Niger

A OThe Joliba was launched out on the Niger’s
'-'waters on the 19th of November, 1805.
Though the river had sunk below the flood-level of
the rains, it flowed deep and smooth and rapid, and
soon Sansanding was left behind. Mungo resolved
to land at no spot on the banks as long as his
provisions lasted.
The canoe went on through the day and all
through the night, the slaves and Mungo and the
guide Amadi taking turns in steering. In the clear
bright night air Mungo steered by the stars and the
sound of the waters, with the ghostly banks slipping
away to right and left. With dawn they were
beyond the borders of Bambarra, in the country of
the Moors.
They made no halt for forty-eight hours, till they
came to the village of Silla. Here Mungo, without
landing, purchased an extra slave, and pushed out
again into the river. Thereafter, for day on day,
the current swept them deeper into the interior ;
and we see Mungo as in a glass darkly, through
that recorded clamour of attack and repulse
which the guide Amadi was to give to the world
seven years afterwards. Armed canoes came out
against them at the village of Dibbie : Mungo had
them beaten off by a volley of musket-shots. So at
Kabra ; so at the port of Timbuctoo. At Tim-
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