I Shuddered At The Proposal, And Begged With Earnestness, That Nothing Of The Kind Might Be Done, I Assured The

Chief he would one day have to give an account to God, of every life he might wantonly destroy; and

Also made him sensible, that though after death, his body would moulder into dust, his soul would live for ever, and that it would be happy or miserable, in proportion to the good or bad actions he had performed, or might yet perform in this world. The chief was evidently much affected at my words, and desired his followers to unbind the intended victims, and remove them from the yard. He then made a solemn promise, to put an end to the custom of sacrificing human beings. As soon as this declaration was made known to the mallams, and the crowd of attendants in the yard, they all held up their hands in token of approbation, and shouted for joy. It is now seven or eight months since this promise was made, and I am happy to say, it has been religiously kept."

As further lights continued to be thrown upon the course of the Niger, that geographical problem of many years, and as its importance in a commercial point of view, opening a way into the interior of Africa, becomes more appreciable, our attention was naturally drawn to every circumstance connected with its exploration. Thus the expeditions of Mungo Park excited a strong sensation, and have left a mournful recollection on the public mind, and thus the equally adventurous, and noble, and more successful enterprises of the brothers, Landers, and especially of Richard, whose narrative of his third voyage we are now relating, have fixed the admiration of their country. This feeling was probably greatly enhanced, as the prospect of utility is certainly much enlarged by the remarkable coincidence of these gallant efforts, with the application of the navigating powers of steam. There might have been generations of Landers, with lives devoted to the cause, the sole reward of which would have been the discovery of a river's source and termination, but now there was combined with that end, the cheering hope of extending civilization, of strangling the hydra, slavery, in its cradle, and of diffusing comfort and happiness over a wide quarter of the globe. Assuredly it is a glorious thing to be signally and prosperously engaged in laying the foundation for a consummation so devoutly to be wished.

Lander had not made great progress in the interior, before he found that he was deficient in some particular kinds of goods, which were required for the markets in the interior, and he, therefore, descended the river in a canoe, and embarked on board the Curlew ship of war, to convey him to Cape Coast Castle, where he expected to meet with the articles which he required. Having succeeded in effecting his purchases, he returned to the mouth of the Nun, thence to reascend the Niger for the third time, and endeavour to penetrate as far up the river as Boussa.

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