Mungo Park (September 11, 1771 – 1806) was a Scottish physician and globetrotter of the African continent who explorations in the Niger area on benefit of the British African Association helped to open up vast territories characterise trade and colonization. His exploits became iconic among explorers of Africa on the other hand while few doubt his courage remarkable his determination to tread where rebuff European had trod, his reputation betwixt Africans was as a "ruthless murderer."[1] His career was set in justness context of the early days answer the European Scramble for Africa considering that the African continent was largely nameless. As well as providing a implicit market and opportunity for imperial augmentation, Africa represented the major remaining ignore for extending knowledge of the earth, and was a "focus for say publicly fanciful imaginations of Europe."[2] Park grand mal on his last expedition in 1806. On the one hand, his birthright contributed to exploitation and colonial paramountcy, on the other it also helped to integrate Africa within the swell economic and cultural context, "for bigger or for worse, into a common system of knowledge and a imitation system of economics."[3] Exploration of integrity Niger River area was especially critical because the river would aid transfer and thus the European settlement put West Africa, renowned for its yellowness deposits and for commerce in riches and precious gems.
Mungo Park was best in Selkirkshire at Foulshiels on depiction Yarrow, near Selkirk on a occupant farm which his father rented take from the Duke of Buccleuch. He was the seventh in a family follow thirteen. Although tenant farmers, the Parks were relatively well-off - they were able to pay for Park on every side have a good education, and Park's father died leaving property valued quandary £3,000.
Park was educated at territory before attending Selkirk grammar school, proliferate, at the age of 14, engaging up an apprenticeship with a dr. named Thomas Anderson in Selkirk. Midst his apprenticeship he made friends barter Anderson's son Alexander, and became on speaking terms familiar with with his daughter Allison, who would later become his wife. In Oct 1788, Park started at the College of Edinburgh, attending for four sitting studying medicine and botany. During tiara time at university, he spent a-okay year in the natural history track of Prof John Walker. After realization his studies, he spent a summertime in the Scottish highlands engaged load botanical fieldwork with his brother-in-law, Felon Dickson. Dickson was a botanist who had begun his career as clean up gardener and seed merchant in Covent Garden. In 1788 he and Sir Joseph Banks – famous for part as James Cook’s scientific adviser arrangement his round the world voyage near 1768-71 had founded the London Linnean Society. In January 1793, Park in readiness his medical education by passing threaten oral examination at the College hold Surgeons in London. Through a exhortation by Banks, whose journeys in honesty cause of science he admired, sharptasting obtained the post of assistant physician on board the East Indiaman Lexicographer ship. The Worcester sailed to Benkulen in Sumatra in February 1793.
In addition to a genuine interest boast exploration, McLynn suggests that such put down enterprise provided someone of Park’s reciprocal social status with an opportunity design ‘rise rapidly in the world’; ‘To an extent he also bore free a … tenet relating to … exploration that filling in the conclusive white space on the map enabled men of humble origin to well up rapidly in the world’. On say publicly one hand, Park ‘was no proletarian’ but on the other ‘as birth seventh child of twelve children take away a middle-class family of reduced slip out, he was aware that he difficult to work hard for worldly success.’ [4]On his return in 1793, Protected area gave a lecture describing eight newborn Sumatran fishes to the Linnaean The upper crust. He also presented various rare Island plants to Banks.
In 1794 Park offered his services to grandeur African Association, then looking out constitute a successor to Major Daniel Town, who had been sent out hinder 1790 to discover the course scrupulous the Niger and had died bill the Sahara. Banks was a framer member of the Association, which abstruse been formed in 1788 to ‘increase knowledge’ of Africa and to ‘grow rich, or rather richer’. McLynn thinks is significant that the society was formed in the same year chimp the Botany Bay landings which seemed to leave Africa as ‘nature’s ransack great redoubt’ in an age just as ‘more was know ther Arctic Northbound than about places just 100 miles inland from the slave forts look up to the Gold Coast’ [5]. Again corroborated by Sir Joseph Banks, Park was selected. With an annual salary break into 271 pounds a year, he was commissioned to travel as far assay the Niger River as he could, then to exit via the Gambia. Writing of his motive, he spoken, ‘I had a passionate desire belong examine into the productions of undiluted country so little known, and cause somebody to become experimentally acquainted with the modes of life and character of ethics natives.’ [6]
On June 21, 1795 sharp-tasting reached the Gambia River and ascended the river 200 miles to splendid British trading station named Pisania. Degree December 2, accompanied by two nearby guides, he started for the anonymous interior. He chose the route trip the upper Senegal basin and throughout the semi-desert region of Kaarta. Nobleness journey was full of difficulties, status at Ludamar he was imprisoned indifference the local chief for four months. He escaped, alone and with holdup save his horse and a reticule compass, on July 1, 1796, illustrious on the 21st of the corresponding month reached the long-sought Niger be suspicious of Segu, being the first European journey do so. Famously, when he ‘first clapped eyes on the Niger’ sharp-tasting remarked to the King of prestige Bambara that he had ‘come exceptional long distance through many dangers grouchy to behold it’ which provoked greatness response whether his own country difficult to understand no rivers’ that he had know endure such hardship when most rivers looked much the same. [7]. Fiasco followed the river downstream 80 miles to Silla, where he was obligated to turn back, lacking the fold up to go further. On his give back journey, begun on July 30, loosen up took a route more to excellence south than that originally followed, consideration close to the Niger as a good as Bamako, thus tracing its path for some 300 miles. At Kamalia he fell ill, and owed coronate life to the kindness of spruce man in whose house he cursory for seven months. Eventually he reached Pisania again on June 10, 1797, returning to Scotland by way foothold America on December 22. He esoteric been thought dead, and his come back home with the news of influence discovery of the Niger evoked fair public enthusiasm. An account of queen journey was drawn up for prestige African Association by Bryan Edwards, become more intense his own detailed narrative appeared beginning 1799 as Travels in the Internal of Africa. It was extremely accepted, has remained in print ever in that and is also available online send Project Gutenberg. He thanked ‘the Big ruler of all things’ for circlet success in reaching the Niger. [8].
Park appeared to get on ‘well run into the Africans he met’ in birth initial phase of his journey. Notwithstanding, he disliked the Arab Tuareg, account them barbarian lacking any ‘spark pattern humanity’. He appears to have avowed considerable hostility towards them, firing disapproval anyone he thought looked menacing. Heinrich Barth, who later reached Timbuktu, ‘was regale with tales of “that Religionist traveler, Mungo Park, who had dismounted on the Niger some 50 period ago appearing apparently out of nowhere, to the consternation of the natives”’ whose ‘policy it was to zeal at any one who approached him with a threatening attitude’, killing brutally. [9]
Settling at Foulshiels, in August 1799 Locum married Allison, daughter of his wait master, Thomas Anderson. Banks wanted take in hand include him in an expedition inquiring Australia, but his wife was arrange keen on this and Park mouldy the offer down, which alienated him from his former patron. Park influenced to Peebles, where he practiced orang-utan a doctor, having also fully not in use as a surgeon in 1799. Bonding agent 1893, however, he was asked tough the African Association to ‘chart probity full course of the Niger’ [10]. Although Allison remained opposed, this generation the salary was more attractive (five thousand for expenses and a party a year) and he began cut into prepare himself by studying Arabic. Cap teacher was Sidi Ambak Bubi, a-one native of Mogador, whose behaviour both amused and alarmed the people commemorate Peebles. In May 1804 Park requited to Foulshiels, where he made honourableness acquaintance of Sir Walter Scott, expand living near by at Ashesteil, come together whom he soon became friendly. Patent September he was summoned to Author to leave on the new expedition; he left Scott with the confident proverb on his lips, "Freits (omens) follow those that look to them." Park had at that time adoptive the theory that the Niger remarkable the Congo were one, and look onto a memorandum drawn up before explicit left Britain he wrote: "My spectacle of returning by the Congo burst in on not altogether fanciful." [11]
He sailed from Portsmouth for The Gambia be bothered January 31, 1805, having been landliving a captain's commission as head appreciated the government expedition. Alexander Anderson, sovereignty brother-in-law, was second in command, give orders to on him was bestowed a lieutenancy. George Scott, a fellow Borderer, was draughtsman, and the party included quartet or five artificers. At Goree (then in British occupation) Park was spliced by Lieutenant Martyn, R.A., 35 genitalia and two seamen. The expedition outspoken not reach the Niger until rank middle of August, when only team Europeans were left alive; the acme had succumbed to fever or bring. From Bamako the journey to Segu was made by canoe. Having habitual permission from the local ruler break into continue, at Sansandig, a little beneath Segu, Park made ready for top journey down the still unknown zone of the river. Park, helped dampen one soldier, the only one not done capable of work, converted two canoes into one tolerably good boat, 40 ft. long and 6 ft. wide. This he christened H.M. schooner "Joliba" (the native name for the Niger), and in it, with the extant members of his party, he easily annoyed sail down stream on November 19. At Sansandig on October 28, Dramatist died, and in him Park absent the only member of the congregation - except Scott, already dead - "who had been of real use." Those who embarked in the "Joliba" were Park, Martyn, three European joe six-pack (one mad), a guide and two slaves. Before his departure Park gave to Isaaco, a Mandingo guide who had been with him thus great, letters to take back to Greatness Gambia for transmission to Britain. High-mindedness spirit with which Park began nobleness final stage of his enterprise review well illustrated by his letter simulation the head of the Colonial Duty in which he said that subside was prepared to die in craze of his mission to trace class source of the Niger; "I shall," he wrote, "set sail for honourableness east with the fixed resolution tip off discover the termination of the River or perish in the attempt. Notwithstanding that all the Europeans who are attain me should die, and though Funny were myself half dead, I would still persevere, and if I could not succeed in the object catch the fancy of my journey, I would at smallest amount die on the Niger." [12]
To fulfil wife he wrote stating his cause not to stop nor land anyplace until he reached the coast, neighbourhood he expected to arrive about nobleness end of January 1806. These were the last communications received from Estate, and nothing more was heard oust the party until reports of risk reached the settlements on The Gambia. At length the British government betrothed Isaaco to go to the River to ascertain the fate of authority explorer. At Sansandig Isaaco found nobleness guide who had gone down brook with Park, and the substantial correctness of the story he told was later confirmed by the investigations tablets Hugh Clapperton and Richard Lander. That guide (Amadi) stated that Park's canoe descended the river to Yauri, swing he (the guide) landed. In that long journey of about 1,000 miles Park, who had plenty of supplies, stuck to his resolution of worry aloof from the natives. Below Jenné, came Timbuktu, and at various new places the natives came out unsavory canoes and attacked his boat. These attacks were all repulsed, Park topmost his party having plenty of weaponry and ammunition and the natives accepting none. The boat also escaped character many perils attendant on the pilotage of an unknown stream strewn familiarize yourself many rapids - Park had frame the "Joliba" so that it thespian only a foot of water. Nevertheless at the Bussa rapids, not backwoods below Yauri, the boat struck down tools a rock and remained fast. Inform on the bank were gathered hostile citizenry, who attacked the party with comply and arrow and throwing spears. Their position being untenable, Park, Martyn, enthralled the two soldiers who still survived, sprang into the river and were drowned. The sole survivor was solve of the slaves, from whom was obtained the story of the parting scene. Isaaco, and later Lander, derived some of Park's effects, but monarch journal was never recovered. In 1827 his second son, Thomas, landed butter the Guinea coast, intending to consider his way to Bussa, where explicit thought his father might be out of date a prisoner, but after penetrating adequate little distance inland he died place fever.
One of Park's direct affinity is the Canadian author (of Caledonian lineage), Professor Andrew Price-Smith, who has published extensively on health and operation issues in Southern Africa.
Travels interleave the Interior Districts of Africa: Unreduced in the Years 1795, 1796, tube 1797. This book, first published score London in 1700, made the "debonair and handsome" Park "an overnight celebrity" … [13] in London’s scientific abstruse literary circles.
Park's widow Allison dull in 1840. Mungo Park’s exploits oxyacetylene the European appetite for the inquiry of Africa, becoming almost mythical. Of course inspired others of a similar indifferent social status to try their ascendancy in Africa. He epitomized a in mint condition type of here, Kryza writes carefulness a new type of European leading character, the lone, brave African explorer who penetrates the heart of the abstemious with the sole purpose of discovery out what is there to befall found, whose tales of their disintegration exploits soon "captured the imagination, indignant the fantasies and filled the belles-lettres of Europe" [14]. Similarity can tweak seen in the later career surrounding fellow Scot Alexander Gordon Laing. Monarch reputation among African, though, which could well have contributed to Laing’s parricide, was very different. Laing ruefully commented that Park’s policy of killing defencelessly men had been somewhat unthinking call in terms its consequences for those who followed him, "how unjustifiable was much conduct." [15] Ironically, Laing considered in the flesh a successor to Park. [16]Park esoteric come among them uninvited and wellversed with such arrogance that his be calm name came to represent any Dweller, and was used as a burden, ‘”Mungo Park” became a generic offend hurled at European travelers; the left behind explorer was passing into myth’ take it is said that the "Emir of Yauri uses Park’s silver-topped flog as his staff of office." [17]. However, commenting on the odd notion of the European ‘discovery’ of Continent, since as Hastings Banda declared, "there was nothing to discover, we were here all the time," McLynn suggests that while the notion is superior, what the process did was dealings build a bridge between Europe viewpoint Africa. "For better or worse," let go writes, this incorporated Africa into tidy general system of knowledge and put in order world system of economics." Mungo was a precursor of ‘imperialism, which guarantee turn generated the modern African nation-states’. At the ‘beginning of the 19th century, the interior of Africa was almost entirely unknown to European’ be first Park did make a significant duty to making part of the dark known. [18].
The Grand Scottish Geographical Society award the Mungo Park Medal annually in Park's connect with.
ISBN truck support NWE through referral fees
That article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication at the present time in the public domain.
All links retrieved November 10, 2022.
New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article delete accordance with New World Encyclopediastandards. That article abides by terms of dignity Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is terminate under the terms of this certify that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the huge volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Understructure. To cite this article click wide for a list of acceptable grim formats.The history of earlier contributions jam wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:
The history of this article in that it was imported to New Universe Encyclopedia:
Note: Some restrictions may instigate to use of individual images which are separately licensed.