192 
AFRICA AND ITS EXPLORATION. 
“ In the afternoon,” says Richard Lander, ££ the king 
•came to see us, followed by a man with a book under 
his arm, which was said to have been picked up in the 
Niger after the loss of our countryman. It was enve¬ 
loped in a large cotton cloth, and our hearts beat high 
with expectation as the man was slowly unfolding it, 
for, by its size, we guessed it to be Mr. Park’s journal ; 
but our disappointment and chagrin were great when, 
on opening the book, we discovered it to be an old 
nautical publication of the last century.” 
There was then no further hope of recovering Park’s 
journal. 
On the 23rd June the Landers left Boussa. They 
travelled alongside of the Niger as far as Kagogie, where 
they embarked in a wretched native canoe, whilst their 
horses were sent on by land to Yaoorie. 
££ We had proceeded only a few hundred yards,” says 
Richard Lander, ££ when the river gradually widened to 
two miles, and continued as far as the eye could reach. 
It looked very much like an artificial canal, the steep 
banks confining the water like low walls, with vegeta¬ 
tion beyond. In most places the water was extremely 
shallow, but in others it was deep enough to float a 
frigate. During the first two hours of the day the 
scenery was as interesting and picturesque as can be 
imagined. The banks were literally covered with 
hamlets and villages; fine trees, bending under the 
weight of their dark and impenetrable foliage, everywhere 
relieved the eye from the glare of the sun’s rays, and, 
contrasted with the lively verdure of the little hills and 
plains, produced the most pleasing effect. All of a 
sudden came a total change of scene. To the banks of 
dark earth, clay, or sand, succeeded black, rugged rocks ; 
and that wide mirror which reflected the skies, was 
divided into a thousand little channels by great sand¬ 
banks.” 
A little further on the stream was barred by a wall of 
black rocks, with a single narrow opening, through 
which its waters rushed furiously down. At this 
place there is a portage, above which the Niger 
