598 PA 
je&s and plan of the undertaking were fettled to the fa- 
tisfa&ion of Mr. Park, and he received a commiffion from 
government for conducting and executing it. To him- 
felf was granted a brevet-commiffion of a captain in Africa; 
and to his friend Mr. Alexander Anderfon a fitnilar com¬ 
miffion of lieutenant ; and Mr. Scott was appointed to 
attend him as a draftfman. He was empowered to enlift 
at Goree any number of the garrifon that would be ne- 
ceffary for his purpofe, not exceeding forty-five, with 
fuch bounties as would induce them cheerfully to accom¬ 
pany him. From Goree he was directed to proceed up the 
river Gambia ; and thence, eroding over to the Senegal, 
to march by fuch routes as he ftiould find moll eligible to 
the banks of the Niger. The great objeft of his journey 
was to purfue the courfe of this river as far as it could be 
traced; to eftablifti a communication and intercourfe 
with the different nations on the banks ; to obtain all 
the knowledge in his power refpe&ing them ; and to af- 
certain various points which he had ftated in his memoir. 
Mr. Park was empowered to draw for any fum which he 
might want, not exceeding 5000I. 
Every thing being now fixed, and the feafon already 
far advanced, Park was extremely anxious to haften his 
departure, as the whole fucc'efs of the expedition depended 
on its being undertaken a fufficient time before the rains. 
He was neverthelefs detained two months for his official 
inftruCtions ; and one month more elapfed, before he 
could fet fail. As every thing was ready early in October 
(1804.), it is deeply to be lamented, that any accident 
ffiould have prevented him from (ailing in the courfe of 
that month. The delay, indeed, proved fatal to the 
enterprife, which in all probability would have had a 
different refult, had it been undertaken at an adequate 
diftance of time from the rainy feafon. 
The expedition at length failed on the 30th January, 
1805 ; and arrived, after a fomewhat tedious palfage, on 
the 8th of March, at Jago, one of the Cape-de-Verd 
iflands, where they purchafed the affes requifite for their 
caravan; and on the 28th they reached Goree in fafety. 
From Goree they proceeded to Kayee, a fmall town 
on the Gambia, a little below Pifania, where Park en¬ 
gaged a Mandingo pried, named Ifaaco, who was alfo a 
travelling merchant, and much accuftomed to long inland 
journeys, to ferve as the guide to his caravan. Here they 
(laid till the 27th of April, arranging matters for the ex¬ 
pedition; and here commences Mr. Park’s interefting 
Journal of his laft Million, which includes regular me¬ 
moranda of his progrefs and adventures to Nov. 16. fo 
that feven months had not elapfed before his career was 
for ever arrefted. It is very evident that, had he lived 
to return to his country, thefe mere hints would never 
have been laid before the public : but his melancholy 
fate gives an interelt to every ferap of information refpeft- 
ing him. Lieut. Martyn and thirty-five men of the Royal 
African Corps formed his efcort. 
On the 27th April, 1805, at ten o’clock in the morn¬ 
ing, Mr. Park took his departure from Kayee; and arrived 
in two days at Pifania, from whence he had fet out for 
the interior of Africa nearly ten years before. Some of 
the practical difficulties of the march were apparent du¬ 
ring this ffiort journey ; and he found it neceffary to (top 
at Pifania fix days (a delay which muff have been highly 
inconvenient), to purchafe additional beads of burden, 
and make other arrangements for the expedition. 
He quitted Pifania on the 4th of May, and arrived on 
the 11 th at Madina, the capital of the kingdom of Woolli. 
The eftefts of the feafon had already become apparent ; 
two of the foldiers having fallen ill of the dyfentery on 
the 8th. On the 15th he arrived at Kuffai, on the banks 
of the Gambia ; and about this time loft one of his foldiers 
by an epilepfy. 
On the 26th, the caravan experienced a Angular acci¬ 
dent (almoft unintelligible to an European) from the 
attack of a large fwarm of bees; in confequence of which, 
befides that many of the people were molt feverely ftung. 
R K. 
feven of their beads of burden periffied or were loft ; and, 
owing to an accidental fire which was kindled in the con- 
fufion, the whole baggage was near being burnt. For 
half an hour it feemed as if the bees had put an end to 
the expedition. 
At Shrondo, in the kingdom of Dentila, where the cara¬ 
van ffiortly afterwards arrived, there are confiderable gold¬ 
mines ; and his journal contains a minute and interefting 
deffription both of the manner of colle&ing the metal, 
and of the country in which it is found. 
After quitting Shrondo, Park mentions, that on the 
12th of June, in confequence of a very fudden tornado, 
they were forced to carry their bundles into the huts of 
the natives, being the firft time that the caravan had en¬ 
tered a town fince leaving the Gambia. Confidering the 
climate and feafon, this flight circumftance is alone a 
fufficient proof of the hardfhips which muft have been 
fuftained by Europeans during fuch a journey. 
At Dindikoo, beyond Shrondo, Park was much ftruck 
with the beauty and magnificence of that mountainous 
tradft of country, as well as with the degree in which it 
was cultivated, and the comparatively happy condition 
of the inhabitants. Proceeding a little.farther, he quitted 
the track he had hitherto followed, by which he had for¬ 
merly returned from Kamalia to the Gambia ; and di- 
reffed his courfe towards the north eaft, with a view 
probably of avoiding the Jallonka Wildernefs. But the 
difficulties of travelling were now become extreme ; partly 
from the nature of the country, but principally from the 
increafing prevalence of the difeafe produced by the con¬ 
tinual rains. So rapidly had ficknefs now extended 
among the men, that on the morning of the 13th of June, 
when they departed from Dindikoo, the fick occupied 
all the horfes and lpare affes ; and by the 15th fome were 
(lightly delirious. At Kimbia, the blacks manifefted 
their hoftile difpofition ; and made it very probable that, 
as foon as the party was fo reduced as to be unable to de¬ 
fend themfelves, the inhabitants would attack them and 
feize their property. 
July 4.. Ifaaco, the guide, was nearly demolifhed by a 
crocodile. His efcape appears fcarcely credible. “Our 
guide, Ifaaco, was very adlive in pufhing the affes into 
the water, and (hoving along the canoe; but, as he was 
afraid that we could not have them all carried over in the 
courfe of the day, he attempted to drive fix of the affes 
acrofs the river farther down, where the water was ftiai- 
lower. When he had reached the middle of the river, 
a crocodile rofe clofe to him, and, inftantly feizing him 
by the left thigh, pulled him under water. With won¬ 
derful prefence of mind he felt the head of the animal, 
and thruft his finger into its eye; on which it quitted, 
its hold, and Ifaaco attempted to reach the further ftiore; 
calling out for a knife. But the crocodile returned, and 
feized him by the other thigh, and again pulled him un¬ 
der water; he had recourle to the fame expedient, and 
thruft his fingers into its eyes with fuch violence that it 
again quitted him ; and, when it rofe flounced about on 
the furfaceof the water as if ftupid, and then fwam down 
the middle of the river. Ifaaco proceeded to the other 
fide, bleeding very much. As foon as the canoe returned, 
I went over, and found him very much lacerated. The 
wound on the left thigh was four inches in length : that 
on the right not quite fo large, but very deep; befide* 
feveral (ingle teeth-wounds on his back. 
It is aftlidfing to perufe the items of this melancholy 
journal. Depredations were made on the coffle, or cara¬ 
van, (as the party is called,) by the inhabitants in one 
place, and banditti in another; increafing ficknefs and 
death prevailed among the fmall military effort; and the 
continuance of rain gave little hope of any improvement 
in the fick-lift. 
On the 2d of Auguft, they halted at Balanding; on 
the 3d, at Balandoo; and on the 4th reached Kooli- 
hori, a town partly walled, but having the greater part 
of its huts without the walls. On the 6th, they reached 
4 Ganifarra, 
