park's first journey^ 
he was unexpectedly relieved from the deepest 
distress, by the kindness of a benevolent negro. 
Being conducted to the house of a Bushreen, 
named Karfa Taura, who was collecting a caravan 
of slaves, to be conducted to the Gambia at the 
termination of the periodical rains, he found him 
reading an Arabic book to some Slatees that were 
to join him. As the other Slatees had seen Euro- 
peans on the coast, they suspected Mr Park to be 
an Arab, from the yellowness of his complexion, 
ocassioned by sickness, his long beard, ragged 
clothes, and extreme poverty. Karfa inquired 
if he understood Arabic, and being answered in 
the negative, caused a little book to be brought, 
which had come from the west, which Mr Park 
was surprised to find the Book of Common Prayer, 
When Karfa perceived that he could read this 
book, he had no doubt that he was a whitCj* 
and promised every possible assistance. He in- 
formed him that he intended to proceed to the 
Gambia as soon as the grass was burnt, and the 
rivers could be forded, and advised him to stay 
and accompany the caravan, as it was impossible 
for a single white to pass the wilds of Jallonkadoo, 
when the natives could not travel through the 
country. Mr Park answered, that having ex- 
pended his money, he must either remain to pe- 
rish with hunger, or beg his subsistence on his 
journey j when the benevolent negro assured hin\ 
