RILEY SIDI HAMET. 167 ever, obtained on this occasion, was that communicated to Riley by Sidi Hamet, concerning his own journeys and adventures. He had accompanied a caravan to Timbuctoo, and after much exertion and suffering had arrived at the banks of the Gozen Zair, which, running eastward through Soudan, falls into the Niger. He followed its current till he reached the capital just named, which, like Adams, he described as being entirely ruled and possessed by negroes; though a smaller town, separated by a strong wall, was assigned to the Moors, who were only allowed to enter the principal city by fifties at a time. He represents Timbuctoo, on the whole, as being larger and handsomer than it had appeared to his countryman. The shegar, or king, happened to send a caravan southward to the city of Wassanah, which Sidi Hamet resolved to accompany. A ride of two hours brought them to the banks of the Zolibib (Joliba of Park, and our Niger). Its course for six days was nearly due east, when it turned to the south-east, and continued to flow in that direction during the remainder of their journey. At length, after travelling in all about sixty days, they arrived at Wassanah, which appeared to Sidi Hamet a city twice as large as Timbuctoo. The inhabitants were pagans, but honest, hospitable, and kind-hearted. Oleebo, the king, lived in a large and lofty palace, had 150 wives, 10,000 slaves, and a very large army. But the chief interest was excited by a report, received from the king's brother, of expeditions sent down the river, consisting of numerous boats with large cargoes of slaves. They were described as sailing two months, first south and then west, till they came to the "great water," where they met pale people with large boats, and guns which made a noise like thunder. This relation was eagerly embraced, as favouring the supposition of the Niger being the same river with the Congo or Zaire. Doubts were in several quarters raised as to its authenticity; yet the course first south-east, then south and west, which it assigns to the Niger, as well as the assertion that it flowed among rocks and formed cataracts, and finally terminated in a sea frequented by Europeans, having been since found to be correct, though contrary to the ideas then prevalent in Europe, afford reasonable ground to believe that this journey was not altogether a romance. GOVERNMENT EXPEDITIONS. 169 CHAPTER XI. Government Expeditions. Great Expedition planned under Tuckey and Peddie-Captain Tuckey reaches the Congo-Difficulties encountered — Great Sickness-Disastrous Issue-Major Peddie arrives at Kakundy -His Death-Captain Campbell advances into the Foulah Territory-Obliged to return-His Death-Gray-Laing—Ritchie and Lyon-Death of Ritchie. THE fate of Park, notwithstanding the deep regret it excited in England and in Europe, presented nothing which could destroy the hope of future success. The chief cause of failure could be easily traced to the precipitation into which he had been betrayed by a too ardent enthusiasm. Nothing had even been discovered adverse to the hypothesis that identified the Niger with the Congo, which still retained a strong hold on the public mind. The views of government and of the nation on this subject were entirely in unison. It was therefore determined that an expedition on a great scale should be fitted out, divided into two portions, one to descend the Niger and the other to ascend the Congo; which two parties, it was fondly hoped, would effect a triumphant meeting in the middle of the great stream that they were sent to explore. The public loudly applauded this resolution; and never perhaps did an armament, expected to achieve the most splendid victories, excite deeper interest than this, which seemed destined to triumph over the darkness that had so long enveloped the vast interior of Africa. The expedition to the Congo was intrusted to Captain Tuckey, an officer of merit and varied services, who had published several works connected with geography and navigation. Besides a crew of about fifty, including marines and mechanics, he was accompanied by Mr Smith, an eminent botanist, who likewise possessed some knowledge of geology; Mr Cranch, a self-taught but able zoologist; Mr Tudor, a good comparative anatomist; Mr Lockhart, a gardener from Kew; and Mr Galwey, an intelligent person who volunteered to join the party. They sailed from Deptford on the 16th February 1816, and reached Malemba on the 30th June, where they met with a cordial reception from the mafook, or king's merchant, in the belief that they were come to make up a cargo of slaves. The chiefs, on being reluctantly convinced of the contrary, burst into the most furious invectives against the crowned heads of Europe, particularly our own most gracious sovereign, whom they denominated "the Devil," imputing chiefly to him the stop put to this odious but lucrative traffic. A few days brought the English into the channel of the Congo; which, to their great surprise, instead of exhibiting the immense size they had been taught to expect, scarcely appeared a river of the second class. The stream, it is true, was then at the lowest, but the depth being still more than 150 fathoms, made it impossible to estimate the mass of water which its channel might convey to the ocean. The banks were swampy, overgrown with mangrove-trees; and the deep si lence and repose of these extensive forests made a solemn impression upon the mind. At Embomma, the emporium of the Congo, much interest was excited by the discovery that a negro officiating as cook's mate was a prince of the blood. He was welcomed with rapture by his father, and with a general rejoicing by the whole village. The young savage was soon arrayed in full African pomp, having on an embroidered coat very much tarnished, a silk sash, and a black glazed hat surmounted by an enormous feather. Captain Tuckey was introduced to the chenoo, or hereditary chief, who, with his huge gilt buttons, stockings of pink sarcenet, red half-boots, and high-crowned embroidered hat, reminded him of punch in a puppet-show. It was vain attempting to convey to this sage prince any idea of the objects of the expedition. The terms which express science and an enlightened curiosity did not excite in his mind a single idea, and he rang continual changes on the questions, "Are you come to trade?" and, "Are you come to make war?”unable to conjecture any other motive. At length, having received a solemn declaration that there was no intention to make war, he sealed peace by the acceptance of a large present of brandy. 66 a After sailing between ridges of high rocky hills, the expedition came to the Yellala, or Great Cataract; and here they met with a second disappointment. Instead of another Niagara, which general report had led them to expect, they saw only comparative brook bubbling over its stony bed." The fall appears to be occasioned merely by masses of granite, fragments of which have fallen down and blocked up the stream. Yet this obstruction rendered it quite impossible for the boats to pass; nor |