Through Timbuctu and across the great Sahara

A restless British officer, stationed in Freetown, seizes a six‑month furlough to follow the great Niger River from its source deep in Sierra Leone all the way to the legendary walls of Timbuktu. With meticulous planning, a trusted Susu servant, and a well‑stocked pack of rifles, ammunition and provisions, he sets out on a journey that blends daring exploration with the everyday rhythms of West African life.

Along the river’s banks he meets bustling market towns, encounters elephants, lions and giraffes, and navigates a mosaic of languages spoken by the Malinké, Bambara and countless other peoples. The narrative is enriched by vivid illustrations of caravan camps, Tuareg herders and desert oases, offering listeners a visual sense of the landscape as the expedition pushes toward the Sahara’s edge, poised to cross the vast desert toward Algiers.