He Had Married, Not Long Before, A
Pretty, Amiable Woman; And When They Reached The _William Hope Ridge_,
"The Autumnal
Mist floating heavily and slowly down the valley of the
Yarrow," presented to Scott's imagination "a striking emblem of the
Troubled and uncertain prospect which his undertaking afforded." He
remained, however, unshaken; and at length they reached the spot at which
they had agreed to separate. A small ditch divided the moor from the
road, and, in going over it, Park's horse stumbled, and nearly fell. "I
am afraid, Mungo," said the Sheriff, "that is a bad omen." To which he
answered, smiling, "_Freits_ (omens) follow those who look to them." With
this expression Mungo struck the spurs into his horse, and Scott never
saw him again. His parting proverb, by the way, was probably suggested by
one of the Border ballads, in which species of lore he was almost as
great a proficient as the Sheriff himself; for we read in "Edom o'
Gordon," - "Them look to freits, my master dear. Then freits will follow
them."[26]
[26] Lockhart's Life of Scott, Vol. II.
In the beginning of September, Park received the summons from the
Colonial Office, and had a satisfactory interview with Lord Camden. He
had previously, at Lord Camden's request, given in to him a memorial,
comprising a statement of his views concerning the objects of the
expedition, the means which he would require for his purpose, and the
manner in which the plans of Government were to be carried into
execution. The object of his journey. Park stated to be the extension of
British commerce, and the enlargement of geographical knowledge;
particular attention was to be paid to the state of the interior, the
course of the Niger, and the character and situation of the towns upon
its banks. The means Park requested were thirty European soldiers, six
carpenters, fifteen or twenty Goree negroes, fifty asses, and six horses
or mules. Each man was to be provided with gun, pistols, and suitable
clothing. He gave in also a list of other articles which he required,
comprising harness and equipments for the asses, carpenters tools, and
cordage, with other stores, for building two boats of forty feet length,
to sail down the Niger, and a number of articles of commerce to procure
supplies from the natives, and for presents to their chiefs, such as
coloured cloth, amber, gold, and glass beads, arms and ammunition,
mirrors, knives, scissors, &c. Park's proposed route was to proceed up
the Gambia, cross the country to the Niger, when they were to sail down
the river till they came to its termination. If, as Park supposed, in
place of being lost, according to Major Rennel's theory, in some
imaginary lake called Margara, it took a southerly direction, and might
prove to be the river Congo; it was his intention to embark on board some
slave-ship, and return, either by the way of St. Helena or the West
Indies. Major Rennel earnestly advised Park against the expedition, but
without success, and indeed, upon the Major's theory, the plan was
utterly impracticable.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 215 of 282
Words from 112831 to 113349
of 148366
