sance, nothing resembling which had ever before been shown by a Mussulman. But our countryman, being indisposed, only picked out an ancient maiden to serve as a nurse.

Lieutenant Clapperton rejoined Major Denham at Kouka, whence they set out, and recrossed the Desert in the latter part of 1824. They reached Tripoli in January 1825, and soon after embarked for Leghorn; but, being detained by contrary winds and quarantine-regulations, did not reach London till June.

CHAPTER XIII.

Clapperton's Second Journey-Laing-Caillié.

Objects of this Journey-Departure from Badagry-Death of Pearce and of Morrison-Kingdom of Yarriba-Eyeo-Kiama-Wawa -Boussa-Particulars respecting Park-Nyffe-Koolfu-Zaria -Kano-Siege of Coonia-Violent Conduct of Sultan BelloSickness and Death of Clapperton at Sackatoo-His Servant Lander returns, partly by a new Route-Laing's Expedition-He reaches Timbuctoo-Assassinated-Caillié undertakes a Journey -Reaches Jenne-Timbuctoo-Aroan-The Desert-Arrival at Tangier.

Ir appeared that, in spite of some occasional symptoms of jealousy, and even of alarm, the Sultan of the Fellatas manifested a considerable inclination to cultivate intercourse with the English. He was even understood to say, that messengers should wait at Rakah and Fundah, or at some port on the coast, to conduct a new mission to Sackatoo. These promises, it is probable, were mere inferences drawn from the empty boasts of the sultan; he being master neither of Rakah nor Fundah, nor of any place within a great distance of the Gulf of Benin. Be this as it may, there seemed good ground to expect a welcome for the British envoys when they should reach his capital; and in that direction, it was conjectured, were to be found the termination of the Niger, and also the most direct channel of trade with regions already ascertained to be the finest in Africa.

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These were views to which the statesmen who conducted the naval government at home were never insensible. Clapperton, now promoted to the rank of captain, was equipped afresh, and sent to the Gulf of Benin; Captain Pearce, an excellent draftsman, and Mr Morrison, a naval surgeon of some experience, whose skill, it was hoped, might be of great avail in preserving the health of the whole expedition, being named as his associates.

The mission, in the end of 1825, reached its destination; but, as might perhaps have been anticipated, they could hear nothing of Rakah or of Fundah, of any messengers sent by Bello, nor of any town subject to him on this coast. They were not, however, discouraged; and having consulted Mr Houtson, whom a long residence had made thoroughly acquainted with the country, they were advised not to attempt ascending the banks of the river, a circuitous track, and covered with pestilential swamps,-but to take the route from Badagry as the most direct and commodious, and by which, in fact, almost all the caravans from Houssa come down to the coast.

On the 7th December 1825, the mission set out from Badagry. But at the very first they were guilty of a fatal imprudence: During the nights of the 7th and 9th they slept in the open air, and on the last occasion in the public market-place of Dagmoo, without even their beds, which had been sent away by mistake. The consequence was, that in a day or two Morrison and Pearce were attacked with a dangerous fever, and Clapperton with fits of ague. It does not appear why they did not stop in one of the towns, and endeavour by rest to recruit

their strength; on the contrary, they pushed on till the 22d, when Captain Clapperton seeing the illness of his companions increase, urged them either to remain behind or return to Badagry. They insisted on proceeding; but next day Dr Morrison could struggle no longer, and departed for the coast : he died before reaching it. Captain Pearce persevered, and sunk on the road, breathing his last at nine in the evening of the 27th. Clapperton was thus left to pursue his way in very painful and desolate circumstances. He had only a faithful servant, Richard Lander, who stood by him in all his fortunes, with Pascoe, a not very trusty African, whom he had hired at Badagry.

After a journey of sixty miles, the travellers entered the kingdom of Yarriba, called also from its capital Eyeo. This country had long been reported on the coast as the most populous, powerful, and flourishing of all Western Africa, holding even Dahomey in vassalage. It answered the most favourable descriptions of it; the fields were extensively cleared, and covered with thriving plantations of Indian corn, millet, yams, and cotton. A loom nearly similar to that used in England was busily plied; the women were spinning and dyeing the cloths with their fine indigo. These African dames also went from town to town bearing large burdens on their heads,—an employment shared by the numerous wives of the King of Eyeo; their majesties having nothing to distinguish them from the humblest of their fellow-countrywomen. Amid these occupations, they exercised their powers of speech with such incessant perseverance as to confirm the captain in what appears to have been with him an

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old maxim, that no power on earth, not even African despotism, can silence a woman's tongue; yet, as this loquacity seems to have been always exerted in kindness, he need not, we think, have groaned quite so heavily under its stunning influence.

The English travellers were agreeably surprised by the reception which they experienced during this journey: In Houssa they had laboured under the most dire proscription as Caffres, enemies of the prophet, and foredoomed to hell; and, as black is there the standard of beauty, their colour was considered by the ladies a deep leprous deformity, detracting from every quality that might otherwise have been agreeable in their persons. With the negro and pagan Eyeos there was no religious enmity; and having understood, by reports from the coast, the superiority of Europeans in arts and wealth, this people viewed them almost as beings of a higher order. A rumour had also spread that they came to do good, and to make peace wherever there was On entering the towns they were soon encircled by thousands, desirous to see white men, and testifying respect,-the males by taking off their caps, the women by bending on their knees and one elbow. In some places singing and dancing were kept up through the whole night in celebration of their arrival.

war.

The mission had now to cross a range of hills about eighty miles broad, said to reach the whole way from behind Ashantee to Benin. The highest pinnacle was not supposed to exceed 2500 feet, which is a good deal lower than Skiddaw; but its passes were peculiarly narrow and rugged, hemmed in by gigantic blocks of granite 600 or 700 feet high,

P