acts according to his conception of objects, as tending to hap piness or mifery. Those who expect wild and ftupendous characters, or wonderful occurrences, as the expectation was not rational, will not be gratified. Thofe who confidered merely the object of the undertaking, the means to be employed, and the refult of their application, will be fully fatisfied. Mr. Park himself anticipates the probable difappointment of the former clafs. After having, in his preface, given a very modeft and brief account of the materials from which he compofed his work, and paid a juft tribute to the gentlemen who had affifted and promoted the publication, he concludes

"Thus aided and encouraged, I should deliver this volume to the world, with that confidence of a favourable reception, which no merits of my own could authorife me to claim, were I not apprehen five that expectations have been formed of difcoveries to be unfolded which I have not made, and of wonders to be related of which I am utterly ignorant. There is danger that thofe who feel a difappointment of this nature, finding lefs to aftonish and amufe in my book, than they had promised to themselves beforehand, will not even allow me the little merit which I really poffefs. Painful as this circumftance may prove to my feelings, I fhall confole myfelf under it, if the diftinguished perfons, under whofe aufpices I entered on my miffion, fhall allow that I have executed the duties of it to their fatisfaction, and that they confider the journal, which I have now the honour to prefent to them, to be, what I have endeavoured to make it, an honeft and faithful report of my proceedings and observations in their fervice, from the outfet of my journey to its termination."

In the narrative of Mr. Park, we find two great marks of authenticity. In the first place, that mixture of good and evil among all that he vifited, which providence appears to have allotted to all human beings. We meet with no states of fociety altogether perfect, nor altogether devoid of comfort and happiness. We fee the Negro, indolent and inert refpecting thofe wants that he can eáfily fupply; active and dexterous in providing for thofe of more difficulty; in agriculture, where the fertility of the foil renders production almoft fpontaneous, little of induftry or adventure, but perfevering and adventurous in hunting the elephant, the fource of the most profitable traffic. We find kindnefs, hofpitality, benevolence; we find cunning, covetoufness, refentment, hoftility, revenge; we find excellence and defect. The inhabitants of Africa, in their schemes of invention, and their conftituents of happiness, are very much beneath the Europeans. Influenced by a relaxing climate, by wild fanaticism, and depreffing fuperftition, without any ftores of imagery,

principles

principles of fcience, and comprehenfion of knowledge, they are very inferior to the enlightened inhabitants of Europe. Human nature, however, is effentially the fame in all climates and fituations. Its diverfities, from temporary and local caufes, Mr. Park has most ably and ftrongly marked. While his account exhibits, with its varieties, the uniformity of man's nature, and thus derives probability from the fubject of the narration, another argument in favour of its authenticity is to be found. in the mode and practice of the narrator. We meet with no boafting, no lions, or hyenas overcome by his prowess, no crouds of nymphs vanquished by his charms; we merely fee a bold, active, enterprifing, intelligent man, in untried fituations, and, in the ufual courfe of human operations, exerting the qualities of his body and mind, to extricate himself from difficulties, furmount obftacles, and attain his object; purfuing it until, in a great meafure, compaffed; and, when found no farther to be accomplished, defifting from the purfuit. From the character of the author, and the verifimilitude of the narration, we entertain no doubt that the whole and every part of what he alledges is true. The next fubject of confideration is, the importance of the truth thus known. In defcribing and eftimating the advantage that has arifen from his enquiries, it is neceffary to confider the object of his travels, their progress, and refult. In going over these heads, we fhall, occafionally, remark the degree of ability and force of mind difplayed by Mr. Park, and conclude with a general eftimate of the utility of the work, and the merit of the author.

Mr. Park, it appears, is a gentleman of the medical profethion, of good talents, improved by an education that enabled him to combine general views with particular details. In the courfe of profeffional induftry he had made a voyage to the Eaft-Indies on his return, he learned that the noblemen and gentlemen of the African Affociation were defirous of engaging a perfon to explore the interior part of Africa. Knowing Sir Jofeph Banks, he, through that gentleman, offered himfelf for the purpose. Of his motives and appointment, he gives the following account :

"I had been informed, that a gentleman of the name of Houghton, a Captain in the army, and formerly Fort-Major at Goree, had already failed to the Gambia, under the direction of the Affociation, and that there was reafon to apprehend he had fallen a facrifice to the climate, or perifhed in fome conteft with the natives; but this intelligence, inftead of deterring me from my purpose, animated met to perfift in the offer of my fervices with the greater folicitude. had a paffionate defire to examine into the productions of a country fo

I

little known, and to become experimentally acquainted with the modes of life, and character of the natives. I knew that I was able to bear fatigue; and I relied on my youth, and the strength of my conftitution, to preferve me from the effects of the climate. The falary which the committee allowed was fufficiently large, and I made no ftipulation for future reward. If I fhould perish in my journey, I was willing that my hopes and expectations fhould perish with me; and, if I fhould fucceed in rendering the geography of Africa more familiar to my countrymen, and in opening to their ambition and industry, new fources of wealth, and new channels of commerce, I knew that I was in the hands of men of honour, who would not fail to bestow that remuneration which my fuccefsful fervices should appear to them to merit. The committee of the Affociation, having made fuch enquiries as they thought neceffary, declared themselves fatisfied with the qualifications that I poffeffed, and accepted me for the fervice; and with that liberality which, on all occafions, diitinguishes their conduct, gave me every encouragement which it was in their power to give, or which I could, with propriety, afk. My inftructions were very plain and concife. I was directed, on my arrival in Africa, to pafs on to the river Niger, either by the way of Bambouk, or by fuch other route as should be found most con venient. That I should ascertain the courfe, and, if poffible, the rife and termination of that river: that I fhould ufe the utmoft exertions to visit the principal towns or cities in its neighbourhood, particularly Tombuctoo and Houffa; and that I fhould be, after wards, at liberty to return to Europe, either by the way of the Gambia, or by fuch other route as, under all the then exifting circumstances of my fituation and profpects, fhould appear to me to be the most advisable,"

Mr. Park failed, the 22d of May, 1795, from Portfmouth; on the 21ft of June they anchored at Jillifrie, on the northern bank of the Gambia, in his way to Pifania, to Dr. Laidley, a British gentleman, to whom he had been recommended by the African Affociation, and on whom he had a credit. At Pifania, he remained for feveral months, partly in expectation of a caravan, and partly detained by illnefs. While on the Gambia, he made general obfervations on the productions of the country, and the manners and cha racter of the inhabitants, which contain many curious particulars, and are comprehended in the fecond chapter. On the 2d of December he left the house of Dr. Laidley, without waiting for the caravan. Of his departure and retinue, he gives the following account :

"On the 2d of December, 1795, I took my departure from the hofpitable manfion of Dr. Laidley. I was fortunately provided with a Negro fervant, who fpoke both the English and Mandingo tongues.

His name was Johnson. He was a native of this part of Africa; and having in his youth been conveyed to Jamaica as a flave, he had been made free, and taken to England by his mafter, where he had refided many years, and, at length, found his way back to his native country. As he was known to Dr. Laidley, the Doctor recommended him to me, and I hired him as my interpreter, at the rate of ten bars monthly, to be paid to himfelf, and five bars a month to be paid to his wife, during his abfence. Dr. Laidley, furthermore, provided me with a Negro boy of his own, named Domba, a fprightly youth, who, befides Mandingo, fpoke the language of the Serawocklies, an inland people, (of whom mention will hereafter be made,) refiding on the banks of the Senegal; and to induce him to behave well, the Doctor promifed him his freedom on his return, in cafe I fhould report favourably of his fidelity and fervices. I was furnifhed with a horse for myself, (a small, but very hardy and spirited beaft, which cost me to the value of 71. 10s.) and two affes for my interpreter and fervant. My baggage was light, confifting chiefly of pro vifions for two days; and a fmall affortment of beads, amber, and tobacco, for the purchase of a fresh fupply, as I proceeded: a few changes of linen, and other neceffary apparel; an umbrella, a pocket fextant, a magnetic compass, and a thermometer; together with two fowling pieces, two pair of piftcis, and fome other fmall articles. A free man, (a Bufhreen, or Mahomedan,) named Madiboo, who was travelling to the kingdom of Bambavea, and two Slatees, or flavemerchants, of the Serawoolli nation, and of the fame fect, who were going to Bondou, offered their fervices as far as they intended, refpectively, to proceed; as did, likewife, a Negro, named Tami, (alfo a Mahomedan,) a native of Kaffon, who had been employed fome years by Dr. Laidley as a blackfmith, and was returning to his native country with the favings of his labours. All these men travelled on foot, driving their affes before them. Thus I had no lefs than fix attendants, all of whom had been taught to regard me with great refpect; and to confider, that their fafe return hereafter to the countries on the Gambia would depend on my prefervation."

The next day he took his leave of Dr. Laidley, who had accompanied him on his firft day's journey, and rode flowly into the woods :—

"I had now," fays he, "before me, a boundless foreft, and a country, the inhabitants of which were ftrangers to civilized life, and to most of whom a white man was the object of curiofity or plunder. I reflected that I had parted from the laft European I might probably behold, and, perhaps, quitted for ever the comforts of Chriftian fociety. Thoughts, like thefe, would neceffarily caft a gloom over the mind, and I rode, mufing along, for about three miles, when I was awakened from my reverie by a body of people, who come running up, and ftopped the affes, giving me to underftand that I must go with them to Peckaba, to prefent myfelf to the King of Walli, or pay cuftoms to them. I endeavoured to make

them

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them comprehend that the object of my journey not being traffic, I ought not to be subjected to a tax like the Slatees, and other mer chants, who travel for gain; but I reafoned to no purpose: they faid, it was ufual for travellers of all defcriptions, to make prefent to the King of Walli, and without doing fo, I could not be permitted to proceed. As they were more numerous than my attendants, and withal, very noify, I thought it prudent to comply with their demand; and having prefented them with four bars of tobacco, for the King's ufe, I was permitted to continue my journey, and, at fun-fet, reached a village near Kootacunda, where we rested for the night."

From Walli he proceeded to the kingdom of Woolli, where he was very kindly received by Jatta, the venerable monarch of the place, and made his majefty a prefent of three gallons of rum. Leaving the court of that Prince, and journeying eastward, an incident occurred, in itself trivial, but which gave occafion for illuftrating the fuperftition of the Africans :

"At Konjour,” (a village in the Woolli territory,) fays Mr. Park, I purchafed a fine fheep for fome beads, and my Serawoolli attendant killed it, with all the ceremonies prescribed by their religion : part of it was dreffed for fupper; after which, a difpute arofe Between one of the Serawoolli negroes, and Johnfon, my interpreter, about the fheep's horns. The former claimed the horns as his perquifite, for having acted the part of our butcher; and Johnson contefted the claim. I fettled the matter, by giving a horn to each of them. This trifling incident is mentioned as introductory to what follows; for it appeared, on enquiry, that these horns were highly valued, as being eafily convertible into portable sheaths, or cafes, for containing and keeping fecure, certain charms, or amulets, called faphies, which the Negroes conftantly wear about them. These faphies are prayers, or rather fentences, from the Koran, which the Mahomedan priests write on fcraps of paper, and fell to the fimple natives, who confider them to poffefs very extraordinary virtues. Some of the Negroes wear them, to guard themfelves against the bite of fnakes, or alligators; and, on this occafion, the faphie is commonly enclosed in a fnake, or alligator's fkin, and tied round the ancle. Others have recourfe to them in time of war, to protect their perfons against hoftile weapons; but the common ufe to which thefe amulets are applied, is to prevent, or cure, bodily difeafes; to preferve from hunger and thirft, and generally to conciliate the favour of fuperior powers, under all the circumstances and occurrences of life. In this cafe, it is impoffible not to admire the wonderful contagion of fuperftition; for, notwithstanding that the majority of the Negroes are Pagans, and abfolutely reject the doctrines of Mahomet, I did not meet with a man, whether a Bufhreen or Kafir, who was not fully perfuaded of the powerful efficacy of thefe amulets. The

NO. XV. VOL. IV.

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truth