LIFE OF MUNGO PARK. 
Ixv 
the Garrison ccmld supply, were below the ordinary standard 
even of troops of this description ; and that they were 
extremely deficient both in constitutional strength and 
vigour, and in those habits of sobriety, steadiness and good 
dicipline which such a service peculiarly required. 
But besides the indifferent quality of the troops, there 
was another and more serious cause of alarm, from the 
unfavourable period at which, owing to a series of unfore- 
seen delays, Park found himself obliged to enter on this 
expedition. This he was about to do, not actually during the 
rainy season ; but with a great probability of being over- 
taken by it in the course of his journey; and with a positive 
certainty of encountering in the mean time, not only the 
great tropical heats, but also the tornadoes, or hurricanes, 
which always precede and follow the rainy season. These 
hurricanes, of which no idea can be formed from the ex- 
perience of our temperate climates, occur more frequently, 
and with greater violence as the rainy period approaches ; 
and are attended with considerable inconvenience, and 
occasionally with danger, to caravans travelling at that 
season. 
Whatever might be the opinion of Park as to the quality 
of his troops, of which he appears to have formed a very 
erroneous estimate, he must at least have been fully aware 
of the disadvantage arising from the near approach of the 
great topical rains. But his situation was critical ; and he 
had only a choice of difficulties. He might either attempt 
(what he might perhaps consider as being just to 
reach the Niger before the rainy season should be com- 
pletely set in ; or he might postpone his journey till the 
VOL. II. k 
