168

PARK'S CONFIDENCE OF SUCCESS.

I could wish; and if all things go well, this day six weeks I expect to drink all your healths in the wa. ter of the Niger. The soldiers are in good health and spirits. They are the most dashing set of men I ever saw; and if they preserve their health, we may keep ourselves perfectly secure from any hos. tile attempt on the part of the natives. I have little doubt but that I shall be able, with presents and fair words, to pass through the country to tho Niger; and if once we are fairly afloat, the day is Won. Give my kind regards to Sir Joseph and Mr. Greville; and if they should think that I have paid too little attention to natural objects, you may mention that I have forty men and forty-two asses to look after, besides the constant trouble of packing and weighing bundles, palavering with the negroes, and laying plans for our future success. never was so busy in my life."

I

But, notwithstanding the satisfaction here expressed by Park with his position, and his high confidence of carrying his enterprise to a favourable termination, "nothing," to use the language of the editor of his Journal, "could be less promising than his actual situation and prospects." Although the soldiers whom he had selected from the Royal African Corps were the best that the garrison of Goree could supply, there is said to be "too much reason to believe" that they were infe. rior in quality even to the ordinary troops attached to a tropical station; and that they were extremely deficient, both in constitutional strength and vigour, and in those habits of sobriety, steadiness, and discipline which the peculiar service required. A more serious cause of alarm was to be found

DIFFICULTIES OF HIS SITUATION.

169

in the unfavourable period at which, owing to the repeated delays, Park found himself obliged to enter upon the journey. The rainy season, so fatal to Europeans, had not, indeed, actually commenced; but there was a great probability that it would overtake him before he could reach the Niger, and there was a positive certainty that he would encounter not only the great tropical heats, but also the tornadoes or hurricanes which always precede the rainy season, increasing in frequency and vio. lence the nearer it approaches. But his situation was critical, and he had only a choice of difficul ties. He might either attempt (what he might, perhaps, consider as being just possible) to reach the Niger before the rainy season should be completely set in, or he might postpone his journey till the return of the proper season for travelling, which would be in November or December following. The event has shown that he would have acted more wisely in deferring the expedition. But the motives which might lead him to a contrary determination were obvious and powerful, and will be found, on the whole, sufficient for the justification of his conduct. He must naturally have considered that the postponement of the expedition for seven months, besides being in the greatest degree irksome both to himself and the companions of his journey, would occasion a great additional expense, and disappoint the expectations of gov ernment; and he might, perhaps, entertain doubts, since the case was not provided for by his official instructions, whether he should altogether escape censure if he should postpone his journey for so

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BEGINNING OF THE JOURNEY.

long a period, under any circumstances, much short of a positive and undoubted necessity.

In this difficult situation he adopted that alternative which was most congenial to his character and feelings; and having once formed this resolution, he adhered to it with tranquillity and firmness; dismissing from his own mind all doubts and apprehensions, or, at least, effectually concealing them from the companions of his journey, and from his friends and correspondents in England.

CHAPTER XVI.

Departure from Kayee and Commencement of the Journey into the Interior.-Difficulties of the first Day's March.-Order of Proceeding.-Arrival at Madina.-Rapacity of the King of Woolli. Stratagem of the Soldiers to procure Water at Kanipe.- Fruit of the Nitta-trees.-Arrival at the Gambia.Death of one of the Soldiers.-Hostile Conduct of the Chief at Bady, and the Results.-Attack made upon the Caravan bv a Swarm of Bees.-Park's Letters from Badoo.

[1805.]

On the 27th of April, 1805, this memorable journey began. The first day's march, which exposed some of its practical difficulties, is thus recorded in Park's Journal.

"At ten o'clock in the morning we took our de. parture from Kayee. The Crescent, the Washington, and Mr. Ainsley's vessel, did us the honour to fire a salute at our departure. The day proved remarkably hot; and some of the asses, unaccus

DIFFICULTIES OF THE FIRST DAY'S MARCH. 171

In a

tomed to carry loads, made our march very fatiguing and troublesome. Three of them stuck fast in a muddy rice-field, about two miles east of Kayee; and while we were employed in getting them out, our guide and the people in front had gone on so far that we lost sight of them. short time we overtook about a dozen soldiers and their asses, who had likewise fallen behind, and be. ing afraid of losing their way, had halted till we came up. We, in the rear, took the road to Jonkakonda, which place we reached one o'clock; but, not finding Lieutenant Martyn, nor any of the men who were in front, concluded they had gone by New Jermy, &c.; therefore hired a guide and continued our march. Halted a few minutes under a large tree at the village of Lamain-Cotto, to al low the soldiers to cool themselves; and then proceeded towards Lamain, at which place we arri ved at four o'clock. The people were extremely fatigued, having travelled all day under a vertical sun, and without a breath of wind. Lieutenant Martyn and the rest of our party arrived at half past five, having taken the road by New Jermy."

On the following day, at sunset, they reached Pisania, where a delay of six days was found necessary, for the purpose of procuring additional beasts of burden and distributing the loads. On the 4th of May they left Pisania, the mode of marching being adjusted as follows. The asses and loads being all marked and numbered with red paint, a certain number of each was allotted to each of the six messes, into which the soldiers were divided; and the asses were farther subdivided among the individuals of each mess, so that

172

EFFECTS OF THE CLIMATE.

every man could tell at first sight the ass and load which belonged to him. The asses were also numbered with large figures, to prevent the natives from stealing them, as they could neither wash nor clip off the mark without being discovered. Mr. George Scott and one of Isaaco's people generally went in front, Lieutenant Martyn in the centre, and Mr. Anderson and Park himself in the rear. This day's march is described as most fatiguing. Many of the asses lay down on the road, and oth. ers kicked off their bundies. The whole distance accomplished, after the utmost exertions, was eight miles.

On the 8th of May the effects of the climate first became apparent; two of the soldiers were then attacked with dysentery. On the 10th the party reached Tatticonda, where Park had an interview with the son of the former king of Woolli, who had received him so kindly on his first journey, and promised to offer up prayers for his safety. He learned from this individual that his present journey was viewed with great jealousy by the neighbouring native traders.

On the 11th, about noon, they arrived at Madina, the capital of the kingdom of Woolli, where the system of extortion, so characteristic of African monarchs, began to develop itself. The asses were unloaded under a tree without the gates of the town, and Park waited till five o'clock before he could have an audience of his majesty. He took to the king a pair of silver mounted pistols, ten dollars, ten bars of amber, and ten of coral. His majesty looked at the present with great indifference for some time, and then declared that he could not ac