ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the letters of Major Alexander Gordon Laing to Lord Bathurst. In Tripoli Gordon Laing had also to complete the equipment required for the voyage he hoped to make down the Niger. The 20th June, the day on which the Bashaw had promised a start might be made, came and passed with Laing still at Tripoli and no immediate prospect of getting away. Meanwhile both he and Emma Warrington were still worrying over what the Secretary of State would say about the financial affairs of the Mission. The letter from Hatita to Warrington, to which Laing refers, was dated from Ghat '5th of Shual 1240'. The sooner Major Laing gets beyond the Territory of the Bashaw, the greatest Impediment is removed to the performance of His Interesting Journey, that to eradicate it would be utterly Impossible & certainly if he were to go by way of Fezzan the sickly Season would be passed at Mourzouk.
