EARLY ENGLISH DISCOVERIES. 65 



declares, tlyit he arrived " at the mouth of the mine itself, 

 and saw gold in such abundance as surprised him with joy 

 and admiration." However, he gives no notice of the posi- 

 tion of this famous mine, the existence of which has not 

 been confirmed by any subsequent observer. 



It was not till 1720 that the spirit of African discovery 

 again revived in England. The Duke of Chandos, then 

 director of the African Company, concerned at the declining 

 state of their affairs, entertained the idea of retrieving them 

 by opening a path into the golden regions still reported to 

 exist in the interior of Africa. At his suggestion, the com- 

 pany, in 1723, furnished Captain Bartholomew Stibbs with 

 the usual means for sailing up the Gambia. On the 7th 

 October this navigator arrived at James Island, the English 

 settlement, about thirty miles from the mouth of the river, 

 whence he immediately wrote to Mr. Willy, the governor, 

 who happened to be then visiting the factory of Joar, more 

 than a hundred miles distant, asking him to engage canoes. 

 He received for answer that there were none to be had, and 

 was almost distracted to learn that Mr. Willy was giving 

 himself no concern aI)out the affair. Some days after, how- 

 ever, a boat brought down the dead body of the governor, 

 who had fallen a victim to the fever of the climate, which 

 had previously affected his brain. Thus, notwithstanding 

 every exertion of Orfeur, who succeeded him, the equip- 

 ment of the boats was delayed till the 11th December, when 

 the unfavourable season was fast approaching. Stibbs had 

 assigned to him a crew of nineteen white men, of whom one 

 indeed was as black as coal, but being a Christian, ranked 

 as white, and served as interpreter ; likewise twenty-nine 

 grumettas, or hired negroes, with three female cooks ; and 

 he afterward took on board a balafeu, or native musician, to 

 enliven the spirits of the party. 



Stibbs set out on the 26th of December, and the voyage 

 proceeded for some time very agreeably. The English were 

 every where well received, and at one place even a saphie, 

 or charm, had been laid upon the bank for the purpose of 

 drawing them on shore. The captain had endeavoured to 

 conceal his object, but in vain ; he found himself every 

 where pointed out as the person Avho was come to bring 

 down the gold. The native crew, however, predicted the 

 ©ost feiuf ul disaster if he should attempt to proceed abov» 

 F2 



