Published in 1815, Mungo Park’s The Journal of a Mission to the Interior of Africa in the year 1805 is an account of Park’s second expedition to Africa. The journal commences on April 27th and ends on November 16th 1805 when Park had his journal and letters sent to England just prior to his party embarking on their voyage down the Niger River. Park writes in a letter dated November 17th 1805 to The Earl Camden (British Politician) ‘with the assistance of one of the soldiers I have changed a large canoe into a tolerably good schooner, on board of which I this day hoisted the British flag, and shall set sail to the east with the fixed resolution to discover the termination of the Niger or perish in the attempt’.
Cover of Park’s ‘Journal of Mission to the Interior of Africa…’ Spine reads ‘Park’s Travels’
Some weeks later their boat became stuck at the Bussa rapids where Park and all but one of his party drowned while attempting to escape an attack by natives. It was not until 1811 that Park’s fate was known with certainty.
Park’s Journal – half-title page
Just reading the half-title page of this book brings a sense of the wonder and curiosity that readers of the time must have felt when so little was known of the African interior. Park’s Journal provides a detailed and fascinating account of the journey and includes descriptions of gold mines, the methods used for extracting the gold and the process by which cloth was dyed blue using the leaves of the Indigo plant.
On June 24th he writes ‘Left Sullo, and travelled through a country beautiful beyond imagination, with all the possible diversities of rock, sometimes towering up like ruined castles, spires, pyramids, &c. We passed one place so like a ruined Gothic abbey, that we halted a little, before we could satisfy ourselves that the niches, windows, ruined staircase, &c. were all natural rock. A faithful description of this place would certainly be deemed a fiction.’
Park’s Journal – title-page
Section of map with Park’s route shown ( a child’s scribbles from more than 50 years ago are also evident)
Mungo Park (1771-1806) was born in Scotland, educated at the University of Edinburgh where he studied medicine and natural history later qualifying as a surgeon. His interest in natural history led him to become acquainted with Sir Joseph Banks who recommended him for the post of assistant surgeon on the East Indiamen Worcester in 1793. Plants and fish collected on the voyage were later the subject of a lecture given by Park to the Linnaean Society.
In 1794 Park was chosen by the African Association to lead an exploring expedition into the interior of Africa, much of which remained unexplored at the time. He became the first European to discover the Niger River and traced its course for 300 miles. Park’s first book Travels In The Interior Districts of Africa: Performed Under The Direction of The African Association, In The Years 1795, 1796 and 1797 was published in 1799 and was a great success with its detailed descriptions of his journey.