A VEGETABLE BUTTER.

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a remarkably enduring character; “I had now advanced," he says, "too far to think of returning to the westward on such vague and uncertain information, and determined to proceed."

On the evening of the 24th he reached Sansanding, having passed on the way a large town, called Kabba, situated in the midst of a beautiful and highly cultivated country, "having a greater resemblance to the centre of England than to what he should have supposed had been the middle of Africa." The people were everywhere employed in collecting the fruit of the shea trees, from the kernels of which they prepare a vegetable butter, "whiter, finer, and, to my taste," says Park, "of a richer flavour than the best butter I ever tasted made from cow's milk." At Sansanding the Moors insisted upon his repeating the Mohammedan prayers, and would have forcibly carried him to the mosque for that purpose if his landlord had not interposed in his behalf, declaring that he was the king's stranger, and must not be ill-treated. About midnight, when the Moors had left him, his land. lord paid him a visit, and with much earnestness begged for a saphie. "If a Moor's saphie is good," said the hospitable old man, 66 a white man's must needs be better." Park readily furnished one; "possessed," to use his own expression," of all the virtues he could concentrate, for it contained the Lord's prayer." The pen with which it was writ ten was made of a reed, a little charcoal and gum. water made a very tolerable ink, and a thin board answered the purpose of paper.

From Sansanding he continued his course along the northern side of the river at some little distance

104

NARROW ESCAPE FROM A 1ION.

from its banks. On the 28th of July, as he was riding with his guide towards Modiboo, he had to pass through a district very much infested with lions. Here he saw a large animal of the camelopard kind. Shortly afterward, in crossing a large open plain, where there were a few scattered bushes, his guide, who was a little way before him, wheeled his horse round in a moment, calling out something in the Foulah language. "I inquired, in Mandingo," says Park," what he meant: Wara billi billi' (a very large lion), said he, and made signs for me to ride away. But my horse was too fatigued, so we rode slowly past the bush, from which the animal had given us alarm. Not secing anything myself, however, I thought my guide had been mistaken, when the Foulah suddenly put his hand to his mouth, exclaiming, Soubah an Allahi!' (God preserve us!) and, to my great surprise, I then perceived a great red lion at a short distance from the bush, with his head couched between his fore-paws. I expected he would instantly spring at me, and I instinctively pulled my feet from my stirrups to throw myself on the ground, that my horse might become the victim rather than myself. But it is probable the lion was not hungry; for he quietly suffered us to pass, though we were fairly within his reach. My eyes were so riveted upon this sovereign of the beasts, that I found it impossible to remove them, until we were at a considerable distance."

6

In the evening he arrived at Modiboo, a delightful village on the banks of the Niger, commanding a view of the river for many miles, both to the east and to the west. "The small green islands (the

PARK'S HORSE GIVES OUT.

105

peaceful retreat of some industrious Foulahs, whose cattle are here secure from the depredations of wild beasts), and the majestic breadth of the river, which is here much larger than at Sego, render the situation one of the most enchanting in the world." On the following morning, as he journeyed towards Kea, his horse fell; and not all the exertions of himself and his guide could place the poor animal on his legs again. "I sat down for some time," says Park, "beside this wayworn associate of my ad. ventures, but, finding him still unable to rise, I took off the saddle and bridle, and placed a quantity of grass before him. I surveyed the poor animai as he lay panting on the ground with sympathetic ernotion; for I could not suppress the sad apprehension that I should myself, in a short time, lie down and perish in the same manner, of fatigue and hunger. With this foreboding I left my poor horse, and with great reluctance followed my guide on foot along the banks of the river until about noon, when we reached Kea, which I found to be nothing more than a small fishing village."

From Kea he was conveyed down the river in a fishing canoe as far as Moorzan, on the northern bank, whence he crossed over to the large town of Silla on the opposite side. Here he remained under a tree, surrounded by hundreds of people, till dark, when he was permitted, after much entreaty, to enter the dooty's baloon.* His lodging, however, was very damp, and during the night he had a smart paroxysm of fever. In this distressing situation he came to the resolution of not proceeding farther eastward.

A room in which strangers are commonly lodged

106 RESOLVES TO PROCEED NO FARTHER EASTWARD

"Worn down by sickness, exhausted with hunger. and fatigue, half naked, and without any article of value by which I might procure provisions, clothes, sit. or lodgings, I began to reflect seriously on my uation. I was now convinced, by painful experience, that the obstacles to my farther progress were insurmountable; the tropical rains were already set in with all their violence; the rice-grounds and swamps were everywhere overflowed, and, in a few days more, travelling of every kind, unless by water, would be completely obstructed. The kowries which remained of the King of Bambarra's present were not sufficient to enable me to hire a canoe for any great distance; and I had but little hopes of subsisting by charity in a country where the Moors have such influence. But, above all, I perceived that I was advancing more and more within the power of those merciless fanatics; and from my reception both at Sego and Sansanding, I was ap prehensive that, in attempting to reach even Jenné (unless under the protection of some man of consequence among them, which I had no means of obtaining), I should sacrifice my life to no purpose; for my discoveries would perish with me. prospect either way was gloomy. In returning to the Gambia, a journey on foot of many hundred miles presented itself to my contemplation, through regions and countries unknown. Nevertheless, this seemed to be the only alternative, for I saw inevitable destruction in attempting to proceed to the eastward. With this conviction on my mind, I hope my readers will acknowledge that I did right in going no farther. I had made every effort to execute my mission in its fullest extent which pru

The

PARK RETURNS WESTWARD.

107

dence could justify. Had there been the most distant prospect of a successful termination, neither the unavoidable hardships of the journey, nor the dangers of a second captivity, should have forced me to desist. This, however, necessity compelled me to do; and, whatever may be the opinion of my general readers on this point, it affords me inexpressible satisfaction, that my honourable employ. ers have been pleased, since my return, to express their full approbation of my conduct."

CHAPTER X.

Park's Departure from Silla on his Return.-Difficulties of his Situation.-His Resolution to trace the Niger to the Westward.-Dangers and Hardships of his Journey.-His Escape from a Lion.-His Saphies, or written Charms.-His Arrival at Bammakoo, and Departure from the Niger.-His Ill-treatment by Banditti.-His Consolation in Affliction.-Scarcity of Provisions, and its dreadful Effects.-A Night Adventure. -His arrival at Kamalia, and Determination to stop there.

[1796.]

PARK began to return westward on the 30th of July, retracing his steps along the northern bank of the river towards Sego. At Modiboo he recovered his horse. He was conversing with the dooty there, when he heard a horse neigh in one of the huts; the facetious magistrate asked him, with a smile, if he knew who was speaking to him, and then informed him that his horse was still alive, and somewhat recovered. The progress of our travel

I