THE

LIFE AND TRAVELS

OF

MUNGO PARK

CHAPTER I.

Birth and Education of Mungo Park.-His apprenticeship to & Surgeon.-His Arrival in London.-His Appointment of Assistant-surgeon in an East India Ship.-His Voyage to India and back. The African Association.-Park's Services accepted by them.-His Motives for offering them.-His In structions.

[1771-1795.]

THE honour of having given birth to Mungo Park belongs to Scotland. He was born on the 10th of September, 1771, at Fowlshiels, a farm lying on the banks of the Yarrow, in the vicinity of the county town of Selkirk. His father, whose name likewise was Mungo, occupied this farm under the Duke of Buccleugh, and is described as a respectable yeoman of Ettrick Forest; his mother was the daughter of a neighbouring farmer, Mr. John Hislop, of Tennis. They were the parents of a numerous offspring; Mungo, the subject of our narrative, being the seventh child, and the third

14

EDUCATION OF MUNGO PARK.

son of a family of thirteen, of whom eight reached maturity.

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Mungo Park received the rudiments of his edu. cation in the house of his father, who with, a landable care for the instruction of his children, had engaged a private teacher to reside in his family. When he became of fitting age, he attended the Grammar-school at Selkirk, though he still continued to reside at home. From his childhood he had shown a great love of reading; at school he was indefatigable in his application, and is said to have been much distinguished, and always at the head of his class. We are told by his biographer, that even at that early age he was remarkable for being silent, studious, and thoughtful; but some sparks of latent ambition occasionally broke forth; and indications might even then be discovered of that ardent and adventurous turn of mind which distinguished him in after life, and which often lies concealed under a cold and reserved exterior."* Statements, however, of this kind are not of much value; as but little reliance, generally speaking, can be placed upon alleged indications of a particular disposition, which are not discovered until that disposition has fully developed itself.

By his father, Mungo Park was originally destined for the Scottish Church; but the medical profession being that of his own choice, he was ap. prenticed, at the age of fifteen, to Mr. Thomas Anderson, a respectable surgeon in Selkirk. With this gentleman (whose daughter he afterward mar. ried), he resided for three years, during which he

*Account of his Life prefixed to the Journal of his second Mission.

HE GOES TO INDIA.

15

was not so entirely absorbed in his professional pursuits, as not to find time for continuing his general studies, and for attending occasionally at the Grammar-school. In 1789, when he quitted Mr. Anderson, Park repaired to the University of Edin. burgh, where he was engaged for three years in the usual course of medical study. Of his academical life nothing particular is recorded, save the predilection which he manifested for botany. This pre dilection he had a fortunate opportunity of gratify. ing in a tour which he made through the Highlands with his brother-in-law, Mr. James Dickson, a botanist of considerable celebrity; and he continued to retain it in after life.

When he had completed his studies at Edinburgh, Park went to London, in search of some medical employment; in taking this step, he was doubtless much influenced by the hope of deriving assistance from his brother-in-law, Mr. Dickson, who was intimate with the leading men of science of that day. His expectation was realized; Mr. Dickson introduced him to Sir Joseph Banks, whose influence obtained for him the appointment of assistant-surgeon to the Worcetser, East Indiaman. The connexion which thus commenced between Park and Sir Joseph Banks ripened into a friendship, which subsisted throughout life.

The Worcester sailed for the East Indies in the month of February, 1792, and after a voyage to Bencoolen, in the island of Sumatra, returned to England in the following year. The interval sup. plies us with nothing of importance in Park's career, he availed himself of every opportunity of ob. taining information in his favourite scientific pur.

16

THE AFRICAN ASSOCIATION.

suits, and collected many specimens in Botany and Natural History. In the third volume of the Transactions of the Linnæan Society is a paper by Park, describing eight new fishes from Sumatra; he represents it as the fruit of his leisure hours during his stay on that coast.

After Park's return from the East Indies, he seems to have remained for some time in a state of uncertainty concerning his future pursuits. The medical profession, which was that of his choice, appears to have lost all its attractions as soon as he embraced it; and although it is not known that he came to any final resolution with regard to continuing in the service of the East India Company, it is probable that he was desirous of engaging in some more congenial employment. It happened fortunately at this moment, that an opportunity presented itself to him of entering upon the wide field of African discovery.

In 1788, or about five years before Park returned from India, there had been formed in London a society entitled the African Association, for promoting discoveries in the interior of Africa. One of their great objects was to obtain some authentic account of that great inland river of Africa, which had been for so many centuries vaguely spoken of by geographers under the name of the Niger. Mr. Ledyard, Mr. Lucas, and Major Houghton, had been sent out by them for this purpose. The firs' of these gentlemen had sunk under the climate, the second had been obliged to return; and intelli gence had just been received of the death of the third. The Association became desirous of en. gaging some other person to prosecute their plans;

INSTRUCTIONS TO PARK.

17

and Mungo Park offered himself for the service. After due inquiry, the Association accepted his offer.

The motives which induced Park voluntarily to engage in a service which had hitherto proved so fatal, and which most persons regarded with horror, arc thus stated by himself: "I had a passionate desire to examine into the productions of a country so little known, and to become experimentally acquainted with the modes of life and character of the natives. I knew that I was able to bear fatigue, and I relied on my youth and the strength of my constitution to preserve me from the effects of the climate. The salary which the committee allowed was sufficiently large, and I made no stipulation for future reward. If I should perish in my journey, I was willing that my hopes and expectations should perish with me; and if I should succeed in rendering the geography of Africa more familiar to my countrymen, and in opening to their ambition and industry new sources of wealth and new channels of commerce, I knew that I was in the hands of men of honour, who would not fail to bestow that remuneration which my successful services should appear to them to merit."

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The instructions which Park received were very plain and concise." He was directed, on his arrival in Africa, to pass on to the river Niger, either by the way of Bambouk, or by such other route as would be found most convenient, to ascertain the course, and, if possible, the rise and ter. mination of that river; and to use his utmost exertions to visit the principal towns or cities in its neighbourhood, partic' 'arly Tombuctoo and Hous.