The Niger, Major Laing was informed, rises in the country of the Kissi, a barbarous nation east of Soolima: its source is about three days' journey from Falaba. He made frequent requests to be allowed guides and an escort to visit it, but was always refused under different pretexts. He was, however, allowed to visit the source of the Rokelle river, which passes by Sierra Leone. When there he was shewn the point on a distant mountain, whence the Niger is said to issue: he places its position lat. 9° 25' N., long. 9° 45′ W. There is often much deception, we believe, practised on travellers, respecting the sources of rivers. Almost every large river is formed near its head by the junction of smaller streams, which may rise at a great distance from each other, and it is difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain which should have the honor of the name, for different tribes may with equal justice boast, that the same river rises in their own country. We are informed in the preface, that Major Laing quitted London on the 5th of February last for Tripoli, to join a caravan from thence to Timbuctoo, in order to trace the course and termination of the Niger; for this undertaking he seems in every respect well qualified. The volume of Travels in Western Africa by Major Gray, contains an account of three unsuccessful expeditions to reach the Niger from the Rio Numez, the Gambia, and the Senegal rivers. The first of these expeditions was commanded by Major Peddie, who was accompanied by several officers, and a suite of one hundred persons partly military, and a train of two hundred animals: the intention was to penetrate to Sego on the Niger, by Teembo the capital of the Foota Jallon country. This expedition was terminated by the death of Major Peddie, and Captain Campbell who succeeded him, and by the sickness of the other officers and men, and the vexatious opposition of the natives, which compelled the remainder of the party to return to Sierra Leone without making any discovery to compensate for the loss sustained. The natives of Foota Jallon are described by Major Gray as being well made, active, and intelligent: the women, he says, are good figures, have a lively and graceful air, and prominent features much resembling Europeans.' The religion of the country is Mahomedan, and they strictly observe its ceremonies, praying five times a day: but they are characterized by a high degree of cunning, duplicity, selfinterestedness, and avarice, which render it difficult for a stranger to guard against their dishonesty. No account is given of Teemboo, the capital of Foota Jallon, though it appears from Captain Campbell's route, as marked on the map, that it was visited by him. The The second expedition was under the command of Major Gray: he ascended the Gambia to Kaysaye, a village on its banks, and from thence he took a north-easterly course through the countries of Nigani and Wooli to Boolibany, the capital of the Bondoo nation. Of these nations an account is given, and of the treachery and duplicity of their chiefs, which finally defeated the object of the expedition, and eventually obliged Major Gray and his party to return, after having visited the Galam country, and a part of Kaarta, north of the Senegal. While in Bondoo, Major Gray obtained permission to send a party, under the command of the Staff-surgeon Dochard, on a distant mission to the King of Sego, on the Niger. Mr. Dochard was absent nearly two years: but of his journey we scarcely have any account, except that he arrived on the banks of the Niger, at a village about eighty miles west of Sego, where he was ordered by messengers from the King to retire to Bonimakoo, about sixty miles farther west. After waiting more than a year without obtaining any satisfactory answer, or leave to proceed, he returned without the knowlege of the King, and arrived at the French settlements on the Senegal. Mr. Dochard's illness and subsequent death may perhaps account for the short notice taken of this expedition, of which we obtain little farther information than is learnt by tracing his route on the map. One of the most interesting facts mentioned in this volume is the navigation of the Senegal by steam-vessels, in 1820, as high as Fort St. Joseph and Baquelle, 400 miles up from the mouth of the river. The French, who occupy these settlements, treated our travellers and their party with great kindness, and paid the most humane attention to their wants, and had them conveyed in their steam-vessels to St. Louis, from whence they returned by Goree to Sierra Leone. The above expeditions of Major Gray and Captain Campbell, so far as relates to important geographical discoveries, may be regarded as having failed entirely, owing to causes which the travellers appeared not to have had the power to control or avoid the hardships and difficulties which they experienced can only be duly appreciated by a careful perusal of the narrative, and an inspection of the annexed map. In some concluding observations, Major Gray confirms the fact, that the Mahomedan religion has made rapid progress through Africa since its introduction, which he says is scarcely a century ago. This he regrets, as presenting one of the greatest obstacles to moral improvement, and the introduction of Christianity. We confess we cannot see why the Mahomedan religion should be regarded with greater horror C.2 than than Paganism. The followers of the Prophet worship the same Creator as the Christians and the Jews; and their religion is free from image-worship, and all kind of idolatry: it practises no cruel rites abhorrent to nature, and is surely preferable to the worship of supposed evil spirits, and the most revolting ceremonies. Yet Major Gray says, somewhat quaintly, The doctrines of. Mahomedanism are at right angles with those of Christianity; or if the doctrines be not so widely different, it is unquestionable that their influence produces the most melancholy and opposite results. Mahomedanism may direct the performance of moral duties, its theology may be wise, and its ethics sound: but no abstract rules, however good or salutary, can operate upon the believers, when the interests of its ministers are at open war with them.' Major Gray very judiciously adds, We need not go to Africa or Mahomedanism to illustrate the truth of this position.' In taking leave of this volume, we must observe, that there is a great want of perspicuity and arrangement in the narrative, and the objects and course of the expeditions are no where presented clearly to the view of the reader. The last of Major Gray's travels occupied three years and a half: it is written in the form of a journal, apparently without any selection; and the latitude and longitude of the principal stations being omitted, we can only judge of their position by a constant reference to the map, which is itself crowded and confused. The three years and a half were spent chiefly in fruitless negotiations with the African chiefs, to be allowed to proceed; and, as scarcely a single object has any prominence or relief given to it, which can mark the lapse of time or arrest the attention, the reader is obliged to share all the perplexities of the travellers; and though he is free from the dangers to which they were exposed, yet like them he will also be rejoiced to arrive at the end of their expeditions. ART. III. The Session of Parliament for 1825; exhibiting the State of Parties and Interests, the Debates and Enactments, and the whole Proceedings of both Houses of the British Legislature during that Period. To be continued annually. 8vo. pp. 492. 15s. Boards. London. Knight and Lacey. TH HIS is not only a very useful but a very important book; though from the circumstance of its being published so soon after the close of the session of Parliament, necessarily an imperfect one. We would suggest, that, in future, more time should be allowed for the selection and better arrangement of the materials. Debates in the two Houses of Parliament have assumed a new character. Instead of long-drawn arguments, relative to foreign relations, the marching and counter-marching of armies, the equipment of fleets, battles, sieges, and evacuations, the merits and demerits of naval and military officers, or the collisions of opinion, and the struggles of parties, the two Houses are now chiefly occupied in discussing and improving the multiplied interests arising out of our domestic condition. This is indeed a happy change; and whether it has been produced by the natural course of things, the general wisdom of Parliament, or the particular discretion of his Majesty's ministers, it will be hailed by every enlightened mind, and assisted with all the energy of which they are capable, without reference to any political party. This publication is a condensed report of the proceedings of the two Houses of Parliament, arranged under distinct heads, and purged of those idle conversations, altercations, and jejune opinions, which so frequently resound within the walls of St. Stephen's; and which, when reported, engage the time, without adding a single iota either to the amusement or the information of the public. Besides, in the regular debates, subjects are taken up, dismissed, and resumed, at wide intervals: all is disjointed, as it were; and when we desire to know all that has been said in behalf of a measure, or in opposition to it, a multitude of pages must be turned over; we must go from the House of Commons to-day, to the House of Lords to-morrow; we must attend to all the readings in both Houses before we can be said to have even a superficial knowlege of the subject in hand: whereas upon the plan on which this publication is formed, we are present at the beginning, and glide on to the result, as easily as if we were reading a regularly digested history of the country. The book is divided into eleven chapters: the first of which is devoted to the state and influence of parties; the second and third are compounded of opinions and information, collected from the Reports made to the two Houses during the last session relative to that all-important subject the state of Ireland:-in which are stated the causes of her anomalous condition, arising out of the imperfection and mal-administration of the law, and the unwise policy, which, for so many. ages, has marked the progress of almost every administration that has exercised an influence over her moral and political condition. We are then led into the causes of the increase of the Irish population, the amount of the poor-rates, the C 3 sub subject of tithes, and the mode of collection; the system of subletting; the power of landlords to distrain crops; and the description of houses, food, employment, and wages of the laboring class. These vital subjects are followed by an account of the forty-shilling freeholders; the jurisdiction of the county courts; the power, influence, and character of the local magistracy, and the consequent state of the peasantry. These are succeeded by a summary of the evidence presented to the Committee, in regard to combinations and secret oaths; remarks on the state and influence of the clergy, the penal laws, the effects of the orange and ribbon systems, the origin and progress of the Catholic Association, and other subjects connected with the state of the sister-kingdom. The fourth chapter opens with the regular affairs of Parliament; beginning, of course, with the King's speech. The history of the Catholic Association, and the great question relative to the laws affecting the Catholic interests, form the most prominent features of the whole session: but as these subjects would occupy a vast deal more space than we can afford to devote to them, and as a superficial view of them would be of no practical use whatever, we must refer those who desire to be fully masters of those subjects to the work before us; where they will find a much more copious and lucid statement of the arguments on both sides than in any publication with which we are acquainted. The sixth chapter comprises the public measures proposed and rejected. • Measures of this description,' says the editor, ⚫ were neither so numerous, nor of such general importance, as in preceding years. There was no general proposition for a reform in the representation, and no such sweeping proposal for a reduction of taxes, or for an inquiry into the measures of the servants of the crown, as had, upon other occasions, been made. It is probable, that the tranquil state of the country had taken off a great deal of the interest of a measure of the former description out of doors; and that the lessening of the public burdens, which, though small and gradual, had been brought about by ministers themselves, had left less room for any proposal of the latter kind. There was another circumstance, which tended to paralyze the exertions of the Opposition: they were not only without an acknowleged leader, but without combination of purpose, and therefore the minor schemes which they introduced were introduced more as the schemes of individuals than those of a party; consequently, while this circumstance tended to lessen their number, it tended also to take off a very considerable portion of their interest.' The |