Niger

diles, which Mungo called alligators. He was far
from the kindly fauna of Fowlshiels.
The dense and swampy country unfurled slowly,
day on day, in an intensifying heat and stench. But
at last, six days after leaving Vintain, they reached
up-river to Jonkakonda, where the Endeavour was to
carry out the main part of her lading.
This was Mungo’s port of disembarkment. Cap¬
tain Wyatt despatched a messenger to Dr. Laidley
informing him of the presence of the composed
young traveller. Laidley lived at the village of
Pisania, six miles up-river. He lost no time in des¬
cending to Jonkakonda to welcome Mungo. They
liked each other at once. It was no season for
commencing the journey into the interior, and
Laidley invited Mungo to spend the intervening
time at his house in Pisania.
So at daybreak on the 5 th of July the young Scots¬
man set out with a guide on the first lap of his
journey into the interior of Africa. Riding for six¬
teen miles, he came to Pisania, where Laidley and
two others, of the name of Ainslie, had set up a
trading post. Their trade was largely in slaves, of
whom they retained large gangs as personal servants.
But the main part of the river commerce in ivory
and gold was also in their hands ; in spite of the
fact, Mungo assures us, apparently without inten¬
tional quibble, that< they were highly esteemed and
respected by the natives at large \
41