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The Journal of a Mission to the Interior of Africa, in the Year 1805 By: Mungo Park (1771-1806) |
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IN THE YEAR 1805 Together with Other Documents, Official And Private, Relating To The Same Mission, to Which Is Prefixed an Account of the Life off Mr. Park. BY MUNGO PARK Edited and Commentary by John Whishaw
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 be
proper to add, that the individual, who has undertaken to prepare this
work for the press, is alone responsible for the publication 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 author's intention to prepare for
the press after his return to England. A work, thus imperfect, and which the unfortunate fate of its author has
prevented from being brought to a completion, is entitled to peculiar
indulgence; and if those allowances are made, which candour and justice
require, the editor confidently hopes, that Mr. Park's Journal will not
disappoint the public expectation. It will be found to contain several
interesting particulars concerning Africa, not hitherto known, and to
illustrate and confirm, in various material respects, some of the most
important discoveries communicated in Mr. Park's former Travels. It
bears strong internal marks of truth and fidelity; and, perhaps, the
very nakedness and simplicity of its descriptions and its minute details
of petty circumstances, may be thought by some readers to convey a more
accurate and distinct conception of the process of an African journey,
and of the difficulties with which such expeditions are attended, than a
more elaborate and polished narrative... Continue reading book >>
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