Their ministers, image

pam

has been, "to conform where we can; to dissent only where we must." that they have seen something like the dawning of liberality in the minds of the clergy, have delighted to hail them as brethren. A snappish and intolerant phlet has sometimes appeared to annoy them, and provoking sarcasms and gross misrepresentations in some of the most popular literary journals have excited the smile of pity, and occasionally the sneer of contempt. So long have they been silent on the subject of their reasons for dissent, that their enemies almost believe they have none to urge. To repeated challenges from the high-mettled, wellfed sons of the hierarchy, who have endeavoured to divert their attention from the labour of doing good on the grand principle of universal charity, they have replied in the language of Nehemiah to the crafty Sanballat : T "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down; why should the work cease, whilst I leave it and come down to you?" But openly assailed as they now are in the Preface to the Velvet Cushion, and covertly wounded, misrepresented, and traduced in its subsequent pages, one of their number turns aside for a moment to shield and defend his brethren; to explain their views on the subject of religious liberty, and to exhibit their objections to incorporated secular establishments in general, and to the church of England in particular. A tone of independence well becomes a man who, in early life, claimed the privilege of thinking for himself, who was never shackled by subscription to human creeds, and who is awed by no authority but the Holy Book. Reason is his guide, but not his lord. Scripture is that voice of God which is full of majesty, and he must implicitly obey it. If the civil magistrate and the Bible issue contrary edicts, he pauses, he regrets the necessity imposed on him to make an election where he would be happy to acknowledge both; but at the suggestion of conscience he acts the part of a loyal subject to his Master in heaven, and his sovereign upon earth; "he renders unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's, and unto God the things that are God's."

We suspect that these letters proceed from the pen of a dissenting minister, and he will perceive by one word in this article that we guess at his real name: but, if he be a fair specimen of that "illiteracy" which the Cushion assigns to dissenting ministers, they must not be considered as contemptible adversaries; and it will be advisable in future to turn out none but men of sound learning and vigorous intellect to oppose them.

ART. XIII. The Journal of a Mission to the Interior of Africa, in the Year 1805, by Mungo Park. Together with other Docu ments, official and private, relating to the same Mission. To which is prefixed, An Account of the Life of Mr. Park. 4to. pp. 360. 11. 118. 6d. Boards. Murray. 1815.

Ex

XCEPTING the interior of the vast peninsula of Africa, every part of our globe has been explored. Travellers have crossed the southern, northern, and intermediate portions

of

of the extensive American Continent: but the central districts of Africa still remain a terra incognita. Reports of populous cities in this region have excited our curiosity: but no European has ever visited them; and we are acquainted with the names of rivers of which we know not either the source or the termi-. nation. Some of our old and steady readers, who have done us the honour of accompanying us through our now very protracted labours, may recollect our first notice of the commen dable efforts of the African Association, in the second volume of our New Series; where we applauded the zeal of this Society, so nobly displayed for the purpose of extending geographical knowlege, and gave an account of the labours and perils of Messrs. Ledyard and Lucas, who were first sent out in 1788 to attempt to penetrate into the interior districts of Africa. The result of their researches, and the proceedings of the Society, were printed in the year 1790: but the expectations of the public were more raised than gratified; Mr. Ledyard's progress having been arrested by death, while Mr. Lucas, who reached no farther than Mesurata, told us rather what was probably to be seen than what he actually saw. Still he related enough to convince the Association that their object was not to be abandoned, and that much might be brought to light by subsequent missions.

The public are therefore highly indebted to the Society for the perseverance with which they have prosecuted their object; and the spirited enterprises of Mr. Mungo Park, performed under their direction and patronage in the years 1795, 6,7, (see our account of his Travels, M. R. Vol xxix. N. S. p. 241.) excited a general interest in African discoveries, which his subsequent efforts and untimely fate have served not a little to increase. We shall not be satisfied till some European has visited the city of Tombuctoo, and actually ascertained how far the reports of its vast population and commerce are in unison with facts. Great preparations, indeed, are said to be making for an expedition to this central spot of the African Continent; but several years must elapse before we are made acquainted with its result. In the mean time, it will be some gratification to see how much has been accomplished, to peruse the short and imperfect notices of Mr. Park's last mission, and to sympathize with the country on the loss of a man who was so well fitted for the arduous task which was assigned to him. It must not, however, be concealed that the present volume, intended to meet, the wishes of the public, affords information far short of those ardent expectations which some have entertained yet it is something to have genuine documents laid before us; and we are obliged to the editor for the clear account of the materials of which it is composed.

The

1 The Advertisement states that

The original documents relating to Mr. Mungo Park's last mission into Africa having been entrusted to the Directors of the African Institution by the secretary of state for the colonial department, with liberty to publish them, in case they should deem it expedient; the Directors now avail themselves of this permission, by publishing the papers for the benefit of Mr. Park's family.

These documents, together with other papers furnished by Mr. Park's connections and friends, which also form a part of the present publication, consist of the following particulars:

1. The original journal of the expedition, officially transmitted by Mr. Park to the secretary of state; containing several of Mr. Park's drawings and sketches, illustrative of particular descriptions, which are copied in this publication.

2.

The journal, as translated from the Arabic language, in which it was originally composed, of Isaaco, a native African, commissioned in the year 1810, by the governor of Senegal, to go in search of Mr. Park and ascertain his fate; which journal was likewise officially transmitted to the secretary of state.

" 3. A memoir delivered by Mr. Park at the colonial office in the year 1804, relative to the plan and objects of the intended expedition into Africa; together with the official instructions which he received for his guidance and two letters addressed by him to the secretary of state, one written shortly after his arrival at the coast of Africa, and the other, at the time of transmitting his journal, previously to his final embarkation on the Niger.

4. Several private letters of Mr. Park, principally written during the time he was engaged in this mission; which, together with the documents included under the last-mentioned head, have been incorporated into the account of Mr. Park's Life, which is prefixed to the journal.

It has before been stated, that the official papers are published under the authority of the Directors of the African Institution. It may bė proper to add, that the individual, who has undertaken to prepare this work for the press, is alone responsible for the publi cation of the private letters, and for whatever else is contained in this volume, besides the official documents.

Of the papers before enumerated, the most important, and the only one which calls for any particular observation, is Mr. Park's own journal; respecting which, it may be necessary to apprize the reader that it was written without the slightest view to publication, being intended only (as he informed the secretary of state, by his letter of the 17th of November, 1805,)" to recall to his own recollection other particulars illustrative of the manners and customs of the natives, which would have swelled the communication to a most unreasonable size." The work, therefore, which is now submitted to the public, can be considered in no other light than as the mere outline of a much more extended and detailed narrative, which it was the au

thor's intention to prepare for the press after his return to England.'

It is concluded by the editor that, though this journal is but a very unfinished sketch, it bears strong internal marks of

truth

truth and fidelity, contains several interesting particulars not hitherto known, and affords a clear conception of the process of an African journey; and that therefore many will be found who will feel thankful for its publication. We shall furnish our readers with several extracts from it, by which they may appreciate its value: but we must first attend to the prefatory matter, which comes before us in the shape of a life of Mr. Park; and which, being augmented by appendices and digressions, has assumed a bulk for which the editor makes an apology. By this Memoir, we learn that

Mungo Park was born on the 10th of September 1771, at Fowlshiels, a farm occupied by his father, under the Duke of Buccleugh, on the banks of the Yarrow, not far from the town of Selkirk. His father, who bore the same name, was a respectable yeoman of Ettrick Forest. His mother, who is still living, is the daughter of the late Mr. John Hislop, of Tennis, a few miles higher up on the same river. The subject of this Memoir was the seventh child, and third son of the family, which consisted of thirteen children, eight of whom attained to years of maturity.

Prior to the time of Mungo Park's birth, the father had for many years practised farming with assiduity and success on the estate at Fowlshiels, where he died in 1792, after a long and exemplary life, at the age of seventy-seven.'

After having received the first rudiments of education in his father's family, Mungo Park was in due time removed to the grammar-school at Selkirk, where he remained a considerable number of years. He had shewn a great love of reading from his childhood, and was indefatigable in his application at school, where he was much distinguished, and always at the head of his class. Even at that early age he was remarked 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.

It was the original intention of Park's father to educate him for the Scottish church, for which he appeared to be well fitted by his studious habits and the serious turn of his mind; but, his son having made choice of the medical profession, he was readily in duced to acquiesce. In consequence of this determination, Mungo Park was bound apprentice at the age of fifteen to Mr. Thomas Anderson, a respectable surgeon in Selkirk, with whom he resided three years; continuing, at the same time, to pursue his classical studies and to attend occasionally at the grammar-school. In the year 1789, he quitted Mr. Anderson, and removed to the University of Edinburgh, where he pursued the course which is common to medical students, and attended the usual Lectures during three successive sessions.".

After having completed his studies at Edinburgh, Park removed to London in search of some medical employment. In this pursuit he was much assisted by his relation Mr. Dickson, to whom he had

before

before been indebted in his botanical studies. By his means Park was now introduced to Sir Joseph Banks: whose interest or recommendation shortly afterwards procured for him the appointment of nt of assistant-surgeon to the Worcester East Indiaman.'

In consequence of the appointment which Mungo Park had obtained as surgeon in the East India Company's service, by the interest of Sir Joseph Banks, he sailed for the East Indies in the Worcester in the month of February, 1792; and having made a voyage to Bencoolen, in the island of Sumatra, returned to England in the following year.'

Mr. Park having a taste for natural history, as well as a passion for travelling, his attention was attracted by the proceedings of the African Association; and through Sir Joseph Banks he offered his services, which were accepted. From this moment, he may be said to date his public career.

Having received his final instructions from the African Asso ciation, he set sail from Portsmouth on the 22d of May, 1795, on board the Endeavour, an African trader, bound for the Gambia, where he arrived on the 21st of the following month.

Landing on the 21st of June at Jillifree, a small town near the mouth of the river Gambia, he proceeded shortly afterwards to Pisania, a British factory about 200 miles up the same river, where he arrived on the 5th of July, and was most hospitably received by Dr. Laidley, a gentleman who had resided many years at that settlement. He remained at Dr. Laidley's house for several months in order to learn the Mandingo language, which is in general use throughout that part of Africa, and also to collect information concerning the countries he intended to visit. During two of these months he was confined by a severe fever, caught by imprudently exposing himself during the rainy season.

He left Pisania on the 2dof December, 1795, directing his course easterly, with a view of proceeding to the river Joliba, or Niger. But in consequence of a war between two sovereigns in the interior he was obliged, after he had made some progress, to take a northerly direction towards the territory of the Moors. He arrived at Jarra, the frontier town of that country, on the 18th of February, 1796. Pursuing his journey from thence, he was taken and detained as a prisoner, by Ali, the chieftain or king of that territory, on the 7th of March; and after a long captivity and a series of unexampled hardships, escaped at last with great difficulty early in the month of July.

The period was now approaching when he was to receive some compensation for so many sufferings. After wandering in great misery for about three weeks through the African wilderness, he arrived at Sego, the capital of Bambarra, a city which is said to contain thirty thousand inhabitants. He was gratified at the same time by the first sight of the Niger, the great object of his journey;> and ascertained the extraordinary fact, that its course is from west to east.'

REV. SEPT. 1815.

F

The