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THE JOURNAL OF A MISSION TO THE INTERIOR OF AFRICA,
IN THE YEAR 1805
Together with Other Documents, Official And Private,
Relating To The Same Mission, to Which Is Prefixed
an Account of the Life off Mr. Park.
BY
MUNGO PARK
Edited and Commentary by John Whishaw
The original documents relating to Mr. Mungo Park's last mission into
Africa having been entrusted to the Directors of the African Institution
by the Secretary of State for the Colonial Department, with liberty to
publish them, in case they should deem it expedient; the Directors now
avail themselves of this permission, by publishing the papers for the
benefit of Mr. Park's family.
These documents, together with other papers furnished by Mr. Park's
connections and friends, which also form a part of the present
publication, consist of the following particulars:
1. The original Journal of the expedition, officially transmitted by Mr.
Park to the Secretary of State; containing several of Mr. Park's
drawings and sketches, illustrative of particular descriptions, which
are copied in this publication.
2. The Journal, as translated from the Arabic language, in which it was
originally composed, of Isaaco, a native African, commissioned in the
year 1810, by the Governor of Senegal, to go in search of Mr. Park and
ascertain his fate; which Journal was likewise officially transmitted to
the Secretary of State.
3. A Memoir delivered by Mr. Park at the Colonial Office in the year
1804, relative to the plan and objects of the intended expedition into
Africa; together with the Official Instructions which he received for
his guidance; and two letters addressed by him to the Secretary of
State, one, written shortly after his arrival at the Coast of Africa,
and the other, at the time of transmitting his Journal, previously to
his final embarkation on the Niger.
4. Several private letters of Mr. Park, principally written during the
time he was engaged in this mission; which, together with the documents
included under the last mentioned head, have been incorporated into the
Account of Mr. Park's Life, which is prefixed to the Journal.
It has before been stated, that the official papers are published under
the authority of the Directors of the African Institution. It may be
proper to add, that the individual, who has undertaken to prepare this
work for the press, is alone responsible for the publication of the
private letters, and for whatever else is contained in this volume,
besides the official documents.
Of the papers before enumerated, the most important, and the only one
which calls for any particular observation, is Mr. Park's own Journal;
respecting which, it may be necessary to apprize the reader that it was
written without the slightest view to publication, being intended only
(as he informed the Secretary of State, by his letter of the 17th of
November, 1805) "to recall to his own recollection _other_ particulars
illustrative of the manners and customs of the natives, which would have
swelled the communication to a most unreasonable size." The work,
therefore, which is now submitted to the public, can be considered in no
other light than as the mere outline of a much more extended and
detailed narrative, which it was the author's intention to prepare for
the press after his return to England.
A work, thus imperfect, and which the unfortunate fate of its author has
prevented from being brought to a completion, is entitled to peculiar
indulgence; and if those allowances are made, which candour and justice
require, the editor confidently hopes, that Mr. Park's Journal will not
disappoint the public expectation. It will be found to contain several
interesting particulars concerning Africa, not hitherto known, and to
illustrate and confirm, in various material respects, some of the most
important discoveries communicated in Mr. Park's former Travels. It
bears strong internal marks of truth and fidelity; and, perhaps, the
very nakedness and simplicity of its descriptions and its minute details
of petty circumstances, may be thought by some readers to convey a more
accurate and distinct conception of the process of an African journey,
and of the difficulties with which such expeditions are attended, than a
more elaborate and polished narrative.
With a view of rendering the present publication more complete, and of
gratifying in a certain degree that reasonable curiosity, which will
naturally be felt by many readers of this Journal and the former
Travels, it has been thought advisable to add a biographical Memoir of
the Author. But as the events of Mr. Park's life, with the exception of
those contained in the works just alluded to, are few and unimportant,
the editor has been induced, in the course of this undertaking, to
deviate occasionally into other topics, more or less connected with the
principal subject; in the discussion of which he has inadvertently
exceeded the limits which he had originally assigned to himself. This
circumstance has added considerably to the length of the Memoir and its
Appendix; for which, he would willingly believe, that the interest
belonging to the topics themselves, will be deemed a sufficient apology.
In preparing this Memoir, the editor naturally applied for information
to Mr. Park's family, and was much gratified by discovering, that some
materials, with a view to a similar undertaking, had been collected by a
brother-in-law of Mr. Park, Mr. Archibald Buchanan of Glasgow; who, on
being made acquainted with the editor's intention, immediately and with
the greatest candour, transmitted to him the whole of his papers.
These materials have been of great use in preparing the Memoir; in which
the editor has likewise been assisted by much useful information which
he has received from another brother-in-law of Mr. Park, Mr. James
Dickson, whose name will occur in the course of the ensuing Memoir; and
also from Mr. Park's two brothers, Mr. Adam Park of Gravesend, and Mr.
Alexander Park of Selkirk, the latter of whom is unfortunately since
dead.
The editor is likewise greatly indebted to Major Rennell and to Zachary
Macaulay, Esq. for several interesting particulars concerning Mr. Park;
and to the latter in particular, for much valuable information relative
to the trade of this country with Africa, which will be found in the
Appendix to the Memoir.
But his acknowledgments are due, in an especial manner, to Sir Joseph
Banks; who has not only favoured the editor with the fullest
communication of his correspondence with Mr. Park, and of his papers
relating to this subject, but has in every other respect assisted and
promoted the present undertaking with a kindness and liberality,
proportioned to his sincere and constant friendship for Mr. Park, and to
his uniform zeal for whatever he considers to be in any degree connected
with useful knowledge and scientific discovery.
* * * * *
It remains only to say a few words respecting the Map, which is prefixed
to this publication. The readers of Mr. Park's former Travels are
already apprized, that the map which accompanied that work, was
constructed by Major Rennell, whose interesting Geographical Memoir in
illustration of Mr. Park's first journey, was also annexed to the quarto
edition. It would have been highly gratifying to the editor of this
work, and most satisfactory to the public, if the same valuable
assistance could have been obtained on the present occasion. But
unfortunately, Major Rennell's other engagements rendered this wholly
impracticable. He had the kindness, however, to furnish the editor with
some notes which he had taken, and with a construction of part of Mr.
Park's route in 1805, which he had traced out from the Journal now
published, when it was formerly submitted to his inspection.
These papers together with Mr. Park's Journal, were placed in the hands
of a respectable artist, employed by the publisher to construct the map
intended to illustrate the present work; at whose request the following
statement respecting certain difficulties which have occurred in its
construction, is subjoined.
"In compiling the map of Mr. Park's route in 1805, much difficulty has
arisen from the bearings of places not being mentioned in the Journal;
and also in consequence of there being occasionally great differences
between the latitudes and longitudes of places according to the
astronomical observations, and the distances computed according to the
journies. Considerable pains have been taken to reconcile these
differences; but the general result has been, that it was found
necessary in adhering to the astronomical observations, to carry Mr.
Park's former route in 1796 farther north, and to place it in a higher
latitude than that in which it appears in Major Rennell's map annexed to
the former volume of Travels."
London, March 1, 1815.
CONTENTS.
* * * * *
ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE OF PARK.
Appendix, No. I.
No. II.
No. III.
No. IV.
No. V.
No. VI.
Explanation of African Words
* * * * *
JOURNAL.
CHAPTER I.
Departure from Kayee--Arrival at Pisania--Preparations there, and
departure into the Interior--Samee--Payment to Mumbo Jumbo--Reach
Jindey; process of dying cottons at that place--Departure from
Jindey--Cross the Wallia Creek--Kootakunda--Madina--Tabajang--Kingdom of
Jamberoo--Visit from the King's son--Tatticonda--Visit from the son of
the former King of Woolli--Reach Madina, the capital of Woolli--Audience
of the King; his unfriendly conduct--Presents made to him and his
courtiers--Barraconda--Bambakoo--Kanipe; inhospitable conduct of its
inhabitants--Kussai--Nittatrees; restrictions relating to them--Enter
the Simbani Woods--precautions thereon, and sacrifice and prayers for
success--Banks of the Gambia--Crocodiles and hippopotami--Reach
Faraba--Loss of one of the soldiers--Rivers Neaulico and
Nerico--Astronomical observations.