DENHAM AND CLAPPERTON. 1 69 



nions; but when our countryman specified NyfTe on the 

 banks of the Niger, Youri where the papers of Park were 

 reported to be kept, Rakah and Fundah, where that river 

 was said to fall into the sea, the courtiers began to demur. 

 Professing tender solicitude for his safety, they represented 

 that the season was becoming unfavourable, and that rebel- 

 lion and civil war were raging to such a pitch in these 

 countries as to make even the mighty protection of Sultan 

 Bello insufficient for his security. Clapperton strongly sus- 

 pected that this unfavourable change was produced by the 

 machinations of the Arabs, and particularly of Mohammed 

 Gomsoo, their chief, notwithstanding the warm professions 

 of friendship made that personage. They apprehended, 

 probably, that were a communication opened with the 

 western coast. Interior Africa might be supplied with Eu- 

 ropean goods by that shorter route, instead of being brought 

 by themselves across the Desert. Perhaps these suspicions 

 were groundless ; for the state of the country was afterward 

 found to be, if possible, worse than had been described, and 

 the ravages of the Fellatas so terrible, that any one coming 

 from among them was likely to experience a very disagree- 

 able reception. Indeed, it may be suspected that the sultan 

 must have been a good deal embarrassed by the simplicity 

 with which his guest listened to his pompous boasting as to 

 the extent of his empire, and by the earnestness with which 

 he entreated him to name one of his seaports where the 

 English might land, when it is certain that he had not a town 

 which was not some hundred miles distant from the coast. 

 To prevent the disclosure of this fact, which muo*^ have 

 taken place had our traveller proceeded in that direction, 

 might be an additional motive for refusing his sanction. 

 In short, it was finally announced to Clapperton, that no 

 escort could be found to accompany him on so rash an en- 

 terprise, and that he could return to England only by retrac- 

 ing his steps. 



Here the traveller obtained an account of Mr. Park's 

 death, very closely corresponding with the statement given 

 by Amadi Fatouma. The Niger, it appears, called here the 

 Quorra, after passing Timbuctoo, turns to the south, and 

 continues to flow in that direction till it crosses the parallel 

 of Sackatoo, at only a few days' journey to the westward ; 

 but whether it reaches the sea, or, making an immense cir- 

 P 



