and assured him he might go to Timbuctoo with his staff in his hand.  The only evil that befell him at Medina, arose from a fire that broke out there, and spreading rapidly through buildings roofed with cane and matted grass, converted a town of a thousand houses, in an hour, into a heap of ashes.  Major Houghton ran out with the rest of the people into the fields, saving only such articles as could be carried with him.

He mentions, that by trading at Fattatenda, a person may make 800 per cent, and may live in plenty on ten pounds a year.  Quitting the Gambia, he took the road through Bambouk, and arrived at Ferbanna on the Faleme.  Here he was received with the most extraordinary kindness by the king, who gave him a guide and money to defray his expenses.  A note was afterwards received from him, dated Simbing, which contained merely these words:  “Major Houghton’s compliments to Dr. Laidley, is in good health on his way to Timbuctoo; robbed of all his goods by Fenda, Bucar’s son.”  This was the last communication from him, for soon after the negroes brought down to Pisania, the melancholy tidings of his death, of which Mr. Park subsequently learned the particulars.  Some moors had persuaded the major to accompany them to Tisheet, a place in the great desert, frequented on account of its salt mines.  In alluring him thither, their object, as it appears from the result, was to rob him, for it was very much out of the direct route to Timbuctoo.  Of this in a few days he became sensible, and insisted upon returning, but they would not permit him to leave their party, until they had stripped him of every article in his possession.  He wandered about for some time through the desert, without food or shelter, till at length quite exhausted, he sat down under a tree and expired.  Mr. Park was shown the very spot where his remains wore abandoned to the fowls of the air.

A considerable degree of information respecting the country on the Senegal, was procured by a person of the name of Bruce, who had a large share in the administration of the affairs of the French African Companies.  In one of his numerous journeys, he ascended the Senegal as far as Gallam, and established a fort or factory at Dramanet, a populous and commercial town.  The inhabitants carried on a trade as far as Timbuctoo, which they described as situated 500 leagues in the interior.  They imported from it gold and ivory, and slaves from Bambarra, which was represented by them, as an extensive region between Timbuctoo and Cassan, barren but very populous.  The kingdom of Cassan was said to be formed into a sort of island, or rather peninsula, by the branches of the Senegal.  Gold was so abundant there, that the metal often appeared on the surface of the ground.  From these circumstances it may be concluded, that Cassan was in some degree confounded with Bambouk, which borders it on the south.  It had long been the ambition of the French, to find access to this golden country, but the jealousy of the native merchants presented an obstacle, that could not be easily surmounted.