302 Mungo Park. By H. S. Anderson, M.D. 



accompanied by several friends, amongst whom were his own 

 brother-in-law Dr. Alexander Anderson and Mr George Scott of 

 Singlie, and with a band of 30 soldiers, he started on his second 

 Mission to Africa in January, 1805. He again set out for the 

 Niger, which he reached in about six months ; but the journey 

 being made in the rainy and unhealthy season, most of the 

 soldiers died as also his two friends Anderson and Scott. With 

 the few left he eml>arked on the long looked for river, but was 

 soon attacked by natives, and after defending himself nobly was 

 either killed or drowned. 



His fate was for some time very uncprtain, and though a 

 tolerably correct account came to this country, his widow and 

 family longed and hoped for his return for many a day. 



Thus perished Mungo Park, a hero of "The Forest," and a hero 

 to all who have read his Journal ; one whose enterprising spirit, 

 calm fortitude and unshaken perseverance few travellers have 

 equalled, none surpassed. His experience and example may 

 have stimulated aud encouraged others. He led the van, and 

 although many have since followed, and great strides have been 

 made in our knowledge of the great Continent of Africa since 

 his day, still much is due to Mungo Park ; and the inhabitants 

 of " The Forest " and of Selkirk have shown their appreciation 

 of the man. by the handsome monument erected in their street 

 to his memory. 



There is in my possession an interesting relic of Park's second 

 African Expedition. It is a copy of Isaac Watts' " Psalms and 

 Hymns," which belonged to Alexander Anderson, my uncle, who 

 accompanied his brother-in-law Park in his second journey, but 

 died ere the party had proceeded far into the interior. The 

 traveller had preserved this volume after the death of his friend, 

 for it was found m the boat in which Park was killed, and was 

 kept in the hut of an African chief, hung up wrapped in yellow 

 muslin as a charm, " because it belonged to the good white 

 man." Eichard Landor brought it home and gave it to Mr Nut- 

 land, a literary friend in London. The relic was shown by Mr 

 Nutland to Hogg the Ettrick Shepherd, who remarked "How 

 much his friend Dr. Anderson of Selkirk would value that book." 

 Mr Nutland readily said he would be happy to restore it to the 

 family, and at once did so. The volume is a small duodecimo, 

 published iu 1 800 by 0. Whittingham, London, in which Watts' 

 Psalms of David, imitated in the language of the New Testament, 



