198 PART OF THE SOLDIERS LEFT BEHIND.

down on the road, unable to proceed. They were afterward brought forward on asses. At Bangassi, on the 26th, the corporal died; and there one of the soldiers was left very ill. On the following day, after marching a short distance, three of the soldiers lay down and refused to proceed; one of the carpenters brought from Portsmouth did likewise. It was on the 27th also that Park came to an eminence, from which he had a view of some very distant mountains to the southeast. "The certainty that the Niger washed the base of those mountains made him forget his fever, and he thought of nothing all the way but how to climb over their blue summits.'

In the afternoon they reached Nummasoolo, where, before they had time to pitch their tent properly, the rain came down and wetted completely both men and bundles. This was 66 a very se. rious affair," many of the articles of merchandise being perishable. The party slept very uncomfortably in wet clothes on the wet ground, and were troubled in the night with a lion, who came so near that the sentry fired at him, but it was so dark that it was impossible to take a good aim. All the asses pulled up the pins to which they were fastened, and ran together as near the men as they could. As the sick soldiers who had refused to proceed did not come up before sunset, Park con. cluded they had all returned to Bangassi; and the dooty's son arriving upon horseback, informed him that they had really returned to his father's house, and wished to know what it was meant to do respecting them. Park said that he wished his peo. ple to be taken proper care of, and gave the man

ILLNESS OF MR. ANDERSON.

199

ten bars of amber for informing him of them; and likewise put into his possession three strings of amber of forty bars each, to be disposed of for the use of the sick. Park also promised him a present if he would send a proper person forward with any of them who recovered to Bambakoo; and, at the same time, sent the following note to the

men:

"Dear Soldiers,

"I am sorry to learn that you have returned to Bangassi. I have sent in charge of the bearer of this three complete strings of amber, one of which will procure rice for forty days; the second will purchase milk or fowls for the same time; and the third will buy provisions for you on the road till you arrive at the Niger. Yours,

"M. PARK."

As Park advanced, his losses from sickness increased. On the 10th of August, as he came to a stream, he found Mr. Anderson lying under a bush apparently dying, and was obliged to carry him across the stream. On the following day Mr. Anderson continued in a very dangerous way, and on the 12th Park led his horse by the bridle, that he might have no trouble but that of sitting on the saddle. At half past twelve o'clock Mr. Ander. son declared he could ride no farther; Park laid him in the shade of a bush, and sat down beside him. At half past two he made another attempt to proceed, but had not rode above a hundred yards before Park had to take him down from the saddle

and lay him again in the shade. "I now," he says,

200

PARK'S DANGER FLOM LIONS.

"gave up all thoughts of being able to carry bim forward till the cool of the evening; and, having turned the horses and asses to feed, sat down to watch the pulsations of my dying friend."

66

At half past five o'clock, there being a fine breeze from the southwest, Mr. Anderson agreed to make another attempt, and Park having again placed him on the saddle, led the horse on pretty smartly, in hopes of reaching Koomikoori before dark. They had not proceeded above a mile, before they heard on their left a noise very much like the barking of a large mastiff, but ending in a hiss. Park thought that it must be a large monkey; and was observing to Mr. Anderson, "What a bouncing fellow that must be," when they heard another bark nearer to them, and presently a third still nearer, accompanied with a growl. "I now suspected," he says, "that some wild animal meant to attack us, but could not conjecture of what species it was likely to be. We had not proceeded a hundred yards farther, when, coming to an opening in the bushes, I was not a little surprised to see three lions coming towards us. They were not so red as the lion I formerly saw in Bambarra, but of a dusky colour, like the colour of an ass. They were very large, and came bounding over the long grass, not one after another, but all abreast of each other. I was afraid, if I allowed them to come too near us, and my piece should miss fire, that we should be all devoured by them. I therefore let go the bridle, and walked forward to meet them. As soon as they were within a long shot of me, I fired at the centre one. I do not think I hit him, but they all stopped, looked at each other, and then

AIS ARRIVAL AT THE NIGER.

201

bounded away a few paces, when one of them stopped and looked back at me. I was too busy in loading my piece to observe their motions as they went away, and was very happy to see the last of them march slowly off among the bushes. We had not proceeded above half a mile farther, when we heard another bark and growl close to us among the bushes. This was doubtless one of the lions before scen, and I was afraid they would fol. low us till dark, when they would have too many opportunities of springing on us unawares. Ι therefore got Mr. Anderson's call, and made as ioud a whistling and noise as possible. We heard no more of them."

On the 13th Park reached Koomikoomi, where ne again joined the route by which he returned in 1797. At Doombila, which he entered on the 15th, he met with Karfa Taura, his kind friend who had entertained him at Kamalia on his former journey for so many months, and then conveyed aim to the Gambia. On the 19th, at about three o'clock in the afternoon, Park gained the summit of the ridge which separates the Niger from the remote branches of the Senegal; and, advancing to the brow of the hill, once more saw the Niger roll. ing its immense streams along the plain!

"After the fatiguing march," he says, "which we had experienced, the sight of this river was no doubt pleasant, as it promised an end to, or at least an alleviation of, our toils. But when I reflected that three fourths of the soldiers had died on their march; and that, in addition to our weakly state, we had no carpenters to build the boats, in which we promised to prosecute our discoveries, the pros.

202

PARK'S DISTRESSING SITUATION.

pect appeared somewhat gloomy. It, however, af forded me peculiar pleasure, when I reflected that, in conducting a party of Europeans, with immense baggage, through an extent of more than five hundred miles, I had always been able to preserve the most friendly terms with the natives. In fact, this journey plainly demonstrates: first, that, with common prudence, any quantity of merchandise may be transported from the Gambia to the Niger, without danger of being robbed by the natives; secondly, that if this journey be performed in the dry season, one may calculate on losing not more than three, or, at most, four men out of fifty."

CHAPTER XVII.

Distressing Situation of Park.--His Embarcation on the Niger. -His Arrival at Marraboo.-At Samee.-His Speech to Mansong's Prime Minister.-Mansong's Reply.-Park's Arrival at Sansanding.-His Description of that Town.-His successful Trading there.-Death of his Brother-in-law, Mr. Anderson. -Completion of the Schooner Joliba.-Last Letters received from Park.

[1805.]

PARK'S situation, on arriving at length upon the banks of the Niger, was very distressing. Of thir ty-four soldiers and four carpenters who left the Gambia, only six soldiers and one carpenter reach. ed that river. Mr. Anderson, Lieutenant Martyn, and Mr. Scott were seriously affected by illness ; the last, indeed, had been obliged to remain behind,