NATURAL HISTORY. 
reached the capital of Bambouk, af- 
ter wading through the river Serra 
Coles, or River of Gold, on the 
eastern side of which it is situated. 
On his arrival at this town, which 
is called Ferbanna, his fever rose to 
a height that rendered him deliri- 
ous ; but by the strength of his con- 
stitution, and the kindness of the 
negro family to which he was con- 
ducted, be soon recovered. 
From the King cf Bambouk the 
Major met with a friendly recep- 
tion; and he informed him, that 
the losses which he had sustained in 
the war with Bondou, arose from 
his having exhausted his ammuni- 
tion ; the French having abandon- 
ed the Fort of St. Joseph, and, from 
some cause’ or other, deserted the 
navigation of the upper part of the 
Senegal, he had no means of reple- 
nishing his stores; whereas his ene- 
my received from the English, 
through the channel of his agents 
on the Gambia, aconstant and ade- 
quate supply. 
The Major took this opportunity 
of representing to the King the ad- 
vantage of encouraging the English 
to open a trade, by the way of: his 
dominions, to the populous. cities 
Ce2 
A403 
on the banks of the Niger. This 
negotiation was put a stop to by the 
commencement of an annual festi- 
val, at which the people sead pre- 
sents of mead to the King, which 
are followed by intemperate. festi-- 
vity for several days. During this 
the Major agreed with an old and 
respectable merchant of Bambouk,, 
who offered to carry him to Tom- 
buctoo, and bring him back to the 
Gambia, for 125/, to be paid at their 
return by the British factory at 
Junkiconda. This plan was much 
approved of by the King, to whom 
the merchant was personally known 3 
and, as a mark of. bis esteem, and. 
pledge of future friendship, he pre- 
sented Major Houghton at parting 
with a purse of gold. 
Witb an\account of his prepara: 
tions for this journey the Major 
closes: his dispatch of the 24th of 
July;. and as no. further advices 
had been received from him by his: 
correspondent on the; Gambia (Dr. 
Laidley) om the 22d of December 
last, the writer of this narrative 
concludes that he had descended 
the eastern hills of Bambouk, and 
proceeded on his journey to Tom- 
buctoo, 
USEFUL 
