thoughts of seeing the Niger in the morning, and the troublesome buzzing
of musketoes, prevented me from shutting my eyes during the night; and I
had saddled my horse and was in readiness before daylight; but, on
account of the wild beasts, we were obliged to wait until the people were
stirring, and the gates opened. This happened to be a market-day at Sego,
and the roads were every where filled with people carrying different
articles to sell. We passed four large villages, and at eight o'clock saw
the smoke over Sego.

As we approached the town, I was fortunate enough to overtake the
fugitive Kaartans, to whose kindness I had been so much indebted on my
journey through Bambarra. They readily agreed to introduce me to the
king; and we rode together through some marshy ground, where, as I was
anxiously looking around for the river, one of them called out _qeo
affili_, (see the water,) and looking forwards, I saw with infinite
pleasure the great object of my mission, the long sought for majestic
Niger glittering to the morning sun, as broad as the Thames at
Westminster, and flowing slowly _to the eastward_. I hastened to the
brink, and having drank of the water, lifted up my fervent thanks in
prayer to the Great Ruler of all things for having thus far crowned my
endeavours with success.

The circumstance of the Niger's flowing towards the east and its
collateral points did not, however, excite my surprise; for although I
had left Europe in great hesitation on this subject, and rather believed
that it ran in the contrary direction, I had made such frequent inquiries
during my progress concerning this river, and received from Negroes of
different nations such clear and decisive assurances that its general
course was _towards the rising sun_, as scarce left any doubt on my mind;
and more especially, as I knew that Major Houghton had collected similar