On it or not, and I will be sure to
acquaint you and them of my success, be it good or bad."
The following day the king intended to question the Niger, and the
great hope of the Landers was, that the river would return a
favourable answer.
The Landers were not ignorant that a present to an African king will
generally effect wonders, it will even make the Niger return a
favourable answer to an inquiry which, but for the present, would
have been adverse. They therefore acted politically, and sent the
king as a present, one of those beautiful silver medals which were
cast during the American war, to which, was attached a large and
valuable chain of the same metal; assuring the sable king at the same
time, that he might now consider himself as the king of England's
most particular friend, and that he could not make a more suitable
return, than by assisting them them in their plan of journeying to
the salt water by way of the Niger.
The present had the desired effect, for on the following day the king
came to them with great joy, and informed them that he had been down
to the Niger with his mallam, and that the result of his visit was
highly favourable to their wishes as well as to his own, the river
having promised to conduct them in safety its termination.
