AFRICAN EXPLORERS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. 75 
years earlier, lie had started upon his first exploration. 
Taking an easterly direction, he followed his former 
route as far as Bambaku, upon the shores of the Niger. 
"When he arrived at this place, the number of Europeans 
was already reduced to six soldiers and a carpenter ; the 
remainder had succumbed to fatigue, or the fevers inci¬ 
dental to the inundations. The exactions of the various 
petty chiefs through whose domains the expedition 
EXPEDITION CROSSING RIVEPv. 
passed had considerably diminished the stock of mer¬ 
chandise. 
Mungo Park was now guilty of an act of grave im¬ 
prudence. Remarking that trade was very active at 
Sansanding, a town containing eleven thousand inhabi¬ 
tants, and that beads, indigo, antimony, rings, bracelets, 
and other articles not likely to be spoiled in the transit 
to England, were freely exhibited for sale, “ he opened ” 
says Walknaer, “ a large shop, which he stocked with 
