presented! Before them extended an immeasurable plain, without a shrub, plant, or blade of grass; nothing that, even for a moment, could support human life. They fell to the ground, exclaiming, ""Tis enough!-here we must breathe our last!" From such utter despair even the horrors of African bondage appeared almost a deliverance. Towards evening a light was descried gleaming along the waste, indicating that they were in the neighbourhood of another band of marauders. Having waited till morning, they approached the camp, and prostrated themselves before the Arabs, who uttered a furious yell, and immediately engaged in a violent contest for the living booty thus unexpectedly presented to them. This dispute ended in their being divided among the barbarians, by whom they were hurried in different directions into the interior of the wilderness. The sufferings of Riley were so extreme as made him almost regret the life which he had saved, till he met Sidi Hamet, a respectable caravan-merchant, who, in bargaining for his person, showed much sympathy for his situation, and undertook to conduct him to Mogadore, provided he were made sure of a good ransom. The American soon had the satisfaction of seeing two blankets, a cotton robe, and a bundle of ostrich-feathers, paid as the price of his liberty. He prevailed on the Mussulman also to purchase his companions; after which they set out together to cross the Desert with their master and deliverer. They had a very painful journey to perform, riding with the utmost rapidity on the naked backs of camels, over hills of loose sand, while the air was filled with clouds of the same substance. Food and water being, moreover, very scanty, they were reduced almost to the condition of skeletons, and Riley declares that he did not ultimately weigh above ninety pounds. His mind also was oppressed with much anxiety, as Hamet, with all his humanity, gave notice from time to time, that should his expectations as to the ransom fail he would cut their throats. Having procured, therefore, a reed and some black liquid, the supercargo wrote a pathetic representa

tion of his sufferings, addressed generally to the consuls, or to any Christians who might happen to be resident at Mogadore. After eight days of dreadful suspense, a letter arrived. His emotion was too great to allow him to read it but one of his companions found it to be from Mr Willshire, the English consul, expressed in the most sympathizing terms, and with an assurance that the ransom would be provided. This promise was faithfully performed; and a hospitable reception at the consulate soon restored him to health and to his former dimensions.

The most interesting part of the intelligence, however, 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 Zaire, 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 possessed and ruled by negroes; though a smaller town, separated by a strong wall, was assigned to the Moors, who were only allowed to enter the principal one by fifties at a time. He represents it as being upon the whole both 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, the Joliba of Park, or 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 in his eyes twice as large as Timbuctoo. The inhabitants were pagans, but honest, hospitable, and kind-hearted. Oleebo, the sovereign, lived in a lofty palace, had no fewer than 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 identical with the Congo or Zaire. Doubts were in several quarters raised as to its authenticity; yet the assigned course, first south-east, then south, and afterwards west, as well as the assertion that the river descended through a hilly country, where it formed several 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.

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-GrayLaing-Ritchie and Lyon-Death of Ritchie.

THE fate of Park, notwithstanding the deep regret it excited in England and throughout Europe, presented nothing which could destroy the hope of future success ; for the chief cause of failure could be easily traced to the precipitation into which he had been betrayed by a too ardent enthusiasm. Nor had any thing 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 large 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 they were sent to explore. This resolution was loudly applauded; and never perhaps did an armament, expected to achieve the most splendid victories, excite deeper interest than the one now projected, 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 disappointment, 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, it was impossible to estimate the mass of water which it might convey to the ocean. The banks were swampy, overgrown with mangrovetrees; and the profound silence and repose of these extensive forests made a solemn impression upon the mind. At Embomma, the emporium of this district, 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,