Early in January 1822, Lieutenant Laing was sent by the late governor, Sir Charles M‘Carthy, on an embassy to Kambia and the Mandingo country, to ascertain the political state of those districts, the disposition of the inhabitants to trade, and their sentiments in regard to the abolition of the slave trade. Sir Charles was perfectly satisfied with the manner in which his instructions were executed, and with the information he received on the different heads. Having fulfilled the purposes of the mission at Kambia, he crossed the river Scarcies, and proceeded on foot to Malacouri, a strongly fortified Mandingo town, situated on the banks of the river Malageea, about twenty miles N. by W. from Kambia, where he learned that Amara had applied to the king of the Soolimas, who had sent a numerous army to his assistance, by whose means he had taken Malageea, the principal town belonging to Sannassee, and had made that chief a prisoner. Here he was also informed, that Amara meant to put Sannassee to death after the performance of several ceremonies. The Soolima force was stated to exceed ten thousand in number, and commanded by Yaradee, a brother of the king, who had acquired some renown as a warrior. Of the Soolimas, little more than the name was known at Sierra Leone: they were reported, however, to be a very powerful nation, residing in the interior, at a distance of three or four hundred miles to the eastward of Sierra Leone. Sannassee having always been upon the most friendly terms with our government, and the unforgiving disposition of Amara being well known, great alarm was excited for the unfortunate chieftain whom he had in his power; Laing therefore, though suffering under a severe attack of fever and ague, proceeded to the Soolima camp to mediate between Amara and the captive Sannassee. His account of this expedition is as follows: