This He Obtained
Through The Instrumentality Of A Poule, Who Bribed One Of The King's
Female Slaves To Steal It For Him.
When Isaaco's narrative first reached this country, many of its
statements were thought to be unwarranted by facts; but his veracity has
been fully proved by the researches of subsequent travellers.
The
accuracy of his account of the spot where the melancholy catastrophe took
place is acknowledged by Captain Clapperton, who, in 1826, visited
Boussa. With some difficulty he drew from the natives an account of the
circumstances, which, however, they ascribed to the men of Boussa,
supposing Park to be a chief of the Felatahs, who had made a hostile
incursion into Soudan, and whom they shortly expected to attack
themselves. In 1830, John and Richard Lander saw the place, and thus
described it; "On our arrival at this formidable place, we discovered a
range of black rocks running directly across the stream, and the water,
finding only one narrow passage, rushed through it with great
impetuosity, overturning and carrying away every thing in its course."
They also discovered a _tohe_ or cloak, a cutlass, a double-barrelled
gun, a book of logarithms, and an invitation-card, which had belonged to
Park. They heard at one time that his journal was still in existence; but
it turned out that this was only a feint used by the king of Yaour to
entice them into his dominions, and fleece them of some of their
property; and there appeared no reason to doubt that the journal, the
loss of which there is much reason to regret, sunk in the waters of the
Niger.
It seems unnecessary to enter into a lengthened estimate of the character
of Mungo Park. The biographical details which we have given, with his own
narrative of his first expedition, and the summary of the leading events
of his second, will have sufficiently enabled our readers to judge for
themselves. But we cannot quit the subject without a few brief remarks,
having frequently, while writing these pages, had our attention called
off from the events themselves to him who was the principal actor in
them. Amongst the numerous adventurers whose spirit of research has led
them into unknown countries, it would be difficult to find one better
qualified in every way than Park was. His frame was admirably adapted for
enduring toil. He was tall and muscular, and possessed great strength and
agility. In his first African journey he traversed three thousand miles,
for the most part on foot, through an unknown and barbarous country,
exposed to continued unremitting toil, to the perils of the way, to
storm, hunger, pestilence, and the attacks of wild beasts and savage
natives, supported by a dauntless spirit, and by a fortitude which never
forsook him. Amply did he possess the indispensable qualities of a
traveller, keenness of observation, mental energy, unflinching
perseverance, an ardent temperament, corrected and restrained by a cool
and sagacious judgment. Amid danger and disaster his character shone with
great lustre. It only remains to be added, that he was an exemplary model
in his faithful discharge of all the relative duties - a good son,
husband, and parent.
We entirely concur in the following observations of a writer in the
Edinburgh Review: "We bid a mournful farewell to the sufferings and
exploits of this illustrious man; - sufferings borne with an unaffected
cheerfulness of magnanimity, which must both exalt and endear him to all
who are capable of being touched with what is generous and noble in
character, - and exploits performed with a mildness and modesty and
kindness of nature, not less admirable than the heroic firmness and
ardour with which they were conjoined. In Mungo Park, we are not afraid
to say, that the world lost a great man - one who was well qualified, and
indeed has been, one of its benefactors. His travels are interesting, not
merely to those who care about Africa, or the great schemes to his zeal
for which he fell a martyr, but to all who take delight in the spectacle
of unbounded courage and heroic ardour, unalloyed with any taint of
ferocity, selfishness, or bigotry."
Park left behind him three sons and a daughter. Mungo, the eldest, became
an assistant-surgeon in India, and soon after died. Thomas, the second,
resembled his father both in appearance and disposition, and early
cherished the intention of obtaining certain information as to his
father's fate. He was a midshipman on board the Sybille; and having
obtained permission from the Lords of the Admiralty, set out on an
expedition into the interior. He landed at Acra in June 1827; but arrived
there only to die. Archibald, the youngest son, is a lieutenant in the
Bengal service. Park's daughter is the wife of Henry Wetter Meredith,
Esq. of Pentry-Bichen, Denbighshire. Park's widow is still living.
The following beautiful tribute to Mungo Park's memory appeared in
Blackwood's Magazine: -
_The Negro's Lament for Mungo Park_.
1.
Where the wild Joliba
Rolls his deep waters,
Sate at their evening toil
Afric's dark daughters:
Where the thick mangroves
Broad shadows were flinging,
Each o'er her lone loom
Bent mournfully singing -
"Alas! for the white man! o'er deserts a ranger,
No more shall we welcome the white-bosomed stranger!
2.
"Through the deep forest
Fierce lions are prowling;
'Mid thickets entangling,
Hyenas are howling;
There should he wander,
Where danger lurks ever;
To his home, where the sun sets,
Return shall he never.
Alas! for the white man! o'er deserts a ranger,
No more shall we welcome the white-bosomed stranger!
3.
"The hands of the Moor
In his wrath do they bind him?
Oh! sealed is his doom
If the savage Moor find him.
More fierce than hyenas,
Through darkness advancing,
Is the curse of the Moor,
And his eyes fiery glancing!
Alas! for the white man! o'er deserts a ranger,
No more shall we welcome the white-bosomed stranger!
4.
"A voice from the desert!
My wilds do not hold him;
Pale thirst doth not rack,
Nor the sand-storm enfold him.
The death-gale pass'd by
And his breath failed to smother,
Yet ne'er shall he wake
To the voice of his mother
Alas!
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