Life and Travels of Mungo Park in Central Africa | Page 5

the principal one, called Gano, soon
became the greatest market for gold, and, under the name of Kano, is
still extensive and populous, being the chief commercial place in the
interior of Africa. The Arabian writers of the twelfth century, give the
most gorgeous, and we fear overrated, accounts of the flourishing state
of these kingdoms.
In the fourteenth century, Ibn Batuta, an abridged account of whose
travels has been recently translated by Professor Lee of Cambridge,
made a journey into Central Africa. After having travelled twenty-five
days with a caravan, he came to a place which Major Rennel supposes
to be the modern Tisheet, containing the mine whence Timbuctoo is
supplied with salt. The houses he describes as built of slabs of salt,
roofed with camels' hides. After other twenty days he reached Tashila,
three days' journey from which he entered a dreary desert, where was
neither sustenance nor water, but only plains and hills of sand. Ten
days brought him to Abu Latin, a large commercial town much
frequented by merchants. This place Mr. Murray conjectures to have
been Walet, the only large city in that quarter.
In twenty-four days Ibn Batuta reached Mali, which it has been found
impossible to identify with any modern city. He found a haughty
potentate residing there, whose subjects paid him the greatest deference,
approaching prostrate to the throne, and casting dust upon their heads.
The trees in this neighbourhood were of immense bulk; and in the
hollow cavity of one he saw a weaver carrying on his occupation. Near

this he saw the Niger, but conjectured it to be the Nile, and supposed it
to flow by Timbuctoo, Kakaw, (Kuku), Yuwi, and thence by Nubia to
Egypt.
Leo Africanus penetrated into the interior of Africa about two centuries
after Ibn Batuta. From his description, it would appear that the aspect
of Central Africa had considerably changed during this interval.
Timbuctoo was a powerful and opulent kingdom; and Gago (evidently
the Eyeo of Clapperton), and Ghinea, (probably the Jenne of Park),
were flourishing cities. The merchants of Timbuctoo were opulent, and
two of them were married to princesses. Science and literature were
cultivated, and manuscripts bore a high price. The king was wealthy,
and maintained an army of 3000 horse, and a large body of infantry.
His courtiers shone resplendent with gold; his palace, and several of the
mosques, were handsome edifices of stone; but his subjects dwelt in
oval huts, formed of stakes, clay, and reeds.
From this period till the formation of the African Association in 1788,
no certain information was obtained concerning Central Africa. While
British enterprise and courage had made most important discoveries in
every other quarter of the world, the ignorance which prevailed
concerning Africa was felt to be most discreditable. A few
public-spirited individuals, desirous of wiping away this stigma,
formed themselves into an Association, and subscribed the requisite
funds for the purpose of sending out intelligent and courageous
travellers upon this hazardous mission. The management was intrusted
to a committee, consisting of Lord Rawdon, afterwards Marquis of
Hastings, Sir Joseph Banks, the Bishop of Landaff, Mr. Beaufoy, and
Mr. Stuart.
The first individual whom they employed was Mr. Ledyard, the greater
part of whose life had been spent in travelling; he had circumnavigated
the globe along with Captain Cook, and had resided for a number of
years among the American Indians. Oh his return he presented himself
to Sir Joseph Banks, who was at that time anxiously looking out for a
fit person to be sent out under the auspices of the Association. He
immediately saw that Ledyard was a suitable person for them, and
introduced him to Mr Beaufoy, who was much struck with his resolute
and determined appearance. When Ledyard was asked when he could
be ready to depart, he replied, "to-morrow!" Soon after he sailed for

Alexandria, intending to proceed from Cairo to Sennaar, and thence to
traverse the breadth of the continent. While at Cairo, he sent home
some excellent observations concerning Egypt; and announced that his
next communication would be dated from Sennaar. But tidings of his
death soon after reached England. It appeared that some delays in the
starting of the caravan which he was to have accompanied, working on
his impatient and restless spirit, had brought on a bilious distemper, to
check which he had applied improper remedies at the outset, so that the
disorder cut him off in spite of the assistance of the most skilful
physicians in Cairo.
The next traveller whom the Association engaged was Mr. Lucas.
When a boy, he had been sent to Cadiz, to be educated as a merchant.
On his return he was taken prisoner by a Sallee rover, and remained
three years in captivity at Morocco. He was afterwards appointed
vice-consul at