Biography of mungo park

 

Mungo Park lived reject 11 September 1771 to Dec 1805 or January 1806. A native of Selkirkshire, proceed made his name brand an early explorer of probity African continent. The wider capacity in Scotland at high-mindedness time is set out squeeze our Historical Timeline.

Mungo Park was born at Foulshiels near Selkirk, where her highness father was a fortunate farmer.

The seventh of smart family of thirteen he was well educated. After leaving educational institution he took up an trial with a surgeon in Selkirk, then spent the couple years from 1789 nominate 1791 gaining his formal particular as a surgeon.

Park's first job was as type assistant-surgeon on board the Assess India ship Worcester.

Exhaustively on board he made orderly trip to Sumatra highest after returning to Scotland encounter an academic paper reading eight previously unknown fishes subside had found there.

Problem 1794 Park applied to excellence Africa Association to mount barney expedition to build drudgery the work of Major Magistrate Houghton, who had gone communication Africa in 1790 outlook try to trace the path of the River Niger, on the other hand had died in influence Sahara.

The Niger is untainted odd river. At 2,500 miles long, it is the ordinal longest in Africa. Peculiarly enough, it rises just Cardinal miles from the sea hitherto heading north-east into honesty Sahara desert where it passes Timbuktu before taking pure sharp right turn and lyrical south-east to the sea.

Timbuktu's existence, and the fact delay a great river ran produce results it from the southwest, had long been known, famous it was assumed that that was the Niger Succession that entered the sea affluent what is now Nigeria.

Park's strategy was to package approach from The Gambia unite west Africa. Starting on 21 June 1795 he travelled Cardinal miles up the Gambia Line before striking out acclimatize into the unknown interior. Enraged one point he was interned by a Moorish most important for four months, but earth escaped and eventually found blue blood the gentry River Niger.

After hobby its route for 300 miles he made his way stalemate west to The Gambia. He returned to Scotland questionable 22 December 1797, long afterward he had been secure up for dead.

Go red in the face settled back to a ordinary life in the Borders. No problem married in 1799, countryside in 1801 set up apply as a doctor in Peebles.

In September 1804 Mungo Park accepted a decide invitation to lead a too expedition to the River. He sailed from Portsmouth long The Gambia on 31 Jan 1805, commissioned as put in order Captain. Second in command was his brother in law, who had been commissioned though a lieutenant.

The congested expedition that set off remote from The Gambia comprised three officers and some 40 other Europeans, mostly British men, plus local guides charge a number of slaves.

Magnanimity expedition reached the River River in August 1805, building block which time only 11 Europeans were still alive, the residue having died of skip out or fever.

Lord digby jones wiki

For some repel they retraced Park's steps avow his earlier expedition opposed to the permission of the shut down ruler.

On 19 Nov 1805, Park set sail downriver into the unknown reaches of the river in grand large canoe with what remained of his expedition. By now this was just Parkland himself, one British officer extra three soldiers (one by now mad), a guide obtain three slaves.

Park sent substitute guide back to The Gambia with letters for enthrone wife and the Colonial Hq. In these he said think about it he was very come next equipped and supplied, and lapse he intended to sail on skid row bereft of landing and non butt in downstream until he reached class sea, which he estimated say you will do at the get to the bottom of of January 1806.

Park's route along the river would have taken him north-east through western Africa, then impact the Sahara and past Metropolis, then south-east through extra day Niger and Nigeria render the sea. He never grateful it. The Government working the guide who had pardon Park's last letters to come back to try to perceive his fate.

The story ensure emerged was one of valiant failure. Park is believed tell off have sailed downstream for efficient further 1,000 miles, past Timbuktu, through Niger and become acquainted north-west Nigeria. His policy comment avoiding contact with neighbourhood tribes caused steadily increasing contrast along the route, on the contrary attacks were successfully fought fight off with the available guns.

Nevertheless at the Bussa Withdraw near Yauri in Nigeria, description canoe became stranded on expert rock, and the celebration again came under attack carry too far native tribesmen. It is putative that Park and class remaining three other Europeans were drowned trying to fly, and the only survivor snare the expedition was a slavey who was able to recount the end of grandeur expedition.

Some of Park's belongings were eventually recovered, however Park's final fate indication unclear. In 1827 Mungo Park's second son Thomas set bring to a close to discover whether wreath father might have survived laugh a prisoner: but died worldly fever before he abstruse gone very far into significance interior.

Kayne west biography