Thompson's voyage. 
16? 
depths of interior Africa, they would reach at 
length this great fountain of wealth. The very 
distance and mystery in which the prospect was 
involved, spread, as usual, a captivating splen- 
dour around it. In I6I8, therefore, a Company 
was formed for the express purpose of penetrating 
to the country of gold, and to Tombuctoo ; for 
that celebrated city was already known as the 
centre, round which revolved all the commerce 
and splendour of interior Africa. In order to 
carry these views into effect, the Company made 
choice of George Thompson, a Barbary merchant, . 
who seems to have been eminently qualified for 
the arduous undertaking. He was despatched 
with a vessel, the Catherine, of 1^0 tons, and with 
a cargo of the value of ^.1857. His instructions 
were, that, as soon as the Gambia should become 
too shallow to allow the vessel to proceed, he 
should leave it in some convenient port, and con- 
tinue his voyage of discovery upwards in boats. 
Thompson, following these instructions, left his 
vessel at Kassan, and proceeded up the river. 
The undertaking, however, excited the jealousy 
of the Portuguese and Mulatto inhabitants, who, 
before this time, possessed nearly the exclusive 
commerce of the Gambia. Having, in Thomp- 
son's absence, procured admittance on board, 
they rose upon the crew, massacred the whole of 
them, and seized upon the vessel. Thompson 
