The whole party then returned to Senegal.
In 1821, Major Laing was sent on a mission from Sierra Leone, through the Timannee, Kooranko, and Soolima countries, with the view of forming some commercial arrangements.

On this journey he found reason to believe, that the source of the Niger lay much further to the south than was supposed by Park.

At Falabo he was assured that it might have been reached in three days, had not the Kissi nation, in whose territory it was situated, been at war with the Soolimanas, with whom Major Laing then resided.

He was inclined to fix the source of this great river a very little above the ninth degree of latitude..