enterprize been more active than the prefent, nor at any time has the eagernefs for difcoveries been more amply re warded. The knowledge of countries hitherto imperfectly described, and fome entirely unknown, have been brought to the notice of the world greatly to the ad. vantage of feience, and will hereafter produce benefits of much higher impor tance than the gratification of mere idle curiofity. To the firmnefs of individuals, aided by the liberality of a fociety whofe enquiries have been equally meritorious and fuccefstul, a confiderable portion of Africa is now known, which hitherto has been impervious to every traveller; and to no one has the world been fo much obliged as to the gentleman whofe portrait we now present to the public.

MUNGO PARK is a native of North Britain, and was born about the year 1770. He received a liberal education, and was brought up a furgeon. In that capacity he made a voyage to the Eaft Indies, from whence he returned in 1793. At that juncture hearing that the S ciety, affociated for profecuting difcoveries in the interior of Africa, were defirous of engaging a perfon to explore that continent by the way of Gambia, he offered his fervice, and was accepted. "I had," fays he, "a paffionate defire to examine into the productions of a country fo 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 ftrength of my confti

the climate. The falary which the Committee allowed me was fufficiently large; and I made no ftipulation for future reward. If I fhould perish in my journey I was willing that my hopes and expectations fhould perifh with me; and if I fhould fucceed in rendering the geography of Africa more familiar to my countrymen, and in opening to their ambition and industry new iources of wealth, and new channels of commerce, I knew that I was in the hands of men of honour, who would not fail to beft that remuneration which my fuccefsful fervices should appear to them to merit. The Committee of the Affociation, having made fuch enquiries as they thought neceffary, declared themfelves fatisfied with the qualifications that I poffeffed, and accepted me for the fervice; and, with that liberality which on all occafions diftinguishes their conduct, gave me every encouragement which it was in their power to grant, or which I could with propriety ask."

His inftructions were plain and concife: "I was directed," fays he, on my arrival in Africa, to pa's on to the river Niger either by the way of Bambouk, or by fuch other route as fhould be found moft convenient. That I should afcertain the courfe, and if poffible, the rife and termination of the river. That I should use my utmost exertions to vifit the principal towns or cities in its neighbourhood, particularly Tombustoo and Houffa; and that I should be afterwards at liberty to return to Europe, either by the way of Gambia, or by fuch other Aaa 2

route

route, as under all the then exifting circumstances of my situation and profpects fhould appear to me to be moft advife

able."

He accordingly failed from Portfmouth the 22d of May 1795. On the 4th of June faw the mountains over Mogadore on the coaft of Africa, and on the 21t of the fame month anchored at Jellifree on the northern bank of the river Gambia. On the 23d he departed from Jellifree and proceeded to Ventain, which he left the 26th, and in fix days reached Jonkakonda, where advice was fent to Dr. Laidley, to whom he had letters of credit, of his arrival. That gentleman haftened to him the following morning, and invited him to his houfe at Pifania, where he arrived the next day.

"Being now," fays he, "fettled fome time at my eafe, my first object was to learn the Mandingo tongue, being the language in almt general ufe throughout this part of Africa, and without which I was Fully convinced that I never could ac quire an extenfive knowledge of the country or its inhabitants. In this purfui: I was greatly affifted by Dr. Laidley, who by a long refidence in the country, and conftant refidence with the natives, had made himself completely mafter of it. Next to the language my great object was to collect information concerning the countries I intended to vifit. On this Occation I was referred to certain traders called Statees. Thefe are free black merchants, of great confideration in this part of Africa, who come down from the interior countries chiefly with enflaved Negroes for fale; but I foon difcovered that very little dependance could be placed on the accounts which they gave; for they contradicted each other in the most important particulars, and all of them feemed extremely unwilling that I fhould profecute my journey. Thefe circumtances increafed my anxiety to afcertain the truth from my own perfonal observa tions."

"In refearches of this kind, and in obferving the manners and customs of the natives in a country fo little known to the nations of Europe, and furnished with fo many ftriking and uncommon objects of nature, my time paffed not unpleasantly; and I began to atter my felf that I had efcaped the fever or feafoning, to which Europeans, on their first arrival in hot climates, are generally fubie&t. But on the 31st of July I imprudently expofed myfelf to the night dew, in obferving an eclipfe of the moon, with a view to de

In

termine the longitude of the place: the next day I found myself attacked with a fmart fever and delirium; and fuch an illness followed as confined me to the houfe during the greatest part of August. My recovery was very flow: but I embraced every fhort interval of convalescence to walk out, and make myfelt acquainted with the productions of the country one of those excurfions having rambled farther than ufual in a hot day, I brought on a return of my fever, and on the 10th of September I was again confined to my bed. The fever however was not fo violent as before; and in the course of three weeks I was able, when the weather would permit, to renew my botanical excurfions; and when it rained I amuted myfelf with drawing plants, &c. in my chamber The care and attention of Dr. Laidley contributed greatly to alleviate my fufferings; his company and conver fation beguiled the tedious hours during that gloomy feafon, when the rain falls in torrents; when fuffocating heats opprefs by day; and when the night is (pent by the terrified traveller in listening to the croaking of frogs (of which the numbers are beyond imagination), the shrill cry of the jackall, and the deep howling of the hyena: a difmal concert, interrupted only by the roar of fuch tremendous thunder as no perfon can form a conception of but those who have heard it.”

On the 2d of December 1795 he departed from the house of Dr. Laidley in order to purfue his journey, taking with him a negro fervant who spoke both English and Mandingo tongues, named Johnfon, a native of Africa, who in his youth had been conveyed to Jamaica as a flave, had been made free and taken to England by his master, where he had refided many years, and at length found his way back to his native country. He was alto provided with a negro boy named Demba, who was promifed his freedom on his return if he behaved well. He had alfo a horfe, and was accompanied by a freeman named Madiboo, who was traveling to the kingdom of Bambara, and two Statees or flave merchants of the Serawoolla nation, who offered their fervices as far as they were respectively to proceed, as did a negro named Tami re turning to his native country.

They were accompanied alfo by Dr. Laidley, Meffrs. Amfley, and a number of domeftics the two nrft days journey. On the 3d of December he took his leave of them and rode flowly into the woods. His fenfations at this moment are thus defcribed :

defcribed: "I had now before me a boundless foreft, and a country, the inhabitants of which were strangers to civilized life, and to moft of whom a white man was the object of curiosity or plunder. I reflected that I had parted from the latt European I might probably behold, and perhaps quitted for ever the comforts of Chriftian fociety. Thoughts like thefe would neceffarily caft a gloom over the mind, and I rode mufing along for about three miles, when I was awakened from my reverie by a body of people who came running up and ftopped the affes, giving me to understand that I must go with them to Peckaba to prefent myself to the King of Walli, or pay customs to them." With this demand, after fome attempts at explanation, he was obliged to comply.

:

On the 5th of December he reached Medina, the capital of the King of Walli's dominions, where he was received with great hofpitality and kind. nefs. He was preffed not to proceed in his journey, and warned of the danger he incurred. Thefe warnings, however, had no effect he took a farewell of the King, and on the 7th departed from Kon jour, and croffing the wildernefs arrived at Tallika, in the kingdom of Bondou. On December 14th he left Tallika, and on the 21ft entered Fatteconda, the capital of the fame kingdom, where he had more than one interview with the King. After fome delays, he was permitted to depart on his journey, and they took leave of each other in terms of friendship.

On the 24th of December he arrived at Joag, the frontier town of Kajaega, where he was ill-treated and robbed of half his effects by order of Batcheri, the King, and he was at the fame time ftrongly folicited by his companions to give up his journey, which it was alledged was too dangerous to be perfifted in. His fituation was critical and hazardous. He was kept without food, which it appeared impoffible to procure On this occafion he experienced the kindness of a female, whofe charity deferves particular notice.

"Towards evening," fays he, " as I was fitting upon the Bentang chewing

ftraws, an old female flave, paffing by with a basket upon her head, asked me if

I had got my dinner. As I thought the only laughed at me, I gave her no answer; but my boy, who was fitting close by, anfwer for me, and told her, that, the King's people had robbed me of all my money. On hearing this, the good wo man, with a lock of unaffected benevolence, immediately took the basket from her head, and fhewing me that it contained ground nuts, asked me if I could eat them. Being anfwered in the affirmative, fhe prevented me with a few handfuls, and walked away before I had time to thank her for this feasonable fupply. This trifling circumftance gave me peculiar fatisfaction. I reflected with pleature on the conduct of this poor untutored flave, who, without examining into my character or circumitances, liftened implicitly to the dictates of her own heart. Experience had taught her that hunger was painful, and her own diftreffes made her commiferate thofe of others."

From this diftreffed fituation he was relieved by a visit from Demba Sego, nephew of the King of Raffon, who offered t conduct him in fafety to that kingdom: an offer which he readily and gratefully accepted, and accordingly fet out on the 27th of December. On the 29th he came to Tulee, where he was detained fome time, and on the 10th of January 1796 left that place for Koniakary, which he reached the 14th. He was the next day admitted to an audience of the King, who he found well difpofed towards him, but full of doubts as to the truth of the motives affigned for his journey. On the rit of February he departed for Kemmo, and was received with great kindnets by the King of Kaarta, who advited him of the dangers he would be subject to from ourfuing his journey, on account of the approaching hottilities with the King of Bambara. ᎠᎥᏝ regarding this caution, he took the path to Ludamar, a Moorish kingdom, being accommodated with a guide to Jarra, the frontier town of the Moorish territories.

(To be continued.)

JAMES