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
Here all authentic information concerning Park unfortunately terminates.
His letters and Journal were brought by Isaaco to the Gambia, and
transmitted from thence to England. For some time nothing farther was
heard of the expedition; but in the course of the year 1806 unfavourable
accounts were brought by the native traders from the interior of Africa
to the British settlements on the coast; and it was currently reported,
but upon no distinct authority, that Park and his companions were
killed. These rumours increasing, and no intelligence of Park being
received, Lieutenant Colonel Maxwell, then Governor of Senegal (at
present Governor of Sierra Leone), obtained permission from Government
to send a proper person to ascertain the truth of the reports; and he
was fortunate enough to engage Isaaco, Park's guide, to go upon this
mission.
Isaaco left Senegal in January 1810, and was absent about twenty months.
He returned on the 1st of September 1811, with a full confirmation of
the reports concerning Park's death. As the result of his enquiries into
this subject, he delivered to the Governor a Journal of his whole
proceedings kept by himself in the Arabic language, including another
Journal which he had received from Amadi Fatouma, the guide who had
accompanied Park from Sansanding down the Niger. A translation of this
singular document was made at Senegal by the directions of Colonel
Maxwell, and transmitted by him to the Secretary of State for the
Colonial Department.
On the subject of this Journal, so far as it immediately relates to
Park's death, very few remarks will be necessary. Being originally
written by a native African, and translated by some person who probably
had but a moderate knowledge of the Arabian dialect in which it is
composed, it is far from being always clear or even intelligible; and in
the state in which it now appears, it is open to much observation.
Neither indeed can it be considered in itself as a document of a very
authentic or satisfactory description. But the account which it gives of
Park's death appears on the whole to be probable and consistent; and is
so far corroborated by other circumstances as to leave no reasonable
doubt with regard to the fact. [Footnote: The genuine travelling Journal
of a native African Merchant may in some respects be considered as
interesting, simply from the circumstance of its singularity. But it
must be acknowledged that for the mere purpose of gratifying curiosity
very few specimens of Isaaco would have been sufficient. The sole reason
for publishing such a document at full length, is the circumstance of
its containing the only direct evidence of Park's death. In every other
point of view it is wholly destitute of interest, and cannot even be
read through, without a strong effort; being inconceivably tedious, and
having all the dry minuteness of a log book, without its valuable
precision. There is great confusion as to places and times; and it is
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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