hither, or endeavour to peneirate, by a long, perilous, and circuitous route, his way to Genné. I am happy he has in time reached the territories of the king of Sego; and I hope, if all is well with him, he

Dr. Laidley to Mr. Willis. Sir, River Gambia, Aug. 1, 1796.

I

'Your esteemed favour, per the Robert, was delivered me by Captain Grandifon; in answer to which, I beg leave to acquaint you, that Mr. Park left me on the 2d of December, 1795, completely equipped for his intended journey; fince which I have received no difpatches from him, which rather furprifes me, as he promised to write to the Affociation from Galambole. have lately learned that he has reached the refidence of an Arabian king, fituate to the northward, and confiderably to the eastward, of Sego. The northward route, I judge, he has found neceffary to take, to avoid the territories of Deffeg, which have been depopulated by a numerous army of the king of Sego. I cannot account for his taking fuch a circuit, in any other manner than to avoid the feat of war, which has been carried on with unabated fury between those two powerful princes, for feveral months Cc 2

paft.

paft. This may, perhaps, account for his filence; or, he may have left letters in the hands of feveral people that may not have reached me. I hope he has long ere this reached Tombuctoo; and I flatter myself he will find great induce ment to penetrate as far as Houffa. From every information I have received, fhips come there of about 100 tons burthen (according to the defcription given of them) but from whence, and by whom navigated, cannot learn.

'I have written to Mr. Park feveral times; but, from the rapidity of his journey, I have little hope of any of my letters reaching him. Your letter will be forwarded the first opportunity.

'I have alfo, fince the death of my friend, Mr. H. Beaufoy, written by different opportunities to Sir Jofeph Banks, acquainting him of every particular refpecting Mr. Park, and the engagements I have entered into on his account; fome of which may not have reached him, as feveral letters have been destroyed, to prevent their falling into the hands of the French.

Having nothing farther to communicate, I remain, with great deference,

•Sir, your humble fervant,
'JOHN LAIDLEY.'

J. Willis, Efq.

WITH whatever hefitation fome of the facts, stated in the preceding letters, may be received, concerning the fpecies of boats which are Laid to navigate the river leading eastward from Tombuctoo to Houffa, and the magnitude of the fhips that come up to the latter city, it is, however, certain, that fimilar accounts have been tranfmitted to the

Society from very different quar ters, and from perfons of the higheft credit, wholly unconnected with and at an immenfe distance from each other. Teftimonies without number occur to prove, that the river running eastward to Tombuctoo, and from thence to Houffa, widening as it runs, is the Niger, or a confiderable branch of it; and its termination in an extenfive lake, or mediterranean ocean, in the very centre of Africa, seems extremely probable. Major Houghton (as we have seen) was informed at Medina, by the fhereef, whom he had known at Morocco, that he might embark at Genné, and proceed with the ftream to Tombuctoo; and, moreover, that decked vessels navigated. The fame information was given by the native who served the Major as a guide: and the Society have received a letter from Mr. Matra, the conful at Tangiers, inclofing one from his brother at Tunis, wherein the latter expreffes himself in thefe words : — " I have traced a mediterranean sea in the interior of Africa, from fuch a concurrence of teftimony as obviates all doubts of its existence; and it must be of a prodigious furface!"- Concerning the people mentioned by Mr. Park as white, the only conclufion to be drawn is, that they are of Moorish origin. Some of thefe might appear, in the eyes of Mr. Park's informant, the negro-prieft, a race of whites; but it cannot easily be supposed that a nation perfectly white, like the people of Europe, is to be found in the bofom of the African continent.

Since the foregoing sheets were printed, the fecretary of the Affociation has been enabled to announce

to

to the fubfcribers, that a Mr. Hornemann (another intended traveller) has begun his journey under very favourable circumftances. Having been provided with introductory letters to fome diftinguished literary characters in France, members of the Inftitut National, he proceeded to Paris, where he arrived in the beginning of July, and was received by thofe gentlemen with great kindness and attention; and with affurances, on their part, and on the parts of their colleagues, of an ardent zeal to promote the purposes of his miffion. M. la Lande furnished him with fome copies of his Mémoire de l'Afrique, and prefented him to a meeting of the Inftitut National, at which he was permitted to affift. M. Brouffonnet, who is appointed conful for Mogadore, introduced him to M. de Roche, lately nominated conful-general at Tangier; by whofe means he has formed an acquaintance with a Turkish gentleman, a native of Tripoli, now refiding in Paris; who being made acquainted with the motives and views of the African Affociation, has entered into Mr.

Hornemann's intrepid enterprize with a liberality and ardour particularly honourable to a Mahometan. Befides giving him much excellent advice and instruction with refpect to his route, he has favoured him with a letter of introduction, written in Arabic, to a perfon of confequence refiding in Cairo, conceived in terms of the warmest recommendation. He particularly requests his friend "to introduce Mr. Hornemann to fuch Mahometan merchants (men of integrity) as have travelled into the interior of Africa; to furnish him with every affiftance and facility in profecuting his journey; and, above all, to fecure to him fuch protection in the caravan with which he may travel, as may render his progress not only free from peril, but commodious and pleasant.

Thus provided, Mr. Hornemann was on the point of proceeding to Marseilles; from whence to embark by the first opportunity for Alexandria; at which place it is probable he will arrive before the end of this month.

Auguft 26th, 1797.