VARIOUS ADVENTURERS 151 



Ample lists of the men and animals required, their 

 articles of dress and equipage; means for building two 

 boats for use on the river Niger ; and a list of various 

 articles for merchandise and barter. 



A brief programme of his intended movements, with 

 suitable speculations as to the course of his route. 



At the last moment, it was within the bounds of 

 possibility that the enterprise would be relinquished. In 

 conference with Major Rennell, 1 between whom and 

 Mungo Park a warm friendship had arisen, the difficulties 

 and the hazards attending upon it were so vividly shown, 

 that Park was almost persuaded to withdraw from the 

 undertaking. But when he was again alone, his en- 

 thusiasm revived. He found other persons in London 

 who disapproved, but he faltered no longer. There was 

 Sir Joseph Banks, fully as conscious as anybody of the 

 dangers of the expedition, " one of the most hazardous 

 ever undertaken," to remind him of the important objects 

 in view, without trying to minimize the certain dangers 

 which must be encountered. 



On January 30, 1805, the Crescent sailed from Ports- 

 mouth having on board Park and his friends. These were 

 Alexander Anderson, his brother-in-law, and George Scott, 

 a draughtsman. The soldiers and bearers were to be sup- 

 plied from the little garrison at Goree. In due time, the 

 party reached Pisania, far up the river Gambia, whence 

 Park had started ten years before. From this place he 

 wrote (May 28) to Sir Joseph Banks with a short account 

 of his movements ; and to his wife, in very cheerful 



1 Major James Rennell was a close friend of Banks, and a lively 

 correspondent. He returned to England in 1782, after a glorious period 

 of service in the East ; and at once became a distinguished member of 

 the scientific world. Admiral Markham justly remarks of him that he 

 " was the greatest geographer that Great Britain has yet produced." 

 The maps of Africa, and especially those prepared for the illustration of 

 Park's travels, were the first to put the geography of that continent into 

 intelligible shape. He died in 1830. 



