179^* discoveries in Africa. ts 



' His instructions, accordingly, were to ascertain 

 the course, and, ifpofsible, the rise and termination of 

 that mj^sterioub river ; and after visiting the cities'of 

 Tombuctoo and Houfda, to return by the way of the 

 desert, or by any other route which the circumstan- 

 ces of his situation at the tinae fhould recommend to 

 his choice.' 



This new mifsionary is thus characterized in a 

 succeeding part of this publication. ' The obstacles 

 he has surmounted, and the dangers he has escaped, 

 appear to have made but little imprefsion on his 

 mind ; a natural intrepidity of character, that seems 

 inaccefsible to fear, and an-easy flow of constitutional 

 good humour, that even the roughest accidents of 

 life have no power to subdue, have formed him, in 

 a peculiar degree, for the adventure in which he is 

 engaged : and such is the daxknefs of his complexion, 

 that he scarcely differs in appearance from the Moors 

 of Barbary, whose drefs in travelling he intended to 

 afsume.' 



This adventurous traveller left England on the 

 l6th October 1790. He arrived at the entrance of 

 the Gambia on the loth of November, and was 

 kindly received by the king of Barra, who remem- 

 bfered the visit the major had formerly paid to him 

 from the island of Goree ; and who now, in return 

 or a small present of the value of L. 20, chearfuUy 

 tendered protection and afsistance as far as his do- 

 minions or influence extended. 



He proceeded up the river to Juniconda, where he 

 purchased a horse to go by land to Medina, the ca- 



