Having landed on the 21st of June at Jillifree, a small town near the
mouth of the River Gambia; he proceeded shortly afterwards to Pisania, a
British factory about 200 miles up the same river, where he arrived on
the 5th of July, and was most hospitably received by Dr. Laidley, a
gentleman who had resided many years at that settlement. He remained at
Dr. Laidley's house for several months, in order to learn the Mandingo
language, which is in general use throughout that part of Africa, and
also to collect information concerning the countries he intended to
visit. During two of these months he was confined by a severe fever,
caught by imprudently exposing himself during the rainy season.

He left Pisania on the 2d of December, 1795, directing his course
easterly, with a view of proceeding to the River Joliba, or Niger. But
in consequence of a war between two sovereigns in the Interior, he was
obliged, after he had made some progress, to take a northerly direction
towards the territory of the Moors. He arrived at Jarra, the frontier
town of that country, on the 18th of February, 1796. Pursuing his
journey from thence, he was taken and detained as a prisoner, by Ali,
the chieftain or king of that territory, on the 7th of March; and after
a long captivity and a series of unexampled hardships, escaped at last
with great difficulty early in the month of July.

The period was now approaching when he was to receive some compensation
for so many sufferings. After wandering in great misery for about three
weeks through the African Wilderness, he arrived at Sego, the capital of
Bambarra, a city which is said to contain thirty thousand inhabitants.
He was gratified at the same time by the first sight of the Niger, the
great object of his journey; and ascertained the extraordinary fact,
that its course is from West to East.