t that all the statements were
substantially correct.

Thus perished, in the prime of life, that heroic traveller, at the very
time when he had good reason to believe that he was about to solve the
problem of the Niger's course.

CHAPTER FIVE.

TRAVELS OF DENHAM AND CLAPPERTON.

PRECEDED BY HORNEMAN--ROENTGEN--TUCKEY AND OTHERS--MAJOR LAING'S
JOURNEY--LIEUTENANT CLAPPERTON AND DR. OUDNEY, JOINED BY MAJOR DENHAM,
LEAVE TRIPOLI--DIFFICULTIES WITH THE PACHA--DENHAM SAILS FOR ENGLAND--
THE PACHA SENDS AFTER HIM--BOO-KHALOUM APPOINTED CONDUCTOR--JOURNEY
ACROSS THE DESERT--ILLNESS OF CLAPPERTON AND OUDNEY--NUMBERLESS
SKELETONS OF SLAVES--ARABS' ILL-TREATMENT OF THE NATIVES--LAKE CHAD--
EMPIRE OF BORNOU--RECEPTION AT KOUKA BY THE SHEIKH--BODY-GUARD OF THE
SHEIKH--BARCA GANA, HIS GENERAL--VISIT TO THE SULTAN OF BIRNIE--ELEPHANT
AND BUFFALO HUNTING--DENHAM JOINS AN EXPEDITION UNDER BACA GANA--MEET
THE SULTAN OF MANDARA--ATTACK ON THE FELATAHS--DENHAM NEARLY LOSES HIS
LIFE--BOO-KHALOUM KILLED--BARCA GANA'S TROOPS TAKE TO FLIGHT--THE MAJOR
KINDLY TREATED BY A DEPOSED PRINCE--RETURNS TO KOUKA.

Between Park's two expeditions, several travellers endeavoured to solve
some of the many problems connected with the geography of Africa.

The first person sent out by the Association was a young German,
Frederick Horneman, in the character of an Arab merchant. He travelled
from Alexandria to Cairo, where he was imprisoned by the natives on the
news arriving of Bonaparte's landing in the country. He was, however,
liberated by the French, and set out on the 5th of September, 1798, with
a caravan destined for Fezzan.

On one occasion, when passing through Siwah, the bigoted Mahommedan
inhabitants surrounded the caravan, having heard that two Christians
belonged to it, and promising to let it proceed provided these were
delivered up to them. Having, however, by his knowledge of the Koran,
satisfied them that he was a true Mahommedan, being protected by the
other members of the caravan, he was allowed to proceed.

He reached Mourzouk in safety, and there endeavoured to gain information
about the states to the south of Timbuctoo. He, however, heard but
little, though he found that Houssa was not, as supposed, a city, but a
region embracing many kingdoms, the inhabitants of which were said to be
superior in civilisation to those of the surrounding people.

He remained here for a considerable time, and then visited Tripoli,
after