To fill the situation thus left vacant, at least in the capacity of a medical officer, I was applied to by Major Peddie; and although I felt that I possessed few of the qualifications requisite to the discharge of the duties of so important a situation, I nevertheless accepted the offer, with a determination that no exertion should be wanting on my part to forward the services of the expedition, which I joined at Senegal, in February, 1816. Major Peddie’s first step was to despatch a messenger with a letter to the king of Sego, informing him of our intention to visit him, and begging he would send some of his chiefs to Senegal, to conduct us into his territories. The person employed, whose name was Lamina, was a native of Sego, and promised to return with the king’s answer in three months. Captain Campbell went to Sierra Leone in March, 1816, for the purpose of acquiring information respecting the path through Foota Jallon, and on his return so strongly urged Major Peddie to enter the country for the interior from the Rio Nunez, that he decided on doing so, and fixed the middle of November for their departure from Senegal. The interim was employed in collecting information respecting the countries through which we were to travel, and selecting from the regiment serving on the coast, a detachment of non-commissioned officers and men fitted to the peculiarity of such a service, and purchasing animals for the transport of the baggage. All these preparations being completed, we embarked on board four vessels, hired for the purpose, and sailed from Senegal on the 17th of November, 1816. The expedition was then composed of Major Peddie, Captain Campbell, Mr. Adolphus Kummer, a German, as naturalist, Mr. Partarrieau, a native of Senegal (possessing considerable knowledge of the Arabic and Moorish languages, with some of the native African tongues), and myself, having with us a party of soldiers and civilians, amounting to 100 individuals, and a train of 200 animals. We called at Goree, where we remained until the 26th, when being joined by a vessel from the Cape de Verde Islands, having on board some horses and mules for our use, we proceeded and arrived, after a tedious passage of sixteen days, at Kakundy, a factory belonging to a Mr. Pearce, on the left bank of the Rio Nunez.