Niger

Houghton’s venture progressed further than that
of either Ledyard or Lucas. With assistance and
co-operation from a white slaver on the Gambia,
one Dr. Laidley of Pisania, Houghton passed
through the negro 4 kingdoms 5 of Woolli, Kasson,
and Kaarta. Beyond Kaarta was Ludamar, a
4 kingdom ’ of half-breed Arabs—4 Moors ’ as they
were dubbed in the nomenclature of the times.
Jarra was the border town and Houghton wrote
from there his last and characteristic letter to
Laidley five hundred miles away :
4 Major Houghton’s compliments to Dr. Laidley ; is in
good health, on his way to Timbuctoo ; robbed of all his
goods by Kend Bular’s son.’
With this last cryptic message, Houghton dis¬
appeared into Ludamar, was again robbed, crawled
on his hands and knees to a Aloonsh village, was
there refused food, and either allowed to starve to
death or knocked on the head and his body dragged
into the woods.
News of the catastrophe filtered down to the coast
with the slave caravans, and Laidley sent it on to
the African Association in London. The third
venture had not been lucky. Banks and the others
looked about for someone to take the place of the
unfortunate Houghton. A young and unemployed
Scotsman, lately returned from a voyage to Ben-
coolen in Sumatra, and living with his brother-in-
law in London, was recalled to Sir Joseph’s mind as
a suitable person. Why yes, he remembered Mr.
Park. If Mr. Park would apply with due form—
35