's hopes revived; but
one morning he was alarmed by hearing a peculiar rattling sound
proceeding from his master's throat. At the same instant Clapperton
called out, "Richard!" in a low and hurried tone, when going to him,
Lander found him sitting upright in his bed, and staring wildly round.
Placing his master's head gently on his left shoulder, Lander gazed for
a moment at his pale and altered features. Some indistinct expressions
quivered on his lips, and, in the attempt to give them utterance, he
expired without a struggle or a sigh.

Having done all that under the circumstances was required, he sent to
the Sultan Bello for permission to bury his master; and, in return, an
officer arrived with four slaves, and Lander was desired to follow them.
Placing Clapperton's body on the back of his camel, and throwing the
Union Jack over it, he bade them proceed, and they conducted him to a
village, situated on rising ground, about five miles to the south-east
of Sackatoo--the village of Jungavie. Here a grave was dug; and the
faithful attendant, opening a prayer-book, read, amid showers of tears,
the funeral service over the remains of his beloved master.

Bello appeared to have regretted his treatment of the brave explorer.
He furnished Lander with the means of returning home, and gave him
permission either to proceed across the desert or to take any other
route. Lander, not wishing to trust the Arabs, determined to take the
route by which he had come, among the better-disposed negroes. He was
accompanied by old Pasco, who acted as his interpreter, and Mudey, a
black, who had always been faithful.

On reaching Kano he determined to proceed southward to Funda, where,
from the information he received, he hoped to be able to settle the
problem of the course of the Niger, to ascertain whether it from thence
flowed onward to the sea, or turned eastward into the interior of the
country, as by many it was supposed to do.

After travelling some distance he was warned that he would meet with a
mountainous region inhabited by cannibals, who would certainly put him
to death, and who were reported to have killed and eaten a whole caravan
a short time before.

On his way he passed through a large place called Cuttup, which
consisted of five hundred small villages clustered together. Here he
was well received by the king, whose numerous wives were highly
delighted when he made them a present of two or three gilt buttons from