Chapter II

Concerning the Geographical Discoveries of Mr. Park.

Since the scope and design of Mr. Park’s routes have been already set forth in the beginning of the present work, it would be useless to say more on that head; and as the particular map of his progress will explain the relative circumstances of the Geography, nothing more will be necessary, than to call the attention of the reader to such particulars as may not readily occur to him on inspection of the Map; or which, from their nature, cannot well be inserted in it.

The discoveries of this gentleman (as has been said before), give a new face to the physical geography of Western Africa. They prove, by the courses of the great rivers, and from other notices, that a belt of mountains, which extends from west to east, occupies the parallels between 10 and 11 degrees of north latitude, and at least between the 2d and 10th degrees of west longitude (from Greenwich). This belt, moreover, other authorities extend some degrees still farther to the west and south, in different branches, and apparently of less height. One of these, follows the upper part of the Gambia river; another the Rio Grande, to a low point of its course; and a third appears to shut up the western coast of Guinea.[39] Accordingly, this chain approaches much nearer to the equatorial parts of Africa, than was before supposed; and thus we are enabled to understand fully what Abulfeda[40] meant, when he said, that after the continent of Africa has extended southward[41] from the Strait of Gibraltar, to the neighbourhood of the Equator, it turns to the east, passing at the back of the mountains of Komri, which give rise to the Nile.[42] The mountains in question, then, ought to be those intended by Abulfeda; who by the name Komri, evidently meant to express the Mountains of the Moon; from which Ptolemy derives the remote source of the Nile.[43] As Abulfeda supposed the source of the Nile to be very far to the south or south-west (in which I agree generally with him), this chain may be supposed to pass onward from the abovementioned quarter, to the east, and south of east, shutting up Abyssinia on the south. This, at least, seems the only way in which we can fairly understand Abulfeda; in confirmation of whose description, a part of the ridge has been actually found by Mr. Park.[44] According to Leo (p. 249), the country of Melli is bordered on the south by mountains; and these must be nearly in the same parallel with the mountains of Kong, seen by Mr. Park.

Mr. Beaufoy was informed that the countries on the south and south-west of the Niger, lying opposite to, and to the westward of, Kassina, were also mountainous and woody. In particular in the line between Kassina and Assentai, the country is said to be formed of a succession of hills, with woods of vast extent, and some mountains of a stupendous height.[45]

As the source of the Nile is confessedly very far to the south of the parallel of 10 degrees north, this chain of mountains, admitting it to continue its general easterly course, must bend to the southward, after it passes Kong and Melli, in order to pass above the sources of the Nile; the principal of which I conceive to be situated in the country of Darfoor.

The highest part of the portion of this chain, pointed out by Mr. Park’s discoveries, is situated between the 5th and 9th degrees of west longitude; for within this space are situated the sources of the Gambia, which run to the west-north-west; of the Senegal, running to the north-west; and of the Joliba (or Niger) to the east-north-east.[46] There is, however, a general slope of the country, extending to a great distance northward, formed by a gradation of summits of lesser mountains and hills, as is shewn by the early part of the courses of the rivers; in particular, that of the Niger, which appears to run near 100 miles on a northerly course, before it turns finally to the eastward.

A large portion of the tract bordering on the northern foot of the mountains, from whence the branches of the Senegal river issue, is covered with thick forests. Mr. Park’s track on his return lay through these woods; one part of which is named the Jallonka Wilderness, in which no habitations were seen during five days of forced marching. The hardships endured, even by the free men of this caravan, almost exceed belief.[47]

The head of the principal branch of the Senegal river is about 80 geographical miles to the west of that of the Joliba; and the head of the Gambia, is again, about 100 west of the Senegal. The branches of the latter are very numerous, and intersect the country for about 200 miles from east to west, in the line of the caravan route: and it was this circumstance that detained Mr. Park, during a great part of the periodical rainy season, in Manding; a state of things, perhaps little expected, in a country regarded here, as the most thirsty on the globe.[48]

We may conclude that similar circumstances take place, with respect to the Joliba; only that as its course is such as to intercept all the streams that descend from the Kong mountains on the south, whilst Mr. Park’s travels along it, were confined to the northern bank, he had no opportunity of knowing it, any farther than by seeing various openings on that side; and by being told that he could not possibly make his way there. No doubt, it receives some large streams also, when its course diverges far enough from the mountains as to allow the waters room to collect.

At the lowest point to which Mr. Park traced it, and which (although about 420 British miles in direct distance from its source) could only be reckoned the early part of its course, it was a very considerable body of water; the largest, he says, that he had seen (in Africa,) and it abounded with crocodiles. The rainy season was but just begun; and the river might have been forded at Sego, where its bed expands to a vast breadth. Still, however, we must not estimate the bulk of the Niger, that Niger which was in the contemplation of Pliny and the Romans, by the measure of its bulk at Sego, and Silla.[49] If we suppose it to be the same river which passes by Kassina (and we know of no other), which place is 700 miles, or more, to the eastward of Silla, it would doubtless receive by the way great additional supplies of water, and be at least a much deeper river than where Mr. Park saw it. And here it may not be amiss to remark, for the use of those who are not conversant with the subject, that rivers make the greatest display of their waters, in proportion to their bulk, at a moderate distance from their sources; and are often wider above, than below.[50]

There can be no doubt but that the Joliba, is a noble stream; and the prince of the western rivers of Africa, as the Nile of the eastern: but the African rivers, however, rank lower than those of Asia and America.

Mr. Park judged that the Senegal river below the falls of F’low, or Félou (as Labat writes it), was about the bulk of the Tweed at Melross, in summer. This was indeed, in the dry season; but as the river does not begin to swell periodically till many months after that, Mr. Park, did not of course see it, at its lowest pitch. And yet this was the assemblage of all the principal branches of the river, save the Falemé, which was itself about three feet deep at the same season. But the Senegal is even fordable in some places below the conflux of the Falemé, according to Labat:[51] for the Moors cross it in the dry season, and commit depredations on some of the lands to the south. However, almost the whole of the towns and villages are placed on the south side, with a view of being in security for the longest possible term.

The Senegal river then, is by no means a very capital stream, except in the rainy season; when, like all the other tropical rivers, its bed is filled, and very commonly will not contain the additional waters. Mr. Park observed by the mark of the highest point of swelling of the river Kokoro (or eastern branch of the Senegal), that it had been twenty feet higher than when he crossed it, in the line of the southern route. The main branch of this river, the Ba-fing, or Black River, was not fordable, and was crossed over a temporary bridge of a very singular construction. Alligators, or crocodiles are found in all these branches, at the height at which Mr. Park passed them.

The Falemé river has also a remote source, and drains a great extent of country.

Concerning the Gambia Mr. Park had fewer notices. It is remarkable that the position pointed out to him for the source of this river, agrees very nearly with that found in Dr. Wadstrom’s map; from notices collected from another quarter. This is very satisfactory. I learn also from Dr. Afzelius that the distance across, between the approximating parts of the courses of the Gambia and Rio Grande, is four journies.

Mr. Park crossed in his way, six different streams that fall into the Gambia from the north-east. Amongst these the principal one is the Nerico, which flows from the quarter of Bondou; and is reckoned the eastern boundary of a tract which the Africans of this region style the Country of the West, expressed by that of the setting sun. This tract is on a lower level than that to the east; is flat, and the soil composed of clay and sand. It appears that the whole tract through which Mr. Park returned is covered with wood, cleared only in certain inhabited spots (Numidian fashion): of which, the great tract, named the Jallonka Wilderness, is composed of primeval forests.[52]

The Bambara and Kaarta countries are also exceedingly woody, but less so than the other tract; and the woods are of an inferior growth.

According to the ideas collected from Mr. Park’s observations, the general levels of the countries, near the sources of the great rivers are thus distributed:

Between the countries of Bondou and Neola on the west, Bambara and Kaarta on the east, the country forms a very elevated level, falling rapidly to the eastward; but only by degrees, to the westward: and narrowing in breadth, from 330 miles in the south (in the line between Bambara and Neola) to the narrow space of 60 or 70 in the north, between Kaarta and Kajaaga; and probably diminishing to nothing, as it advances into the Great Desert; thus forming a great triangular space, whose vertex is on the north of the little kingdom of Kasson. This vast upland tract is divided into other degrees of level, of which the highest comprizes the eastern and largest part of the whole. The eastern boundary of this particular level, is, of course, that of the upper level, generally, in the part where it overlooks Kaarta and Bambara: and its termination, in the opposite quarter, is at a great descent, west of the principal branch of the Senegal river, in Woradoo; from which place, the edge of it may be conceived to run northward, to join another descent of the same kind, which forms the falls of Govinea, over which the great body of the Senegal river is precipitated, from this upper level, to the intermediate one.

The upper level contains the political divisions of Manding, Jallonkadu, Fooladu, Kasson, Gadou, and some other smaller states. And the second, or intermediate level, contains Bambouk, Konkadoo, Satadoo, Dentila, and some others; and is bounded on the south-west, by the great slope of country at Kirwanney, where the waters first begin to flow towards the west. On the north-west it is bounded by the great descent which forms the second or lower fall of the Senegal river, named F’low. This fall is about 30 miles below Govinea, 48 above Fort St. Joseph: and here the river being arrived at the lowest level of the country, continues navigable with little interruption to the sea.[53] The Falemé river of course, must run on a far lower level than the other heads of the Senegal river.

The Gambia has a small impediment to its navigation at Baraconda, in the country of Woolli; but although this is usually termed a fall, Mr. Park was informed that it did not impede the passage of canoes: so that it ought more properly to be termed a rapide, according to the American phrase; that is to say, a slope, down which the water runs, with more than ordinary rapidity, but which does not, however, totally impede the passage of canoes, or small boats.

The Joliba (Niger) descends from the high level of Manding, into Bambara, on the eastward, with a rapid and furious course, at Bammakoo, about 150 miles below its source; after which it glides smoothly along, and affords an uninterrupted navigation to Houssa, and probably by Kassina to Wangarah; by the two first of which places, a very large and navigable stream does certainly pass, under the same name as is applied by the Arabs and Moors to the Joliba, that is, Neel Abeed, or River of Slaves: a name that marks the idea of the people of the country through which it flows, in the minds of those people.

Mr. Watt was informed, when at Teembo, the capital of the Foulah kingdom, in 1794, that in the way from thence to Tombuctoo, (concerning which his inquiries were pointed) a part of the road, lay along the side of a Great Water, to which they came in about thirty days from Teembo. There can be no question but that the Great Water was the Joliba river; whose very name, as we have said, in the Manding language literally imports the same meaning: or more properly, the Great River. Some have concluded that the Foulahs intended by it a great inland sea; but this is highly improbable, although there are, no doubt, such in other quarters of Africa, which serve as receptacles for those rivers which do not reach the sea. But, in the present case, the distance itself points to the Joliba; for, a month’s journey from Teembo, would reach beyond Yamina, but fall short of Sego: and we are told from the same authority, that in order to go to Tombuctoo, they pass through the countries of Beliah, Bowriah, Manda, Sego, &c. Beliah, we know not the situation of, but may conceive it to lie on the north-east, or east-north-east of Teembo; because Mr. Park points out Bowriah, under the name of Boori, adjacent to Manding, which is obviously recognized in the Manda of Mr. Watt: and Sego, there can be no doubt about. What is farther said concerning the great breadth of the water, may either apply to the lake Dibbie, or may be African hyperbole. The sense appears clear enough.

I have extracted in a note, the intelligence concerning the Great Water: and also that, concerning the Nyalas. Mr. Park has also heard of the Nyalas, or Gaungays, but is clearly of opinion that the interpreter of Mr. Watt, either misunderstood the story, or was himself misinformed.[54]