72 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
a large salt-market is held. From an eminence near the 
town he perceived a high mountain-range in the king¬ 
dom of Kong, whose ruler had a more numerous army 
than the King of Bambara. 
Once more robbed by brigands of all he possessed, 
the unfortunate traveller found himself, in the rainy 
season, alone in a vast desert, five leagues from the 
nearest European settlement, and for the moment gave 
way to despair. But his courage soon revived ; and 
reaching the town of Sibidoulou, his horse and clothes, 
which had been stolen from him by Foulali robbers, were 
restored to him by the inan.sa, or chief. Kamalia, or 
Karfa Taura advised him to await the cessation of the 
rainy season, and then proceed to Gambia with a cara¬ 
van of slaves. Worn out, destitute, attacked by fever, 
which for five months kept him prostrate, Mungo Park 
had no choice but to remain in this place. 
Upon the 19th of April the caravan set out. We 
can readily imagine the joy experienced by Mungo Park 
when all was ready. Crossing the desert of Jallonka, 
and passing first the principal branch of the Senegal 
river, and then the Faleme, the caravan finally reached 
the shores of the Gambia, and on the 12th of June, 1797, 
Mungo Park once more arrived at Pisania, where he 
was warmly welcomed by Dr. Laidley, who had despaired 
of ever seeing him again. 
The traveller returned to England upon the 22nd of 
September. So great was the impatience with which an 
account of his discoveries, certainly the most important 
in this part of Africa, was awaited, that the African 
Society allowed him to publish for his own profit an 
abridged account of his adventures. 
He had collected more facts as to the geography, 
manners, and customs of the country than all preceding 
travellers ; he had determined the position of the sources 
of the Senegal and Gambia, and surveyed the course of 
the Niger or Djoliba—which he proved to run east¬ 
wards, whilst the Gambia flowed to the west. 
Thus a point, which up to this time had been dis¬ 
puted by geographers, was definitely settled. It was 
