MYSTERY OF THE NIGER DISPELLED. 33 



by the association, penetrating the continent from the north. 

 Travelling as a Mohammedan, with various caravans he crossed 

 the dreary wastes to Mourzouk and thence southward, and 

 never returned. Various unauthenticated reports were made 

 by individuals claiming to have been shipwrecked and to have 

 wandered great distances inland, and seen wonderful things 

 and made wonderful discoveries. Several expeditions sent out 

 with high hopes and great expense were comparatively fruit- 

 less. 



The patience and zeal of those who had devoted themselves 

 to this great work was at length rewarded by the very re- 

 markable and successful journeys of Denham and Clapperton, 

 who crossed the desert from Tripoli and traversed the whole 

 region which so mauy centuries before had furnished a home 

 to the wandering'sons of the prophet. Timbuctoo, Kano and 

 Sackatoo were all called on to reveal their secrets. Kingdoms, 

 before unknown, took their place in history. New mountains, 

 lakes, and rivers, came out under the indefatigable labors of 

 these heroic men, as at the bidding of a magician. But the 

 course of the Niger, the mighty river which was found watering 

 those distant inland regions, was still unknown. Park had 

 traced it only a little lower down than Boussa, when his splen- 

 did career was brought to its fatal close. It was to be the 

 glory of Richard Lander to dispel this mystery. The grand 

 problem which had perplexed Europe for so many ages, on 

 which, during a period of nearly forty years, so many eiforts 

 and sacrifices had been expended in vain, was completely re- 

 solved. Park in his first journey reached the banks of the 

 Niger, saw it rolling its waters toward the interior of the conti- 

 nent, and theorists readily leaped to the conclusion, " This must 

 be the Nile." The same traveller proved its continuous pro- 

 gress for more than one thousand miles. Lander followed all 

 its windings until it emptied itself into the Atlantic Ocean — a 

 discovery which was hailed with rejoicing in all Europe as 

 opening a highway to the most fertile and improved and 

 healthful portions of the interior. 



From these settlements along the western coast various expe- 

 ditions were sent into the country for purposes of discovery and 

 trade, and missionary enterprises found footing at various points. 



