LIFE OF MUNGO PARK. 
Ixxv 
the Niger. *' Nothing," he says, " can be more beautiful 
" than the views of this immense river ; sometimes as 
" smooth as a mirror; at other times ruffled by a gentle 
breeze ; but at all times wafting us along at the rate of six 
or seven miles an hour."* After the indifference shewn 
towards him by Man song, he thought it not prudent to 
visit Sego ; but went on to Sansanding, a place a little east- 
wards of Sego on the banks of the Niger, containing about 
ten thousand inhabitants. Here Park remained the greater 
part of two months, and traded to a considerable extent ; 
and as this was the first African town distant from the 
coast, at which he had an opportunity of residing, he had 
the means of obtaining much information ; which if it could 
be communicated to the public, would probably form an 
important addition to our knowledge of the internal state 
of Africa. 
Fortunately the information thus acquired has not been 
entirely lost to the world ; a few particulars, the fruit of 
his active and intelligent cu'-^osity, still remain. The view 
which Park has given of the trade and population of Sa^n- 
sanding, must be considered as the most original and 
valuable part of his Journal. The information which he 
has collected concerning joriee^, is new in its kind, and in 
several points of view, highly curious and important. But 
there are other circumstances, which must strike every 
intelligent reader as being more peculiarly interesting and 
instructive ; the existence of regular markets; the division 
of labour, appearing from the establishment of distinct 
branches of trade ; the variety of articles exposed to sale ; 
* Journal^ p. 148. 
