LIFE OF MUNGO PARK. 
ix 
It does not sufficiently appear, whether Mr. Park, after 
his return from the East Indies, came to any final resolu- 
tion with regard to his continuin.^ as a surgeon in the 
Company's service. But whatever might be his intention 
in this respect, new prospects now opened upon him, and 
a scene of action far more congenial to his taste and feelings, 
was presented to his ambition. 
Some years prior to this period, a few distinguished in- 
dividuals, induced by a very liberal spirit of curiosity, had 
formed themselves into an Association for promoting dis- 
coveries in the Interior of Africa, and were now prose- 
cuting their researches with great activity and success. In 
the course of a few years they had investigated, a,nd placed 
in a clearer point of view than had hitherto been done by 
geographers, some of the leading facts relative to the 
Northern part of that Continent ; the characteristic dif- 
ferences of the principal tribes, their commercial relations, 
the routes of the great caravans, the general diffusion of 
the Mahomedan religion, and the consequent prevalence 
of the Arabic language throughout a considerable part of 
that vast continent.* With the assistance of their distin- 
guished Associate, Major Rennell, they were now pro- 
ceeding to trace the principal geographical outlines of 
Northern Africa ; and were endeavouring to ascertain the 
course of the great inland river Joliba or Niger, and to 
obtain some authentic information concerning Tombuctoo, 
a principal city of the interior and one of the great marts 
of African commerce. 
In the course of these enquiries, the Association, since 
* See Vol. I. of the Proceedings of African Association. London, 1810. 
VOL. II. C 
