Park, Mungo

Park, Mungo (1771-1806), explorer, b. Foulshiels, Selkirkshire, Scotland.

Mungo Park was a doctor but he liked adventure and served as a ship's surgeon on a voyage to the East.

In 1795, he went to Africa to look for the River Niger. No one from Europe had ever seen this river but stories were told about it and about the city of Timbuktu which stood on its banks.

Park disappeared for two years. For a time he was imprisoned by a native chief and had many other adventures and narrow escapes. But in December 1797 he was back in London.

He had seen the River Niger and he was able to tell map-makers that it flowed to the east.

In 1805, Park went back to explore the Niger for the British Government. He had a party of forty-five men, mostly soldiers. Only eleven of them reached the river, all the others dying on the way.

Park and his companions followed the river for a time and then made a boat. By this time, only four soldiers were left with Park. On their way down river, they were attacked by an unfriendly tribe and all were killed.

See Mungo Park Life and Travels of Mungo Park in Central Africa