He Was, However Interrupted By The Arrival Of A Man Mounted On A Fine Moorish Horse Covered With Sweat And Foam, Who Having Something Of Importance To Communicate, The King Immediately Took Up His Sandals, Which Is The Signal For Strangers To Retire.

Mr. Park accordingly took leave, but afterwards learned that this messenger was one of the scouts employed to watch the motions of the enemy, and had brought intelligence that the Bambarra army was approaching Kaarta.

In the evening the king sent to the stranger a fine sheep, a very acceptable gift, as they had not broken their fast during the whole of the day. At this time, evening prayers were announced, by beating on drums, and blowing through hollowed elephants' teeth; the sound of which was melodious, and nearly resembled the human voice. On the following morning, Mr. Park sent his horse-pistols and holsters as a present to the king, and informed him that he wished to leave Kemmoo as soon as he could procure a guide. In about an hour the king returned thanks for his present, and sent a party of horsemen to conduct him to Jarra. On that night he slept at a village called Marena, where, during the night, some thieves broke into the hut where the baggage was deposited, cut open one of Mr. Park's bundles, and stole a quantity of beads, part of his clothes, some amber and gold. The following day was far advanced before they recommenced their journey, and the excessive heat obliged them to travel but slowly. In the evening they arrived at the village of Toorda, when all the king's people turned back with the exception of two, who remained to guide Mr. Park and his attendants to Jarra.

On the 15th of February they departed from Toorda, and about two o'clock came to a considerable town called Funing-kedy, where being informed that the road to Jarra was much infested by the moors, and that a number of people were going to that town on the following day, Mr. Park resolved to stay and accompany them. Accordingly in the afternoon of the 17th of February, accompanied by thirty people, he left Funing-kedy, it being necessary to travel in the night to avoid the moorish banditti. At midnight they stopped near a small village, but the thermometer being so low as 68 deg., none of the negroes could sleep on account of the cold. They resumed their journey at daybreak, and in the morning passed Simbing, the frontier village of Ludamar.

From this village Major Houghton wrote his last letter, with a pencil, to Dr. Laidley, having been deserted by his negro servants, who refused to follow him into the moorish country. This brave but unfortunate man, having surmounted many difficulties, had endeavoured to pass through the kingdom of Ludamar, where Mr. Park learned the following particulars concerning his fate. On his arrival at Jarra, he got acquainted with some moorish merchants, who were travelling to Tisheel, a place celebrated for its salt pits in the great desert, for the purpose of purchasing salt.

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