Travels in Western Africa, in the years 1818, 19, 20, and 21, from the river Gambia, through Woolli, Bondoo, Galam, Kasson, Kaarta, and Foolidoo, to the river Niger

"Travels in Western Africa, in the years 1818, 19, 20, and 21" by William Gray is a gripping recollection of an early 19th-century exploration into the heart of West Africa, charting a course from the Gambia River to the Niger. The narrative pulls readers into the trials of the explorers as they struggle with disease, unforgiving landscapes, and tense relations with native peoples, all while illuminating the driving forces behind European ventures into Africa. The story begins with setbacks as illness delays their start from Senegal, and the journey turns dire when Major Peddie succumbs to fever, thrusting Gray into leadership, where he faces the daunting task of navigating unfamiliar territories, securing supplies, and navigating the shifting alliances among local tribes, setting the stage for an increasingly difficult and revealing voyage into uncharted lands.