which he returned to Mourzouk, and started thence in April, 1800.

From that time no information was received directly from him; but Major
Denham many years afterwards learned that he had penetrated as far as
Nyffe on the Niger, where he fell a victim to disease.

Another German, Roentgen, also sent out by the Association in 1809,
started from Mogadore and, it is supposed, was murdered by his guides.

Two Americans, one a seaman, named Adams, and the other a supercargo,
James, having been wrecked on the west coast at different periods,
travelled for a considerable distance through the north-west portion of
the continent. Adams was carried to Timbuctoo, where he remained six
months in 1810. He found the city chiefly inhabited by negroes; and he
describes the few religious ceremonies which took place as pagan. The
city had lately been conquered by the king of Bambarra, who had
established there a negro government. Even the largest houses were
little more than huts, built of timber frames filled in with earth. He
was ultimately liberated by the British consul at Mogadore.

Riley, who was wrecked in 1815, was carried as a slave through the
country. From a caravan merchant, Sidi Hamet, who purchased him from
his first captors, he obtained much information about the country. From
the account he received, it appears at that time that Timbuctoo was
larger and better built than Adams described it. Sidi Hamet also
travelled a considerable distance down the banks of the Niger, which,
though at first running due east, afterwards turned to the south-east.
Travelling sixty days, he reached Wassanah, a place twice as large as
Timbuctoo, the inhabitants being hospitable and kind-hearted. From
thence he heard that boats with cargoes of slaves sailed two months,
first south and then west, down the river, till they came to the sea,
where they met white people in vessels armed with guns. This was the
most correct account hitherto received of the course of the Niger.
Riley was also rescued by the English consul at Mogadore.

In 1816 the English Government sent out an expedition to proceed up the
Congo, under Captain Tuckey, but he and his followers fell victims to
the climate.

At the same time another expedition had started under Major Peddie, and
Captain Campbell, but they both, with Lieutenant Stokoe, of the navy,
died the following year.

In 1821 Major Laing, starting from Sierra Leone, made a journey in
search of the