LAING. 187 



ftltemative but to make his way back by his former path. 

 In all the places through which he passed, anxious in- 

 quiries were made about " his father," as the people called 

 Clapperton ; and when they heard of his death, they raised 

 loud lamentations. He reached Badagry on the 21st No- 

 vember, 1827; but, being detained some time there and at 

 Cape Coast Castle, did not reach England till the 30th 

 April, 1828. 



The British government were still indefatigable in their 

 exertions to explore every region of Africa. At the same 

 time that Clapperton proceeded on his second expedition, 

 Major Laing, who had distinguished himself in the Ashan- 

 tee war, and in the short excursion already mentioned to- 

 wards the source of the Niger, undertook to penetrate to 

 Timbuctoo, which, from the first era of modern discovery, 

 has been regarded as the most prominent city of Central 

 Africa, Tripoli was again chosen as the starting point, 

 from which he directed his steps south-west across the 

 Desert by way of Ghadamis. He set out under the pro- 

 tection of sheik Babani, who had resided twenty-two years at 

 Timbuctoo, and proved now to be governor of Ghadamis ; 

 but in the midst of the Desert, sixteen days after leaving 

 Tuat, a band of ferocious Tuaricks surprised the cafila 

 while Major Laing was in bed, and having inflicted twenty- 

 four wounds, eight of them with a sabre, left him for dead. 

 Through the care of his companions, however, he made a 

 surprising recovery, numerous portions of bone having 

 been extracted from his head and temples. After some 

 farther delays he succeeded, on the 18th August, 1826, in 

 reaching Timbuctoo, where he remained for upwards of a 

 month. Several letters were received from him dated at 

 that celebrated city, respecting which he stated, that, ex- 

 cept in point of extent, which did not exceed the circuit of 

 four miles, it had completely answered his expectation ; 

 that he had found its records copious and interesting ; and 

 had collected ample materials for correcting and improving 

 the geography of this part of Africa. But his departure 

 was hastened by the following circumstance : Labo, or 

 Bello, sultan of Masina, having obtained the supremacy 

 over Timbuctoo, sent a letter to Osman, the governor, with 

 instructions that the Christian, who, he understood, was 

 expected there, should be forthwith expelled in such a 



