Westminster. He hastened to the brink, and having drank of the water, he lifted up his fervent thanks in prayer to the great Ruler of all things for having thus far crowned his labours with success!

"It is now more than time to stop, boys. I fear I have kept you too long; but the story was so engrossing, I did not know where to leave off. There are still many interesting adventures to relate before we part with this intrepid traveller. Till to-morrow evening, however, we must leave him waiting on the banks of the Niger for an opportunity to cross the river, to visit the king of Bambarra, who holds his court at Sego, the capital of his kingdom, opposite to which town Park had now arrived."

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CHAPTER III.

UNCLE THOMAS CONTINUES THE RELATION OF PARK'S ADVENTURES AND SUFFERINGS; TELLS ALSO ABOUT HIS RETURN TO ENGLAND, AND HIS SECOND JOURNEY INTO AFRICA, AND THE MELANCHOLY FATE OF THIS EXPEDITION.

"You will recollect, boys," said Uncle Thomas on the following evening, "that we left Park full of gratitude to God for having guided him so far on his perilous journey in safety, waiting on the banks of the Niger for an opportunity to cross over to Sego, to present himself before the king of Bambarra. While he waited for a canoe for this purpose, one of his majesty's chief men came to him, and told him that the king could not possibly see him till he knew the object of his journey, and that he must not presume to cross the river without the king's permission. He therefore advised him to go.

to a village at some distance for the night, and that he would come to him, and direct him how to proceed in the morning. Discouraging as this was, there was no help for it. Park therefore proceeded to the village, but no one there would admit him into their house, looking upon his white skin and strange dress with astonishment and fear. He was therefore obliged to sit all day without food under the shade of a tree, and with the prospect of being obliged to climb into the branches to seek refuge from the wild beasts during the night, when, about sunset, a woman returning from her labours in the field stopped to look at him. Seeing that he was weary and dejected, she inquired into his situation. On learning his distress, she took up the saddle and bridle, which he had taken from his horse, that it might graze at liberty, and desired him to follow her. Having conducted me to her hut,' says Park, she lighted up a lamp, spread a mat on the floor, and told me I might remain there for the night. Finding that I was very

hungry, she said she would procure me something to eat. She accordingly went out, and returned in a short time with a very fine fish, which having caused to be half broiled upon some embers, she gave me for supper. The rites of hospitality being thus performed towards a stranger in distress, my worthy benefactress, pointing to the mat, and telling me I might sleep there without apprehension, called to the female part of her family, who had stood gazing on me all the while in fixed astonishment, to resume their task of spinning cotton, in which they continued to employ themselves great part of the night. They lightened their labour by songs, one of which was composed extempore, for I was myself the subject of it. It was sung by one of the young women, the rest joining in a sort of chorus. The air was sweet and plaintive, and the words, literally translated, were these:-"The winds roared, and the rains fell. The poor white man, faint and weary came and sat under our

tree. He has no mother to bring him milkno wife to grind his corn." Chorus.-"Let us pity the white man, no mother has he,” etc. etc. Trifling as this recital may appear to the reader, to a person in my situation the circumstance was affecting in the highest degree. I was oppressed by such unexpected kindness, and sleep fled from my eyes. In the morning I presented my compassionate landlady with two of the four brass buttons which remained on my waistcoat-the only recompense I could make her.'

"In the morning a messenger arrived from the king to inquire whether Park had brought any present for him; and seemed much disappointed to learn that he had been robbed of everything by the Moors. Park wished to accompany him to see his majesty, but this the messenger refused to agree to, telling him to wait till the afternoon, when the king would send for him. In the afternoon, accordingly, another messenger came to tell him that it was