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 of Mr. ParkPark, Mungo
History
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 of Mr. Park
Park, Mungo
Africa -- Discovery and exploration
July 19th.--Having purchased an ass in lieu of the one stolen, we left
Nummaboo, which is a walled village, and proceeded onwards. Had two
tornadoes; the last, about eleven o'clock, wetted us much, and made the
road slippery. Two asses unable to go on. Put their loads on the horses,
and left them. Mr. Scott's horse unable to walk: left it to our guide.
At noon came to the ruins of a town. Found two more of the asses unable
to carry their loads. Hired people to carry on the loads, and a boy to
drive the asses. Past the ruins of another town at half past twelve,
where I found two of the sick, who had laid themselves down under a
tree, and refused to rise, (they were afterwards stripped by the
Negroes, and came naked to our tents next morning). Shortly after this,
came to an ass lying on the road unable to proceed with its load. Put
part of the load on my horse, which was already heavily loaded. Took a
knapsack on my back. The soldier carried the remainder and drove the ass
before him.
We arrived on the banks of the Ba Woolima at half past one o'clock. This
river is but narrow, not being more than fifty or sixty feet over; but
was so swelled with the rains as to be twenty feet deep at the place
where we proposed to cross it. Our first attempt was to fell a tree
close to the river, that by its fall would reach across the stream and
form a bridge: but after cutting down four, they all fell in such a
manner as to be of no use; for though the tops of one reached the rocks
on the farther shore when it fell, yet the violence of the current swept
it away. In this manner we fatigued ourselves till sunset, when we gave
up the attempt.
Observed the following emersion of Jupiter's satellites.
H. M. S.
Third satellite emerged by Watch M. S. 9 25 18
Watch too slow 1 55
First satellite emerged by Watch 9 36 10
Watch too slow 2 34
July 20th.--Altitudes taken for the time.
H. M. S. ° ' H. M. S. ° '
7 6 45 21 21 7 9 42 22 42
0 7 25 21 40 0 10 26 23 2
0 8 8 21 55 0 11 3 23 18
7 13 10 24 18 7 16 27 25 49
0 13 44 24 33 0 17 0 26 3
0 14 14 24 46 0 17 30 26 16
° ' "
Obser. Mer. Alt. 166 4 0
1/2 83 2 0
0 16 0
83 18 0
6 42 0
20 43 0
Longitude 5 0 13 W.
Latitude 14 1 0 N.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account