Travels in the interior districts of Africa: performed in the years 1795, 1796, and 1797. With an account of a subsequent mission to that country in 1805. ... To which is added, an account of the life of Mr. Park [By John Whishaw.] A new edition, etc

Front matter

j TRAVELS IN THE INTERIOR DISTRICTS OF AFRICA: PERFORMED IN THE YEARS 1795, 1?96, AND 1797 WITH AN ACCOUNT OF A SUBSEQUENT MISSION TO THAT COUNTRY IN 1805. By MUNGO PARK, Surgeon. TO WHICH IS ADDED AN ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE OF MR. PARK. A NEW EDITION. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. LAST JOURNEY, AND LIFE. LONDON : PRINTKD FOR JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARIE-STREET, BY WILLIAM BULMER AND CO. CLEVELAND-ROW, st. james's. 1816.

ADVERTISEMENT.

. 1 he 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

Chapter. I

Departure from Kayee — Arrival ut Pisania — Preparations there, and departure into the Interior — Samee— Payment to Mumbo Jumbo — Reach Jindey procest of dying cottom at that place — Departurefrom 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 con- CONTENTS; XIV duct of its inhabitants — Kussai — Nitta-trees ; restric tions relating to them — Enter the Simbani Woods; precautions thereon, and sacrifice and prayers for success — Banks of tlfe Gambia — Crocodiles and hippopotami — Reach Faraba — Loss of one of the soldiers — Rivers Neaulico and Nerico — Astronomical observations. - - - p. 3

Chapter II

Arrival at Jallacotta — Maheena — Tambico — Bady; hostile conduct of the Faranba, or Chief, and its consequences — Reach Jeningalla — Jron-furnaces.--Mansafara — Attacked by zeolves — Enter the Tenda Wilderness — Ruins and Plain of Doofroo — Attacked by a swarm of bees — Astronomical observations — Arrival at Sibikillin — Shea trees — Badoo ; presents made to the King — Tambacunda — Ba Deema River — Tabba Gee — Mambari — Julifunda; unfriendly conduct of its Chief; and presents sent to him and the King — Visit fromthe latter — Reach Eercella — Baniserile — Celebrate His Majesty's birth-day — Mode of fluxing iron — Madina — Falema river — Satadoo — Sickness and death of the Carpenter — Arrival at Shrondo; commencement of the rainy season; and alarming sickness amongst the soldiers — Gold mines ; , process for procuring the gold — Dindikoo ; gold pits — Cultivation — Arrival at Fankia - p. 35

Chapter III

Departure from Fankia— Tamb aura mountains, and difficulties in ascmding the Pass— -Toombin — Great CONTENTS. XV embarrassments on the road — Serimanna — Fajemmia — Astronomical observations — Increase of the sick — Nealakalla — Bake river — Boontoonkooran — Do<* gikotta — Falifing— Losses on the road — Gimbia; inhospitable treatment — Sullo — Face of the count ru — Secoba — Konkromo — Passage of the Ba Fing — Mode of smelting aud working gold — Fatal accident in crossing the Ba Fing — Hippopotami — Deaths and losses on the route — Increase of sickness — Reach Viandry — Koeena — Danger from young lions — Koombandi — Great embarrassments on the road— Fonilla — Ba Woolima river ; difficulties in crossing it — Isaaco seized by a crocodile — Boo/inkoonbo — Distressing situation of the whole of the party —Reach Serrababoo — Saboseera. - - p. 85 CAHPTER IV.

Arrival at Keminoom, or Manniakorro, on the Ba lee river. — Visit to the Chief. — Depredations upon the coffle by the inhabitants — Continued attacks from banditti as far as the Ba Woolima river. — Difficulties in passing it — Temporary bridge made by the natives. . — Astronomical observations — Arrival at Mareena; inhospitable conduct of its inhabitants — Bangassi; interview zeith the King — Continued sickness, and deaths among the soldiers. — Arrival at Nummasoolo . to leave five of the sick behind— reach Surtaboo — Sobee — Affray between Isaaco and two soldiers — Balanding — Balandoo — More of the soldiers fall behind — Koolihori — Greatly annoyed by wolves. - - - p. CONTENTS. XVI

Chapter V

Departures rom Koolihori — Ganifarra — Scarcity of provisions — Distressing situation of the Author from deaths and sickness of the party — Escapes from three lions — Intricate route to Koomikoomi — Dombila — Visit from Karfa Taura — View of the Niger — Reduced state of the party — Bambakoo — Losses from wolves — Bosradoo ; embark on the Niger; incidents in the voyage to Marraboo — Isaaco sent to Sego with presents for Mansong — Message from Mansong — Course to Koolikorro — Deena — Yamina — Samee — Return of Isaaco ; account of his interview with Mansong — Messengers sent by Mansong, and enquiries respecting the Author's journey— Quit Samee — Excessive heat — Reach Sansanding — Account of that city and its trade — Death of Mr. Anderson. — Preparations for continuing the voyage eastward— Information collected respecting various districts p. I69 Isaaco's Jou«j*al - - p. ACCOUNT OF the LIFE OF MUNGO PARK. b VOL. ACCOUNT of the LIFE OF MUNGO PARK.

JVIungo Park was born on the 10th of September 1771, at Fowlshiels, a farm oc cupied by his father, under the duke of Buccleucji, on the banks of the Yarrow not far from the town of Selkirk. His father, who bore the same name, was a respectable yeoman of Ettrick Forest. His mother, who is still living, is the daughter of the late Mr. John Hislop, of Tennis, a few miles higher up on the same river. The subject of this Memoir was the seventh child, and third son of the family ; which consisted of thirteen children, eight of whom attained to years of maturity. Prior to the time of Mungo Park's birth, the father had for many years practised b ACCOUNT OF THE farming with assiduity and success on the estate at Fowlshiels, where he died in 1792, after a long and exemplary life, at the age of seventy-seven.

Among other estimable qualities which distinguished the father's character, was a constant and unremitting attention to the education of his children ; a species of me rit which is indeed of common occurrence among the Scottish farmers and peasantry, but which appears to have been exemplary and remarkable in the present instance. His family being numerous, he did not con tent himself with personally superintending every part of their education ; but, though far from being in affluent circumstances, engaged a private teacher to reside in his house and assist in their early instruction. It is most satisfactory to add, that these paternal cares were followed by the hap piest results, and received their appro priate reward. Mr. Park had the gratifi cation of seeing the greater part of his children respectably settled during his life, and of witnessing their success and prosperity.

V After having received the first rudiments of education in his father's family, Mungo Park was in due time removed to the Grammar School at Selkirk, where he remained a considerable number of years. He had shewn a great love of reading from his childhood, and was indefatigable in his application to school, where he was much distinguished and always at the head of his class. Even at that early age, he was remarked for being silent, studious and thoughtful; — but some sparks of latent am bition occasionally broke forth : and traces might be discovered of that ardent and ad venturous turn of mind which distinguished him in after life, and which often lies con cealed under a cold and reserved exterior. It was the original intention of Park's father to educate him for the Scottish church, for which he appeared to be well fitted by his studious habits and the serious turn of his mind ; but, his son having made choice of the medical profession, he was readily induced to acquiesce.

In consequence of this determination, Mungo Park was bound apprentice at the age of fifteen to Mr. VI Thomas Anderson, a respectable surgeon in Selkirk, with whom he resided three years ; continuing, at the same time, to pursue his classical studies and to attend occasionally at the grammar school. In the year 1789, he quitted Mr. Anderson, and removed to the University of Edinburgh, where he pursued the course which is common to medical students, and attended the usual Lectures during three successive sessions. Nothing particular is recorded of his academical life. He appears, however, to have applied to the studies connected with the science of medicine with his accustomed ardour and assiduity, and to have been distinguished among his fellow-students. Dur ing his summer vacations he paid great at tention to botanical pursuits, for which he seems always to have had a great predi lection.

A tour which he made about this time to the Highlands, in company with his brother-in-law, Mr. James Dickson, a distinguished Botanist, contributed greatly to his improvement in this Science. After having completed his studies at Edinburgh; Park removed to London in search of some medical employment. In this pursuit he was much assisted by his relation Mr. Dickson, to whom he had be fore been indebted in his botanical studies. By his means Mr. Park was introduced to Sir Joseph Banks ; whose interest or re commendation shortly afterwards procured for him the appointment of Assistant Sur geon to the Worcester East Indiaman. From this period Park was honoured with the patronage, and indeed with the constant friendship, of Sir Joseph Banks ; from which he derived many important ad vantages, and which had a material influ ence on the subsequent events of his life.

For this highly valuable friendship he was originally indebted to a connection which had subsisted for many years between Sir Joseph and Mr. Dickson : and it may not therefore be improper, to describe shortly the origin and nature of this connection ; which, besides its immediate influence on Park's fortunes, was attended with several characteristic circumstances highly honour able to the parties concerned, and in them selves not uninteresting. Mr. Dickson was born of humble parents, and came early in life from Scotland, his native country, to London. For some time he worked as a gardener in the grounds of a considerable nurseryman at Hammer smith, where he was occasionally seen by Sir Joseph Banks, who took notice of him as an intelligent young man. Quitting this situation he lived for some years as gardener in several considerable families ; after which he established himself in Lon don as a seedsman; and has ever since followed this business with unremitting dili gence and success.

Havirig an ardent passion for botany, which he had always cultivated according to the best of his rrfeans and oppor tunities ; he lost no time in presenting himself to Sir Joseph Banks, who received him with great kindness, encouraged him in his pursuits, and gave him access to his valuable library. He thus obtained the free use of one of the most complete collections on Botany and Natural History, which has perhaps, ever yet been formed ; and which, through the liberality of its possessor, has contributed in a greater degree to the accommodation of scientific men and the general advancement of science than many public establishments. Such leisure hours as Mr. Dickson could command from his business, he devoted to an assiduous attendance in this library or to the perusal of scientific books obtained from thence.

In process of time he acquired great knowledge and became eminent among the English Botanists ; and is now known in Europe among the proficients in that science as one of its most successful cul tivators, and the author of some distin guished Works. At an advanced period of life he is still active in business, and conti nues to pursue his botanical studies with unabated ardour and success.* Such an instance of successful industry united with a taste for intellectual pursuits, * Mr. Dickson is a Fellow of the Linnæan Society, of which he was one of the original founders ; and also Fellow and Vice President of the Horticultural Society. Several communications from him appear in different volumes of the Linnæan Transactions ; hut he is prin cipally known among Botanists by a work entitled, " Fasciculi Quatuor Plantarum Cryptogamicarum Bri tanrjiæ."

Loud. 1785-93] in which he has described upwards of four hundred plants not before noticed. He has the merit of having directed the attention of the Botanists of this country to one of the most abstruse and difficult parts of that science ; to the advancement of which he has himself very greatly contributed. X ACCOUNT OF THE deserves to be recorded ; not only on ac count of its relation to the subject of this narrative, but because, it illustrates in a very striking and pleasing manner, the advan tages of education in the lower classes of life. The attention of the Scottish farmers and peasantry to the early instruction of their children has been already remarked ; and is strongly exemplified in the history of Mr. Park's family. The diffusion of know ledge among the natives of that part of the kingdom, and their general intelligence, must be admitted by every unprejudiced observer ; nor is there any country in which the effects of education are so conspicuous in promoting industry and good conduct, and in producing useful and respectable men of the inferior and middle classes, ad mirably fitted for all the important offices of common life.* * See Appendix.

No. I. In consequence of the appointment which Mungo Park had obtained as surgeon in the East India Company's service, by the interest of Sir Joseph Banks, he sailed for the East Indies in the Worcester in the month of February 1792 ; and having made a voyage to Bencoolen, in the island of Su matra, returned to England in the following year. Nothing material occurred during this voyage ; but he availed himself of all the opportunities it afforded to obtain information in his favorite scientific pursuits; and appears to have made many observations, and collected many specimens, in Bo tany and Natural History. Several of these were the subjects of a communication made by him to the Linnæan Society, which was afterwards published in their printed Trans actions.* * In the Third Volume of the Linnæan Transactions, p. 33, is a paper by Park, read Nov. 4, 1794, containing descriptions of eight new fishes from Sumatra; which he represents to be the fruit of his leisure hours during his stay on that coast.

ACCOUNT OF THE It does not sufficiently appear, whether Mr. Park, after his return from the East Indies, came to any final resolution with regard to his continuing as a surgeon in the Company's service. But whatever might be his intention in this respect, new pros pects now opened upon him, and a scene of action far more congenial to his taste and feelings, was presented to his ambition. Some years prior to this period, a few distinguished individuals, induced by a very liberal spirit of curiosity, had formed themselves into an Association for promoting discoveries in the Interior of Africa ; and were now prosecuting their researches with great activity and success. In the course of a few years they had investigated, and placed in a clearer point of view than had hitherto been done by geographers, some of the leading facts relative to the Northern part of that Continent ; the characteristic differences of the principal tribes ; their commercial relations : the routes of the great caravans ; the general diffusion of the Mahomedan religion, and the consequent prevalence of the Arabic language throughout the greater part of that vast continent.* With the assistance of their distinguished Associate, Major Ren nell, they were now proceeding to trace the principal geographical outlines of Northern Africa ; and were endeavouring to ascertain the course of the great inland river Joliba or Niger, and to obtain some authentic in formation concerning Tombuctoo, a principal city of the interior and one of the great marts of African commerce.

In the course of these enquiries, the Association, since their first establishment in 1788, had employed several persons, well qualified for such undertakings, upon missions into various parts of the African Continent. Several of these were known to have perished, either as victims of the cli mate, or in contests with the natives ;*j* and * See Vol. I. of the Proceedings of African Associa tion. London, 1810. t The persons who had been sent out prior to this period, were Mr. Ledyard, Mr. Lucas, Major Houghton and Mr. Hornemann : subsequently to which, several others have been employed ; viz. Mr. Nichols, Mr. Bourcard, &c. ACCOUNT OF THE XIV intelligence had lately been received of the deathof Major Houghton, who had been sent out to explore the course of the Niger, and to penetrate, if possible, to Tombuctoo and Houssa.

The Association appear to have found considerable difficulty in supplying Major Houghton's place;1 and had made known their readiness to give a liberal com pensation to any person, competently qua lified, who might be willing to proceed on this important and arduous mission. The attention of Park was naturally drawn to this subject, in consequence of his connection with Sir Joseph Banks, who had received him wi,th great kindness and cor diality on his return from the East Indies, and with whom he was now in habits of frequent intercourse. Sir Joseph Banks was one of the most active and leading members of the African Association, and with his accustomed zeal for the promotion of scientific discovery, was earnest in his endeavours to find out a proper person to undertake the mission in search of the Niger.

There was nothing in Park's previous studies which had particularly led him towards geographical pursuits ; but he had a general passion for travelling; he was in the full vigour of life ; his constitu tion had been in some degree inured to hot climates ; he saw the opportunities which a new country would afford of indulging his taste for Natural History ; nor was he in sensible to the distinction which was likely to result from any great discoveries in African geography. These considerations determined him. Having fully informed himself as to what was expected by the Association, he eagerly offered himself for the service ; and after some previous en quiry into his qualifications, the offer was readily accepted. Between the time of Park's return from India in 1793, and his departure to Africa, an interval elapsed of about two years.

During the whole of this period ( with the exception of a short visit to Scotland in 1794), he appears to have resided in Lon don or its neighbourhood ; being engaged partly in his favourite studies, or in literary or scientific society ; but principally in acquiring the knowledge and making ACCOUNT OF THE the preparations which were requisite for his great undertaking. Having received his final instructions from the African Association, he set sail from Portsmouth on the 22d of May, 1795, on board the Endeavour, an African trader, bound for the Gambia, where he arrived on the 21st of the following month. It is not the intention of this narrative to follow him through the details of this journey, a full account of which was afterwards published by Park, and is familiar to every reader. But it may be useful to mention the mate rial dates and some of the principal trans actions.

Having landed on the 21st of June at Jillifree, a small town near the mouth of the River Gambia ; he proceeded shortly after wards to Pisania, a British factory about 200 miles up the same river, where he arrived on the 5th of July, and was most hospi tably received by Dr. Laidley, a gentleman who had resided many years at that settlement. He remained at Dr. Laidley's house for several months, in order to learn the Mandingo language, which is in general use throughout that part of Africa, and also to collect information concerning the countries he intended to visit. During two of these months he was confined by a severe fever, caught by imprudently exposing himself during the rainy season. He left Pisania on the 2d of December, 1795, directing his course easterly, with a view of proceeding to the River Joliba, or Niger.

But in consequence of a war be tween two sovereigns in the Interior, he was obliged, after he had made some pro gress, to take a northerly direction towards the territory of the Moors. He arrived at Jarra, the frontier town of that country, on the 18th of February, 1796. Pursuing his journey from thence, he was taken and de tained as a prisoner, by Ali,the chieftain or king of that territory, on the 7th of March ; and after a long captivity and a series of unexampled hardships, escaped at last with great difficulty early in the month of July. The period was now approaching when he was to receive some compensation for so many sufferings. After wandering in great misery for about three weeks through the African Wilderness, he arrived at Sego, vol. 11. c the capital of Bambara, a city containing thirty thousand inhabitants.

He was gra tified at the same time by the first sight of the Niger, the great object of his jour ney ; and ascertained the extraordinary fact, that its course is from West to East. After a short stay at Sego (where he did not find it safe to remain), Park proceeded down the river to Silla, a large town distant about seventy or eighty miles, on the banks of the Niger. He was now reduced to the greatest distress, and being convinced by painful experience, that the obstacles to his further progress were insurmountable, he reluctantly abandoned his design of pro ceeding eastwards ; and came to the resolution of going back to Sego, and endea vouring to effect his return to the Gambia by a different route from that by which he had advanced into Africa. On the 3d of August, 1796, he left Silla, and pursuing the course of the Niger, arrived at Bammakoo, the frontier of Bam bara, about the 23d of the same month.

Here he quitted the Niger, which ceases to be navigable at this place ; and travelling for several weeks through a mountainous and difficult country, reached Kamalia, in the territory of Manding, on the 16th of September. He performed the latter part of this journey on foot, having been obliged to leave his horse, now worn out with fatigue and unable to proceed farther. Having encountered all the horrors of the rainy season, and being worn down by fatigue, his health had, at different times, been seriously affected. But, soon after his arrival at Kamalia, he fell into a severe and dangerous fit of sickness, by which he was closely confined for upwards of a month. His life was preserved by the hospitality and benevolence of Karfa Taura, a Negro, who received him into his house, and whose family attended him with the kindest solici tude.

The same excellent person, at the time of Park's last Mission into Africa, hearing that a white man was travelling through the country, whom he imagined to be Park, took a journey of six days to meet him ; and joining the caravan at Bambakoo, was highly gratified by the sight of his friend.* There being still a space of five hundred * See Journals p. 186. C XX miles to be traversed (the greater part of it through a desert) before Park could reach any friendly country on the Gambia, he had no other resource but to wait with patience for the first caravan of slaves that might travel the same track. No such opportunity occurred till the latter end of ApHl, 1797, when a coffle, or caravan, set out from Kamalia under the direction of Karfa Taura, in whose house he had conti nued during his long residence of more than seven months at that place.

The coffle began its progress westwards on the 17th of April, and on the 4th of June reached the banks of the Gambia, after a journey of great labour and difficulty, during which he had the most painful opportunities of witnessing the miseries endured by a caravan of slaves in their transporta tion from the interior to the coast. On the 10th of the same month Park arrived at Pisania, from whence he had set out eighteen months before ; and was received by Dr. Laidley (to use his own expression) as one risen from the grave. On the 15th of June he embarked in a slave ship bound to America, which was driven by stress of weather to the West Indies ; and got with great difficulty, and under circumstances of considerable danger, into the Island of Antigua. He sailed from thence on the 24th of November, and after a short, but tempestuous passage, arrived at Falmouth on the 22d of the following month, having been absent from England two years and seven months.

Immediately on his landing he hastened to London, anxious in the greatest degree about his family and friends, of whom he had heard nothing for two years. He arrived in London before day-light on the morning of the 25th of December, 1 797 ; and it being too early an hour to go to his bro ther-in-law, Mr. Dickson, he wandered for some time about the streets in that quarter of the town where his house was. Finding one of the entrances into the gardens of the British Museum accidently open, he went in and walked about there for some time. It happened that Mr. Dickson, who had the care of those gardens, went there early that morning upon some trifling business. What must have been his emotions on be holding at that extraordinary time and ACCOUNT OF THE place, the vision, as it must at first have appeared, of his long-lost friend, the object of so many anxious reflections, and whom he had long numbered with the dead!

Park's arrival was hailed with a sort of triumph by his friends of the African Asso ciation, and in some degree, by the public at large. The nature and objects of his mission, his long absence, and his unex pected return, excited a very general in terest; which was afterwards kept up by the reports which prevailed respecting the discoveries he had made. The Associa tion, with that liberality which characterised every part of their proceedings, gave him full permission to publish his Travels for his own benefit ; and it was speedily an nounced, that a complete narrative of the journey would be prepared by Park him self, and given to the public. But in the mean time, in order to gratify in a certain degree, the curiosity which prevailed, an Abstract, of the Travels, prepared from Park's own minutes, was drawn up by Mr. Bryan Edwards, secretary of the African Association, and was printed and distribut ed for the private use of the subscribers.* This Abstract, which was written with perspicuity and elegance, formed the principal ground-work of the Book of Travels which was subsequently published.

To the Abstract or Narrative, thus cir culated, was annexed an important Memoir by Major Rennell, consisting of geographical illustrations of Park's Journey ; which afterwards, by that gentleman's per mission, formed a valuable appendage to the quarto edition of the Travels. After his return from Africa, Park remained for a considerable time stationary in London, and was diligently employed in arranging the materials for his intended publication. He had frequent occasion, also, to communicate on the subject of his discoveries with the members of the African Association, especially with Major Rennell and Mr. Edwards, whilst they were engaged in preparing the two Memoirs before al luded to. With Mr. Edwards, in particular, * Proceedings of African Association. Vol. I. p. 327. ACCOUNT OF THE he seems to have lived on terms of great friendship; and to have occasionally paid him visits at his country residence near Southampton.

It was nearly about this time ( the Spring of the year 1798) that Government, having it in contemplation to procure a com plete survey of New Holland, made some application to Park, with a view of employ ing him upon that service. The particulars of this transaction are not known to Park's family, nor is it now material to enquire ; since the proposal, whatever it might be, was declined. It was afterwards repeated, and again declined, during the following year. In June, 1798, he visited his mother, who still resided at Fowlshiels, and his other relations in Scotland, and remained with them the whole of the summer and autumn. During all this time he was assiduously employed in compiling and arranging the Account of his Travels. His materials for this work are stated to have consisted of short notes or memoranda, written on separate pieces of paper, forming an imperfect journal of his proceedings.

Where these were wanting, he supplied the defi ciency from his memory.* His family represent him during this period as leading the life of a severe stu dent, employed on his papers during the whole of the mornings, and allowing him self little or no recreation, except a solitary evening walk on the banks of the Yarrow. Occasionally however he would indulge himself in longer excursions among the wild and romantic scenery of that neighbourhood, to which he was fondly and almost enthusiastically attached.-^ He quitted Fowlshiels with great regret * Enquiry has been made for the notes here alluded to, with a view to the elucidation of several points con nected with this narrative; but without success ; it being stated by Mr. Dickson, that a number of loose papers were left at his house by Park, and remained there for some time ; but being considered of no use, were mislaid or destroyed ; and that none of them are now to be found' t The situation of Fowlshiels on the banks of the Yarrow is said to be picturesque and striking.