CONTENTS. Page. Introduction - Park's Birth and Boyhood - Originally destined for the Church-Serves his Apprenticeship as a Surgeon- His love of Botany-Is appointed Assistant Surgeon on board an East Indiaman - Sails for Bencoolen-Returns to England -New Prospects - Knowledge of Africa possessed by the Ancients Modern Discoveries - Disputes concerning the Park's arrival in Africa-His reception at Pisania-He is seized with Fever - Description of the Natives-A Lawsuit-Com- mences his Journey into the Interior-Interview with the King of Woolli — African Character- A Wrestling Match- Proceeds on his Journey -Arrives at Bondou-His reception at Court Passes through Kajaaga — Arrives in Kasson Proceeds to Kaarta- War between Kaarta and Ludamar Park effects his escape- - He suffers greatly from thirst-Cha- racter of the Moors- Enters the Negro territory - Negro prejudices in favour of White Men Discovers the Niger flowing eastward-He arrives at Sego-Conduct of Mansong- He continues his journey to Silla- Adopts the resolution of returning Difficulties Sufferings Subsists by writing Saphies He arrives at Kamalia in a state of great wretched- ness Is hospitably entertained by Karfa Taura-Joins a Kaffila proceeding to the Gambia - Arrives at Pisania - Pro- ceeds to England by the West Indies, and lands at Falmouth, 83 Interest excited by Park's return - His reception from the African Association- Publishes his Travels - Great popu- Park settles at Peebles as a Surgeon-Negotiation with Govern- Park sails from England-Arrives at St Jago Proceeds to Goree Enlists Soldiers from the Garrison-Arrives at Kayee, and sets out on his second Journey into the Interior - Diffi- Park continues his Journey - Tornadoes-Is overtaken by the Rainy Season Sickness amongst the Soldiers — Great Hard- ships Isaaco the Guide seized by a Crocodile- Continued Sickness and Mortality amongst the Soldiers - Visit from Karfa Taura-Park arrives at the Niger-Distressed state of his Party-Negotiation with Mansong-Park reaches Sansan- - Park departs from Sansanding - Uncertainty concerning his 131 PREFACE. As considerable attention has been paid of late to the subject of African discovery, it is hoped that a Memoir of the enterprising Mungo Park, more full than any that has hitherto appeared, and prepared from authentic sources of information, will not be unacceptable to the public. The author is aware that the peculiar interest excited by that traveller's adventures has, in some measure, suffered by the lapse of time since his death, and has also been partially superseded by the claims of more recent enterprise in the same quarter of the world; but the name of Park is too intimately and honourably connected with the cause of discovery in Africa to be easily forgotten, or to suffer by comparison with the most eminent and the most fortunate of his successors; and, in one respect, no time could have been more happily chosen than the present for an attempt to give an account of his adventurous career. The mystery which so long hung over his fate has at length been cleared up; the termination of his last journey, and his melancholy death, are no longer the subject of conjecture. It has been ascertained beyond a doubt, that he actually perished at Boussa, just as he had succeeded in conquering all the apparent difficulties of his expedition, and was on the point of being wafted on the bosom of the Quorra to a happy termination of all his wanderings. These facts we owe to the information obtained by Captain Clapperton in his second journey, and to the more recent enterprise of the brothers Lander, who had, in tracing the Niger to its termination in the Atlantic, the merit of finishing the task which Park had so nobly commenced. Upon other points also intimately connected with his discoveries, much additional light has been thrown by the researches of the above mentioned travellers, and others who have of late years contributed to enlarge our knowledge of African geography and manners. The author therefore feels that whatever advantage may be lost to his little work by the intense interest which was at one time felt regarding its subject having now subsided, is more than compensated by the information obtained, which enables him to substitute truth for error, and certainty for idle conjecture. But biography is liable to suffer more from tardy delay than from precipitate haste. In the latter case, indeed, we are apt to fall into some mistakes which time might have enabled us to correct; but, in the former, we frequently miss altogether those minuter traits of individual character which constitute the principal charm of this species of literature. The author cannot flatter himself that his account of Park is entirely exempt from this charge, since, perhaps, nothing short of personal acquaintance with the subject of his memoir will enable a writer to give those finer touches which are necessary for conveying to his reader a just idea of character. Such acquaintance he had not the good fortune to possess; but he has endeavoured to supply the deficiency by minute inquiry among those of Park's friends and companions who knew him most intimately. Fortunately, many of these are still living, and such of them as the author had an opportunity of consulting, met his inquiries with a willingness to oblige which deserves his grateful acknowledgment. If the result of these inquiries has |