Life and Travels of Mungo Park in Central Africa by Mungo Park

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As Mansong did not seem likely to fulfil his promise soon, Park found it
necessary to provide, by the sale of some of his merchandise, a
sufficient supply of cowries. Accordingly he opened a stall in
Sansanding, and displayed for sale such an assortment of European goods
as had never before been seen in the quarter. He soon found abundance of
purchasers, as his goods were very superior in quality. But his success
had nearly proved fatal to him, for it excited the envy of the merchants
of the place, who, joining with the moors of Sego, endeavoured to tempt
Mansong, by large offers, to put the white men to death; but the king was
far too honourable to accept of this base proposal. But independently of
the danger of such attempts, the season was now too much advanced to
allow of any farther delay. The river was already beginning to subside,
and Park wished to commence his voyage, before the Moors residing in the
countries through which he would have to pass, should receive notice of
his expedition from their countrymen who showed such enmity to him at
Sego. He sent repeated remonstrances to Mansong. At length, on the 16th
October, Modibinnie came down with a canoe from the king; one half of
which being rotten, another half was sent for; but this also being
defective, another, almost as bad, was brought. This proved that his
friendly offices were to be confined merely to words. To add to Park's
difficulties, all the carpenters whom he had brought with him from
England had died, before their services were needed. But undismayed at
this most untoward occurrence, he determined to make the most of his
scanty materials. With the aid of a single soldier, by patching together
all the three, after eighteen days, he constructed a boat, forty feet in
length, and six in breadth, which he termed the schooner Joliba. Before
he left Sansanding, he met with a more severe misfortune than any he had
before experienced. His relation Mr. Anderson died, after a lingering
illness of four months. Park passes no studied eulogium upon his merits,
but speaks of him simply and sincerely, in a manner which shows the high
sense he felt of his merits. "October 28th, at a quarter past five
o'clock in the morning, my dear friend Mr. Alexander Anderson died, after
a sickness of four months. I feel much inclined to speak of his merits;
but as his worth was known only to a few friends, I will rather cherish
his memory in silence, and imitate his cool and steady conduct, than
weary my friends with a panegyric in which they cannot be supposed to
join. I shall only observe, that no event which took place during the
journey ever threw the smallest gloom over my mind, till I laid Mr.
Anderson in the grave. I then felt myself as if left, a second time,
lonely and friendless amid the wilds of Africa." Mr. Anderson was buried
near one of the principal mosques at Sansanding, and the Dooty of the
place was present, as a mark of respect, at the interment. The party was
now reduced to five Europeans; Park, Lieutenant Martyn, and three
soldiers, one of whom was in a state of derangement.

The schooner was ready by the 14th November, and Park only delayed
setting sail till Isaaco should return from Sego; when he came he advised
Park to set off instantly, lest the vigilance of the Moors should be
roused. Before departing he wrote letters to Mr. Anderson's father, Sir
Joseph Banks, Lord Camden, and Mrs. Park. As the two latter are
peculiarly interesting, we shall quote them.

"To the Earl Camden, one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State,
&c. &c. &c.

"_On board of H.M. Schooner, Joliba, at anchor off Sansanding, 17th
November_ 1805.

"MY LORD--I have herewith sent you an account of each day's proceedings
since we left Kayee. Many of the incidents related are in themselves
extremely trifling; but are intended to recall to my recollection (if it
pleases God to restore me again to my dear native land) other
particulars, illustrative of the manners and customs of the natives,
which would have swelled this bulky communication to a most unreasonable
size.

"Your Lordship will recollect that I always spoke of the rainy season
with horror, as being extremely fatal to Europeans; and our journey from
the Gambia to the Niger will furnish a melancholy proof of it.

"We had no contest whatever with the natives, nor was any one of us
killed by wild animals, or any other accidents; and yet I am sorry to
say, that of forty-four Europeans who left the Gambia in perfect health,
five only are at present alive, viz. three soldiers (one deranged in
mind), Lieutenant Martyn, and myself.

"From this account I am afraid that your Lordship will be apt to consider
matters as in a very hopeless state; but I assure you I am far from
desponding. With the assistance of one of the soldiers, I have changed a
large canoe into a tolerably good schooner; on board of which I this day
hoisted the British flag, and shall set sail to the east, with the fixed
resolution to discover the termination of the Niger, or perish in the
attempt. I have heard nothing that I can depend on respecting the remote
course of this mighty stream; but I am more and more inclined to think,
that it can end nowhere but in the sea.

"My dear friend Mr. Anderson, and likewise Mr. Scott are both dead. But
though all the Europeans who were with me should die, and though I were
myself half dead, I would still persevere; and if I could not succeed in
this object of my journey, I would at last die on the Niger.

"If I succeed in the object of my journey, I expect to be in England in
the month of May or June, by way of the West Indies.

"I request that your Lordship will have the goodness to permit my friend,
Sir Joseph Banks, to peruse the abridged account of my proceedings, and
that it may be preserved in case I should loose my papers.--I have the
honour to be," &c.

"To Mrs. Park.

"_Sansanding 19th November_ 1805.

"It grieves me to the heart to write any thing that gives you uneasiness,
but such is the will of Him who _doeth all things well!_ Your brother
Alexander, my dear friend, is no more! He died of the fever at
Sansanding, on the morning of the 28th of October; for particulars, I
must refer you to your father. I am afraid that, impressed with a woman's
fears, and the anxieties of a wife, you may be led to consider my
situation as a great deal worse than it really is. It is true, my dear
friends Mr. Anderson and George Scott have both bid adieu to the things
of this world, and the greater part of the soldiers have died on the
march during the rainy season; but you may believe me, I am in good
health. The rains are completely over, and the healthy season has
commenced; so that there is no danger of sickness, and I have still a
sufficient force to protect me from any insult in sailing down the river
to the sea.

"We have already embarked all our things, and shall sail the moment I
have finished this letter. I do not intend to stop, nor land anywhere,
till we reach the coast, which I suppose will be sometime in the end of
January. We shall then embark in the first vessel for England. If we have
to go round by the West Indies, the voyage will occupy three months
longer, so that we expect to be in England on the 1st of May. The reason
for our delay since we left the coast was the rainy season, which came on
us during the journey, and almost all the soldiers became affected with
the fever.

"I think it not unlikely but I shall be in England before you receive
this. You may be sure that I feel happy at turning my face towards home.
We this morning have done with all intercourse with the natives, and the
sails are now hoisting for our departure for the coast."

These were the last accounts received from Park and his brave companions.
Isaaco, who brought the two preceding letters, along with Park's Journal,
departed from Sansanding on the 17th November, and arrived at Pisania
with the intelligence, that Park, along with three white men (all of the
Europeans that had survived the journey,) three slaves, and Amadi
Fatouma, his new guide, set sail in their little vessel down the Niger.
In the following year unfavourable reports reached the British
settlements on that coast, brought by native merchants from the interior,
who declared that they had heard that Park and his companions had
perished. But as these accounts were vague, no credit was for some time
attached to them. But when months and years glided away without any
information concerning the expedition, it was feared that the tidings of
disaster were too true. The anxieties of the British public had followed
Park on his way, and they demanded that the mystery which hung over the
subject should be cleared up. At length, in the year 1810, Colonel
Maxwell, the governor of Senegal despatched Isaaco, Park's guide, upon a
mission into the interior, to collect all the information that he could
upon the matter. After twenty months' absence, Isaaco returned with full
confirmation of the reports concerning the fate of Park and his
companions. He brought with him a journal, containing a full report of
his proceedings, which bears internal evidence of fidelity and truth. His
information was derived from an unexceptionable quarter,--from Amadi
Fatouma, whom Park had hired to be his guide from Sansanding to Kashua.
Isaaco met this person at Modina, a town upon the banks of the Niger, a
little beneath Sansanding. Upon Isaaco's asking him if he knew what had
become of Park, he burst into tears, and said, "They are all dead!" On
Isaaco's inquiring the particulars, Amadi Fatouma, whom Park had, in his
letter to Sir Joseph Banks, described as a man of intelligence and
acuteness, produced a journal, written in Arabic, containing a narrative
of all he knew upon the subject. We shall give a summary of the principal
facts contained in this document, the veracity of which has been amply
confirmed by the researches of subsequent travellers.

Amadi Fatouma accompanied Park, Lieutenant Martyn, three soldiers, and
three slaves, in the vessel, which had been built for the purpose of
descending the Niger; and which, though clumsy, was not ill-adapted for
inland navigation, being flat-bottomed, narrow, and schooner-rigged, so
that she could sail with any wind. After two days voyage, they arrived at
Jenne, to the chief of which place Park gave a present. They sailed on in
perfect safety till they came to the lake Dibbe, where three armed canoes
attacked them, but were beaten off. They were again attacked at Kabra or
Rakbara, the port of Tombuctoo, and also at Gouramo. In these encounters
several of the natives were slain. About this time one of the three
soldiers, who had been suffering under mental derangement, died. Their
course lay towards the kingdom of Haussa, and they were obliged to keep
constantly on their guard against the natives, who frequently sailed up
to them in armed canoes, and molested them from the banks of the river.
But fortunately they were not only well provided with arms and
ammunition, but had also laid in a large stock of provisions, before
leaving Bambarra, so that they were able to sail on without touching upon
the shore, so long as they dreaded the hostility of the inhabitants. At
Caffo some of the people on shore called out to the guide, "Amadi
Fatouma, how can you pass through our country without giving us
anything?" Accordingly, a few trifling articles were thrown to them.
After they had passed this place, the navigation became difficult and
intricate, the course of the little vessel being interrupted by shallows,
and by rocks almost closing up the river, and dividing it into narrow
channels. At length they anchored before Goronmo, where Amadi Fatouma
landed to purchase provisions. The chief of this place seemed well
disposed towards Park, for he warned him that a body of armed men were
posted on a high rock commanding the river, to cut off his little party.
Here Park remained all night; upon passing the place next morning he saw
a number of Moors, with horses and camels, but unarmed, from whom he
experienced no molestation. The guide was engaged to accompany them no
farther than the kingdom of Haussa. Before he departed, Park said to him,
"Now, Amadi, you are at the end of your journey. I engaged you to conduct
me here. You are going to leave me; but before you go, you must give me
the names of the necessaries of life, &c. in the language of the
countries through which I am going to pass." Amadi accordingly remained
two days longer, till they arrived at the kingdom of Yaour, where he
landed, with a musket and sabre for the Dooty, and some other presents;
and also some silver rings, flints, and gunpowder, as a present for the
king of Yaour, who resided at a little distance. The Dooty asked Park,
through Amadi, "Whether the white men intended to return to that place?"
Park answered that "he could not return any more." The Dooty acted in a
covetous and dishonourable manner, keeping back the king's present, and
retaining it for his own use. Amadi's narrative proves that this actually
caused Park's murder. After the schooner had gone on her way, Amadi slept
on shore, and then went to do homage to the king. When he entered the
king's residence, he found that the treacherous Dooty had already sent
two messengers to the court, to say that the white men had passed down
the river without giving any thing either to the Dooty or to the king,
and that Amadi was in league with them. The guide was immediately thrown
into prison. The king then dispatched an armed band to attack Park as he
passed the town of Boussa; a place peculiarly fitted for the murderous
deed, as there a ridge of rock almost entirely blocks up the river,
leaving only one channel, which Lander, who saw the spot, describes as
"not more than a stone-cast across." Upon this rock the king's force was
stationed. No sooner did Park and his companions attempt to pass this
point, than they were received with a shower of stones, lances, pikes,
and arrows. They defended themselves bravely, in spite of the
overwhelming numbers opposed to them. At length their efforts became
feebler, for they were soon exhausted. Two of the slaves at the stern of
the canoe were killed; nevertheless they threw every thing in the canoe
into the river, and kept firing. But as the canoe could no longer be kept
up against the current, they endeavoured to escape by swimming; Park took
hold of one of the white men and jumped into the river; Lieutenant Martyn
did the same, and they were all drowned in their attempt to reach the
land. The natives still discharged missiles at the remaining black in the
canoe; but he cried out for mercy, saying, "Stop throwing now, you see
nothing in the canoe, and nobody but myself, therefore cease. Take me and
the canoe, but don't kill me." He was accordingly carried, with the
canoe, to the king. Amadi Fatouma was detained in irons three months, at
the expiry of which period he learned these facts from the slave.

As a proof of the truth of this narrative, Isaaco brought with him the
only relic of Park which he was able to procure--a sword-belt, which the
king of Yaour had converted into a girth for his horse. This he obtained
through the instrumentality of a Poule, who bribed one of the king's
female slaves to steal it for him.

When Isaaco's narrative first reached this country, many of its
statements were thought to be unwarranted by facts; but his veracity has
been fully proved by the researches of subsequent travellers. The
accuracy of his account of the spot where the melancholy catastrophe took
place is acknowledged by Captain Clapperton, who, in 1826, visited
Boussa. With some difficulty he drew from the natives an account of the
circumstances, which, however, they ascribed to the men of Boussa,
supposing Park to be a chief of the Felatahs, who had made a hostile
incursion into Soudan, and whom they shortly expected to attack
themselves. In 1830, John and Richard Lander saw the place, and thus
described it; "On our arrival at this formidable place, we discovered a
range of black rocks running directly across the stream, and the water,
finding only one narrow passage, rushed through it with great
impetuosity, overturning and carrying away every thing in its course."
They also discovered a _tohe_ or cloak, a cutlass, a double-barrelled
gun, a book of logarithms, and an invitation-card, which had belonged to
Park. They heard at one time that his journal was still in existence; but
it turned out that this was only a feint used by the king of Yaour to
entice them into his dominions, and fleece them of some of their
property; and there appeared no reason to doubt that the journal, the
loss of which there is much reason to regret, sunk in the waters of the
Niger.

It seems unnecessary to enter into a lengthened estimate of the character
of Mungo Park. The biographical details which we have given, with his own
narrative of his first expedition, and the summary of the leading events
of his second, will have sufficiently enabled our readers to judge for
themselves. But we cannot quit the subject without a few brief remarks,
having frequently, while writing these pages, had our attention called
off from the events themselves to him who was the principal actor in
them. Amongst the numerous adventurers whose spirit of research has led
them into unknown countries, it would be difficult to find one better
qualified in every way than Park was. His frame was admirably adapted for
enduring toil. He was tall and muscular, and possessed great strength and
agility. In his first African journey he traversed three thousand miles,
for the most part on foot, through an unknown and barbarous country,
exposed to continued unremitting toil, to the perils of the way, to
storm, hunger, pestilence, and the attacks of wild beasts and savage
natives, supported by a dauntless spirit, and by a fortitude which never
forsook him. Amply did he possess the indispensable qualities of a
traveller, keenness of observation, mental energy, unflinching
perseverance, an ardent temperament, corrected and restrained by a cool
and sagacious judgment. Amid danger and disaster his character shone with
great lustre. It only remains to be added, that he was an exemplary model
in his faithful discharge of all the relative duties--a good son,
husband, and parent.

We entirely concur in the following observations of a writer in the
Edinburgh Review: "We bid a mournful farewell to the sufferings and
exploits of this illustrious man;--sufferings borne with an unaffected
cheerfulness of magnanimity, which must both exalt and endear him to all
who are capable of being touched with what is generous and noble in
character,--and exploits performed with a mildness and modesty and
kindness of nature, not less admirable than the heroic firmness and
ardour with which they were conjoined. In Mungo Park, we are not afraid
to say, that the world lost a great man--one who was well qualified, and
indeed has been, one of its benefactors. His travels are interesting, not
merely to those who care about Africa, or the great schemes to his zeal
for which he fell a martyr, but to all who take delight in the spectacle
of unbounded courage and heroic ardour, unalloyed with any taint of
ferocity, selfishness, or bigotry."

Park left behind him three sons and a daughter. Mungo, the eldest, became
an assistant-surgeon in India, and soon after died. Thomas, the second,
resembled his father both in appearance and disposition, and early
cherished the intention of obtaining certain information as to his
father's fate. He was a midshipman on board the Sybille; and having
obtained permission from the Lords of the Admiralty, set out on an
expedition into the interior. He landed at Acra in June 1827; but arrived
there only to die. Archibald, the youngest son, is a lieutenant in the
Bengal service. Park's daughter is the wife of Henry Wetter Meredith,
Esq. of Pentry-Bichen, Denbighshire. Park's widow is still living.

The following beautiful tribute to Mungo Park's memory appeared in
Blackwood's Magazine:--

_The Negro's Lament for Mungo Park_.

1.

Where the wild Joliba
Rolls his deep waters,
Sate at their evening toil
Afric's dark daughters:
Where the thick mangroves
Broad shadows were flinging,
Each o'er her lone loom
Bent mournfully singing--
"Alas! for the white man! o'er deserts a ranger,
No more shall we welcome the white-bosomed stranger!

2.

"Through the deep forest
Fierce lions are prowling;
'Mid thickets entangling,
Hyenas are howling;
There should he wander,
Where danger lurks ever;
To his home, where the sun sets,
Return shall he never.
Alas! for the white man! o'er deserts a ranger,
No more shall we welcome the white-bosomed stranger!

3.

"The hands of the Moor
In his wrath do they bind him?
Oh! sealed is his doom
If the savage Moor find him.
More fierce than hyenas,
Through darkness advancing,
Is the curse of the Moor,
And his eyes fiery glancing!
Alas! for the white man! o'er deserts a ranger,
No more shall we welcome the white-bosomed stranger!

4.

"A voice from the desert!
My wilds do not hold him;
Pale thirst doth not rack,
Nor the sand-storm enfold him.
The death-gale pass'd by
And his breath failed to smother,
Yet ne'er shall he wake
To the voice of his mother
Alas! for the white man! o'er deserts a ranger,
No more shall we welcome the white-bosomed stranger!

5.

"O loved of the lotus
Thy waters adorning,
Pour, Joliba! pour
Thy full streams to the morning?
The halcyon may fly
To thy wave as her pillow;
But wo to the white man
Who trusts to thy billow!
Alas! for the white man! o'er deserts a ranger,
No more shall we welcome the white-bosomed stranger!

6.

"He launched his light bark,
Our fond warnings despising,
And sailed to the land
Where the day-beams are rising.
His wife from her bower
May look forth in her sorrow,
But he shall ne'er come
To her hope of to-morrow!
Alas! for the white man! o'er deserts a ranger,
No more shall we welcome the white-bosomed stranger!"

CHAPTER XXX.

_Tuckey, Peddie, and Gray's Expeditions_.

The fatal termination of Park's second journey by no means damped the
ardent desire of acquiring fresh knowledge concerning the interior of
Africa. The question as to whether the Niger finally proved to be
identical with the Congo, was undetermined; and Government resolved to
organize a large expedition for the purpose of deciding it. To attain
this object, there were to be two parties sent out, one of which was to
descend the Niger, and the other to ascend the Congo or Zaire river; and
if the hypothesis proved to be true, it was expected that both would form
a junction at a certain point. The expedition excited much interest, and
from the scale on which it was planned, and the talents of the officers
engaged in it, seemed to have a fair promise of success.

Captain Tuckey, an experienced officer, was to command the Congo
expedition; his party consisted of fifty seamen, marines, and mechanics,
with several individuals skilled in the various branches of natural
history. They sailed from Deptford in the middle of February 1816, and
arrived at Malemba about the end of June. The mafouk, or king's chief
minister of the place, gave them at first a cordial reception, but soon
showed hostility, when he learnt that they had no intention of purchasing
slaves. Soon after, they entered the Congo, which much disappointed their
expectations, on account of the shallowness of its channel. The river,
however, was then at a low ebb; its banks were marshy, and its waters
moved slowly and silently between forests of mangrove trees. The air was
filled with the discordant croak of innumerable parrots, diversified
somewhat by the notes of a few singing birds. As they proceeded, the
river, instead of diminishing, seemed to increase in volume. At Embomma,
much interest was excited among the natives, by the discovery that their
cook's mate was the son of a native prince. His arrival was the signal
for general rejoicing, and the enraptured father hastened to welcome his
heir. During the night the village resounded with music and songs. "Next
day the ci-devant cook appeared in all the pomp of African royalty, with
a tarnished silk embroidered coat, a black glazed hat with an enormous
feather, and a silk sash; he was carried in a hammock by two slaves, with
an umbrella over his head."

On the 27th July, Captain Tuckey was introduced to the Chenoo or
sovereign, who sat in full divan, with his councillors around him,
beneath a spreading tree, from the branches of which were suspended two
of his enemies' skulls. He was dressed in a most gaudy fashion. He could
not be made to comprehend the objects of the expedition, and for two
hours reiterated the two questions,--"Are you come to trade?" and "Are
you come to make war?" After he had exacted a promise that they would not
interfere with the slave-trade, a keg of rum was emptied with great
satisfaction by the monarch and his attendants.

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