tempted, nevertheless, to push his way through. "The people began to attack him, throwing lances, pikes, arrows, and stones. He defended himself a long time; when two of his slaves at the stern of the vessel were killed. The crew threw every thing they had into the river, and kept firing; but being overpowered by numbers and fatigue, unable to keep up the boat against the current, and seeing no probability of escaping, Mr Park took hold of one of the white men, and jumped into the water. Others did the same, and they were all drowned in the stream in attempting to escape. The only slave that remained in the schooner, seeing the natives persist in throwing weapons into it without ceasing, stood up and said to them,-Stop throwing now; you see nothing in the canoe, and nobody but myself; therefore cease. Take me and the canoe, but don't kill me.' They took possession of both, and carried them to the king."

These sad tidings, conveyed in course to England, were not for a long time received with general belief; for the statement, being sifted with care, was thought to contain inconsistencies, as well as such a degree of improbability as left some room for hope. But year after year elapsed, and this expectation died away. Denham and Clapperton, when in the country, received accounts from various quarters which very nearly coincided with those of Amadi Fatouma. Park's adventures, they found, had excited the deepest interest throughout Africa. In his last journey Clapperton even saw the spot where he perished, which, allowing for some exaggeration, did not ill correspond with the description just given. Nay, he received notice, as we shall hereafter see, that the manuscripts belonging to the enterprising Scotchman were in the possession of the King of Yaour, who offered to deliver them up on condition that the captain would pay him a visit, which he declined; and indeed, from what occurred to Lander, it appeared to be only a snare, by which this perfidious prince sought to get him into his power.

CHAPTER X.

Various Travellers.

Horneman-Nicholls-Roentgen-Adams-Riley.

Ir has been thought advisable to trace without interruption the interesting career of Park from its commencement to its close. Between his two expeditions, however, another was performed which appeared to open under very favourable auspices. Frederic Horneman, a student of the University of Göttingen, communicated to Blumenbach, the celebrated natural historian, his ardent desire to explore the interior of Africa under the auspices of the Association. The professor transmitted to that body a strong recommendation of the candidate, as a young man, active, athletic, and temperate, knowing sickness only by name, and of respectable literary and scientific attainments. Sir Joseph Banks immediately wrote," If Mr Horneman be really the character you describe, he is the very person whom we are in search of." On receiving this encouragement, the youth immediately applied his mind to the study of natural history and the Arabic language, and otherwise sought to fit himself for supporting the character, which he intended to assume, of an Arab and a Moslem, under which he hoped to escape the effects of that ferocious bigotry which had opposed so fatal a bar to the progress of his predecessors.

In May 1797 he repaired to London, where his appointment was forthwith sanctioned by the Association; and having obtained a passport from the Directory, who then

governed France, he visited Paris, and was introduced to some leading members of the National Institute. He reached Egypt in September, and after spending ten days at Alexandria, set out for Cairo, to wait the departure of the Kashna caravan. The interval was employed in acquiring the language of the Mograbin Arabs, a tribe bordering on the Nile. While he was at Cairo, tidings arrived of Bonaparte's landing in that country, when the just indignation of the natives vented itself upon all Europeans, and among others on the German, who was arrested and confined in the castle. He was relieved upon the victorious entry of the French commander, who, besides restoring him to freedom, very liberally offered money, and every other supply which might contribute to the success of his mission.

It was the 5th of September 1798, before Horneman could find a caravan proceeding to the westward, when he joined the one destined for Fezzan. The travellers soon passed the cultivated land of Egypt, and entered on an expanse of sandy waste, such as the bottom of the ocean might exhibit if the waters were to retire. This desert was covered with the fragments, as it were, of a petrified forest; large trunks, branches, twigs, and even pieces of bark, being scattered over it. Sometimes these stony remains were brought in by mistake as fuel. When the caravan halted for the night, each individual dug a hole in the sand, gathered a few sticks, and prepared his victuals after the African fashion of kouskous, soups, or puddings. Horneman, according to his European habits, at first employed the services of another; but finding himself thus exposed to contempt or suspicion, he soon followed the example of the rest, and became his own cook.

There are, as is well known, several oases in this immense waste. Ten days brought the caravan to Ummesogeir, a village situated on a rock, with 120 inhabitants, who, separated by deserts from the rest of the world, pass a peaceful and hospitable life, subsisting on dates, the chief produce of their arid soil.

H

Another day's journey brought them to Siwah, a more extensive settlement, the territory of which is estimated by the discoverer to be fifty miles in circumference. It yields, with little culture, various descriptions of grain and vegetables; but its wealth consists chiefly in large gardens of dates, baskets of which fruit form here the standard of value. The government is vested in a very turbulent aristocracy of about thirty chiefs, who meet in council in the vicinity of the townwall, and, in the contests which frequently arise, make violent and sudden appeals to arms. The chief question in respect to Siwah is, whether it does or does not comprise the site of the celebrated shrine of Jupiter Ammon,

that object of awful veneration to the nations of antiquity, and which Alexander himself, the greatest of its heroes, underwent excessive toil and peril to visit and associate with his name. This insulated domain does in fact contain springs, and a small edifice with walls six feet thick, partly painted and adorned with hieroglyphs. There are also antique tombs in the neighbouring mountains; but as the subsequent discoveries of Belzoni and Edmonstone have proved that similar features exist in other oases scattered in different directions along the desert borders of Egypt, some uncertainty must perhaps for ever rest on this curious question.

The route now passed through a region, still indeed barren, yet not presenting such a monotonous plain of sand as intervenes between Egypt and Siwah. It was bordered by precipitous limestone rocks, which contain numerous shells and marine remains. The caravan, while proceeding along these wild tracts, were alarmed by a tremendous braying of asses; and, on looking back, they saw several hundreds of the people of Siwah armed and in full pursuit, mounted on these useful animals. The scouts, however, soon brought an assurance that they came with intentions perfectly peaceable, having merely understood that in the company there were two Christians from Cairo ; on being allowed to kill whom, they would permit the others to proceed unmolested. All Horne

man's address and firmness were required in this fearful crisis. He opposed the most resolute denial to the assertions of the Siwahans; he opened the Koran, and displayed the facility with which he could read its pages; he even challenged his adversaries to answer him on points of Mohammedan faith. His companions in the caravan, who took a pride in defending one of their members, insisted that he had cleared himself thoroughly from the imputation of being an infidel; and as they were joined by several of the natives, the whole body finally renounced their bloody purpose, and turned their faces homeward.

The travellers next passed through Augila, a town so ancient as to be mentioned by Herodotus; but now small, dirty, and supported solely by the passage of the inland trade. They then entered the Black Harutsch, a long range of dreary mountains (Mons Ater of the Romans), through the successive defiles of which they found only a narrow track enclosed by rugged steeps and obstructed by loose stones. Every valley, too, and ravine into which they looked, seemed still more wild and desolate than the road itself. A gayer scene succeeded when they advanced into that district of limestone mountains which is called the White Harutsch. The rocks and stones here appeared as if glazed, abounding in shells and other marine petrifactions, and, on being broken, presented a vitrified aspect.

After a painful route of sixteen days through this solitary region, the travellers were cheered by seeing before them the Great Oasis, or small kingdom of Fezzan. Both at Temissa, the frontier town, and at Zuila, the ancient capital, which is still inhabited by many rich merchants, they were received with rapturous demonstrations of joy. The arrival of a caravan is the chief event which diversifies the existence of the citizens, and diffuses through the country animation and wealth. At Mourzouk, the modern metropolis, the reception was more solemn and pompous. The sultan himself awaited their approach on a small eminence, seated in an arm-chair