Interview with Modibinnie. Park's speech. Reaches Sansanding.
Death of Mr. Anderson. Park builds a schooner. Letters from Sansanding.
Departs from Sansanding. Uncertainty respecting his fate. Isaaco's
narrative. Confirmed by subsequent travellers. Account of Park's death.
His character.
CHAPTER XXXI.
Expedition of Tuckey - of Peddie - and Gray.
CHAPTER XXXII.
Major Denham, Captain Clapperton, and Dr. Oudney arrive at Mourzouk.
Boo-Khaloom. The desert. Tibboos and Tuaricks. Lake Tchad. Shiek of
Bornou. Expedition to Mandara. Attack on Dirkulla. Defeat of the army.
Major Denham's escape. Death of Boo-Kaloom. Major Denham visits Loggun.
Fishing on the river Yeou. The Shouaa Arabs. Death of Dr. Oudney. Arrival
at Kano. Sockatoo. Denham and Clapperton return by Kouka.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Captain Clapperton sets out on a second journey. Death of three principal
members of the expedition. Clapperton and Lander reach Eyeo. Arrive at
Kacunda. Enter the Borgoo country. Lander's escape from Lions. Kiama.
Boussa. Nyffe. Zeg-Zeg. Attack of Coonia. Residence in Sockatoo. Death
and burial of Clapperton. Lander's return.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Major Laing - his murder. Caillie reaches Timbuctoo. His march across the
Desert.
CHAPTER XXXV.
Richard and John Lander set out. Badagry. Journey to Kiama. African horse
race. Kakafungi. Boussa. Sail up the Niger to Yaoorie. Embark at Boussa.
Island of Zagoshi. Dangerous situation of the travellers. Egga. Hostile
demonstration of the natives. The Landers attacked. Carried to Eboe. King
Obie. Conduct of Captain Lake. Arrive at Fernando Po. Remarks on the
discovery of the Niger's termination.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Messrs Laird, Oldfield, and Lander, set out in the Quorra and Alburkah.
Attack of the natives. Leave Eboe. Mortality on board the vessels.
Capture of an alligator. Aspect of the Niger near the Kong Mountains. The
Quorra aground. Fundah. Mr. Laird returns to the coast. Richard Lander
wounded. His death. Return of the Alburkah. Conclusion.
* * * * *
INTRODUCTION.
_Progress of African Discovery, before Park's first Expedition. - Park's
Early Life._
The first information we have respecting the interior of Africa is
derived from Herodotus, who, during his residence in Egypt, endeavoured
to collect as much intelligence as possible respecting the general aspect
of the country. He describes it as far less fertile than the cultivated
parts of Europe and Asia, and much exposed to drought, with the exception
of a few verdant spots. To the northern coast, he gives the name of the
forehead of Africa; and says that immediately south from it, the
comparative fertility of the soil rapidly decreases. There are natural
hills of salt, out of which the inhabitants scoop houses to shelter
themselves from the weather; rain they have not to fear, as scarcely a
drop ever alights upon that sultry region. Farther south still, there is
no food to support man or beast - neither shrub, nor a single drop of
water; all is silence and utter desolation. Herodotus then proceeds to
relate a number of monstrous fables, which bear an overwhelming
proportion to the parts of his narrative which are now known to be true.
He also describes a large inland river, which some have supposed to be
the Niger, flowing from west to east.
