quipped for African exploration than Anglo-Saxons in the minds of Scots, and, Park was well aware of the personal economic significance of Europeans learning more about the geography and culture of a largely untapped continent “Park understood that the ability of a European to fill in the gaps of knowledge Europe had about Africa enabled the European to rise rapidly in the world” (In Search 1).
During the years from 1795-1797, Park traveled to the interior districts of Africa under the direction and patronage of the African Association. Park’s small expedition often encountered many obstacles, illness, robbery, and even captivity chief among them. Despite these obstacles, Park was responsible for geographical achievements which had a great impact on Europeans “Setting out on foot, with one servant, Park traced the course of the fabled river Niger. Ill-prepared and eventually destitute, he suffered hair-raising hardships and persecution as well as receiving great kindness from some Africans, but he was able to establish the eastward flow of the Niger, and this became an immediate bestseller: It has never been out of print” (Exploring 1).
A much more ambitious and dangerous mission was afforded to Park upon his return from Africa. A large-scale government sponsored expedition was to occur with Park at the helm. The goal was to take boat-building materials overland from the West coast of Africa. Then, boats were to be built which would enable Park and his crew to sail down the Niger in order to discover its origins. The mission was undertook in 1805, but disease, capture, and Park’s eventual death decimated the crew and sabotaged the mission “Park himself drowned while trying to evade capture after a fight with inhabitants at Bussa, hundreds of miles downstream” (Exploring 1).
If we look at some of the entries from Mungo Park’s journal, we are provided with a glimpse into the conditions and culture encoun...