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
We started in the evening and arrived at Chicouray. [Footnote: These two
last villages bear the same name.] Sambabile (Chiaman's other brother)
gave me some corn and a sheep. I gave him a blue pagne, a striped ditto,
one bottle of powder, twenty flints, and one bar of scarlet cloth; which
pagnes I got by the sale of three slaves I was obliged to sell to help
me in my expenses. I staid there two days; in the morning I started, and
arrived at noon at Jyallacoro; where resided Madifoutane, the King's
son, to whom I had given half a piece of fine cotton and two grains of
amber; he gave me some corn. Madimarian, a Marabou, killed me a bullock;
I give him one bottle of powder.
Next morning I started from thence, passed three villages, and arrived
at three P.M. at Cobla. I received cooked victuals from the village; I
gave two flints. We departed next morning early, and arrived at noon at
Amadifalouma bougou, the last village belonging to King Tiguing-coro, it
being on Wednesday, and six moons [Footnote: July 2, 1810.] after my
departure from Senegal. I bought there an ass.
Having before me a large forest to cross, and uncertain of the right
road, I hired four men to conduct me. I departed next morning, and
crossed a small river near the village. We entered the forest at noon,
and came to a large muddy pond, where the hogs could not pass safely;
our guides shewed us a better road, where we crossed easily. At two P.M.
we stopped where had been formerly a village. We found in our way after
sun-set, a large land turtle, which we killed; and passed the night
there. Departed early; at ten A.M. passed Sarina, formerly a village;
stopped awhile. The four men I had charged to go as guides, wished to go
back; they were afraid to go on further. I was much disappointed at such
behaviour, and got angry with them, and said I would sooner go back than
be left in such a forest. They shewed me a road, and told me to follow
it straight along, and to be careful not to turn either to the right or
left, and that I should soon find a village inhabited. I gave them half
a bottle of powder and ten flints, and let them go, as I could not do
otherwise.
I went on, and found the road the King of Sego's army had taken nine
years ago. [Footnote: When at war with Tiguing-coro.] Farther on we met
a small pond; being very thirsty, we spent there the best part of the
day; a little farther we found a large pond, where we made a halt, and
past the night under a tree. Departed early; arrived at noon at the
lakes of Chinchare and Tirinn. These lakes are never dry; and the King's
army always stops at them to take water. After dinner we started, and at
five P.M. arrived at another lake. We went on, and came to the village
of Giangounte after sun-set; where we stopped five days, on account of
one of my people being sick; received the first night a few provisions;
next day they killed me a bullock. Here I thanked God for my escape.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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