He arrived from Dhyage on the 8th, at night, without any escort, but obtained permission for us to proceed to Galam, where we arrived on the 18th. We were accompanied by some Serrawoollie merchants, conducting to Baquelle a large coffle of slaves, each of whom had to deplore being torn from some near and dear object of their affections, and from their nakedness, want of proper nourishment, and being exposed to almost constant rain for two days and nights, they presented a group of beings reduced to the very lowest ebb of human suffering. I lost no time in repairing to Baquelle for the purpose of effecting my speedy return from that place over land to the Gambia, but found that such a step was rendered totally impossible by the state of war and confusion in which all the surrounding countries were then involved, both among themselves, and with the French at all their settlements on the Senegal. They had a few days previous to my leaving Kaarta totally destroyed the town of Baquelle in revenge for the assassination of one of their officers, and were concerting measures in conjunction with Bondoo for an attack on Tuabo[33]. I was therefore necessitated to wait for the arrival of the fleet from Saint Louis, the return of which would afford me the most expeditious and safe means of reaching the coast. This however did not take place before the 24th of September, when, having been accommodated with a passage for my men and self on board one of the French steam ships, we left Baquelle and descended the river which was then very much swollen. We arrived at St. Louis on the 8th of October, and were hospitably received by the French Governor, Captain Le Coupe, who politely offered me every assistance I might require. Here I waited a fortnight, in hopes of meeting a vessel going to the Gambia or Sierra Leone, but none offering, I proceeded by land to Goree, where I arrived on the 3d of November, and met with a vessel ready to sail for the Bathurst Gambia. The rapid improvement that had taken place since I left it in 1818, struck me with pleasing astonishment, and as a description of the island may not be uninteresting to some, I will endeavour to give it as correctly as the time I spent there enables me to do; but I am aware that it possesses many advantages beyond those which came under my observation. See Article First, Appendix. I returned to Sierra Leone on board his Majesty’s ship Pheasant, Captain Kelly, whose politeness and attention to myself and men I shall never forget.