and Jenne without
molestation; but lower down, in the neighbourhood of Timbuctoo, they
were followed by armed canoes, which they beat off, killing several of
the natives. They had, indeed, to fight their way down past a number of
places, once striking on the rocks, and being nearly overset by a
hippopotamus which rose near them.

Having a large stock of provisions, they were able to proceed without
going on shore. Amadi was the only person who landed in order to get
fresh provisions.

At Yaour Park sent a present to the king by one of the chiefs, but, the
chief inquiring whether he intended to return, Park replied that he had
no purpose of doing so. This induced the chief to withhold the presents
from the king, and who, accordingly, indignant at being thus treated,
put Amadi into irons, took all his goods from him, and sent a force to
occupy a rock overhanging the river where it narrows greatly. On
arriving at this place, Park endeavoured to pass through, when the
people began to throw lances and stones at him. He and his companions
defended themselves for a long time, till two of his slaves in the stern
of the boat were killed.

Finding no hopes of escape, Park took hold of one of the white men and
jumped into the water, and Martyn did the same, hoping to reach the
shore, but were drowned in the attempt. The only slave remaining in the
boat, seeing the natives persist in throwing their weapons, entreated
them to stop. On this they took possession of the canoe and the man,
and carried them to the king. Amadi, after being kept in irons three
months, was liberated, and on finding the slave who had been taken in
the canoe, learned from him the manner in which Mr Park and his
companions had perished. The only article left in the canoe had been a
sword-belt, which Isaaco, who was afterwards despatched to learn
particulars of the tragedy, obtained--the sole relic of the expedition.

Park could not have been aware of the numerous rapids and other
difficulties he would have had to encounter on descending the upper
portion of the Niger. In all probability his frail and ill-constructed
vessel would have been wrecked before he had proceeded many miles below
the spot where he lost his life. Had he, however, succeeded in passing
that dangerous portion, he might have navigated the mighty stream to its
mouth.

Although at first the account of Park's death was not believed in
England, subsequent enquiries left no doub