Height of the water in the Gambia; one was a tailor's bill on
a Mr. Anderson, and another was addressed to Mr. Mungo Park, and
contained an invitation to dine. The following is a copy of it:
"Mr. and Mrs. Watson would be happy to have the pleasure of Mr.
Park's company at dinner on Tuesday next, at half past five o'clock.
An answer is requested.
Strand, 9th Nov. 1804."
The king, as well as the owner of the book, looked as greatly
mortified as they themselves did, when they were told that the one
produced, was not that of which they were in quest, because the
reward promised would not of course be obtained. As soon as their
curiosity had been fully satisfied, the papers were carefully
collected and placed again between the leaves, and the book as
carefully folded in its envelope as before, and taken away by its
owner, who valued it as much as a household god. Thus all their hopes
of obtaining Mr. Park's journal or papers in the city of Boossa were
entirely defeated.
At an early hour of Wednesday June 23rd, the king and queen paid the
travellers a farewell visit, when the former particularly cautioned
them against poison. They then expressed their acknowledgements to
both the royal personages for all their favours and an hour or two
after they had taken their departure, the Landers rode out of the
city, accompanied by two horsemen as an escort, and a foot messenger
to the sultan of Yaoorie.
