Mungo Park, a Scottish surgeon and explorer, was sent out by the 'Association for Promoting the Discovery of the Interior of Africa' after Major Houghton failed to return, to discover the if the River Niger was a tributary of either the river Senegal or Gambia in South Africa. This is the story of his first trip. The journey had many challenges, such as language, religions, imprisonment and robbery. Most of the trip he had nothing but his tattered clothes, a horse, a pocket compass and his hat where he kept his notes. After first following the Gambia River, he finally was the first European to reached the Niger River at Ségou. He continued along the Niger another 80 miles to Silla, where he had to turn around as he had no way of continuing without procuring more supplies. He then returned to England by boat, via America.
one of them, perceiving I was a stranger, inquired whither
I was going. I told her I was going for Sego, but being benighted
on the road, I wished to stay at the village until morning, and begged
she would acquaint the dooty with my situation. In a little time
the dooty sent for me, and permitted me to sleep in a large baloon.
August 13. - About ten o’clock I reached a small village
within half a mile of Sego, where I endeavoured, but in vain, to procure
some provisions. Every one seemed anxious to avoid me; and I can
plainly perceive, by the looks and behaviour of the inhabitants, that
some very unfavourable accounts had been circulated concerning me.
I was again informed that Mansong had sent people to apprehend me, and
the dooty’s son told me I had no time to lose if I wished to get
safe out of Bambarra. I now fully saw the danger of my situation,
and determined to avoid Sego altogether. I accordingly mounted
my horse, and taking the road for Diggani, travelled as fast as I could
till I was out of sight of the villagers, when I struck to the westward,
through high grass and swampy ground. About noon I stopped under
a tree to consider what course to take, for I had now no doubt that
the Moors and slatees had misinformed the king respecting the object
of my mission, and that people were absolutely in search of me to convey
me a prisoner to Sego. Sometimes I had thoughts of swimming my
horse across the Niger, and going to the southward for Cape Coast, but
reflecting that I had ten days to travel before I should reach Kong,
and afterwards an extensive country to traverse, inhabited by various
nations with whose language and manners I was totally unacquainted,
I relinquished this scheme, and judged that I should better answer the
purpose of my mission by proceeding to the westward along the Niger,
endeavouring to ascertain how far the river was navigable in that direction.
Having resolve
