E COMPASSIONATES HIM--ALMOST
STARVED--DIFFICULTY OF OBTAINING WATER--HIS SERVANTS TAKEN FROM HIM--ALI
ATTACKED BY DAISY--PARK AGAIN FALLS INTO ALI'S HANDS--RESOLVES TO
ESCAPE.

Mungo Park, who long ranked as the chief of African travellers, was born
on the 10th of September, 1771, at Fowlshiels, a farm occupied by his
father on the banks of the Yarrow, not far from the town of Selkirk, in
Scotland.

The elder Mr Park, also called Mungo, was a substantial yeoman of
Ettrick Forest, and was distinguished for his unremitting attention to
the education of his children, the greater number of whom he saw
respectably settled in life. The young Mungo, after receiving with his
brothers a course of education at home under a private tutor, was sent
to the Grammar School at Selkirk, and at the age of fifteen was
apprenticed to Mr Thomas Anderson, a surgeon of that town. Hence he
removed to the University of Edinburgh, and during his vacations made a
tour with his brother-in-law, Mr Dickson, a distinguished botanist. On
going to London he was introduced by his relative to Sir Joseph Banks,
whose interest procured for him the appointment of assistant surgeon to
the "Worcester," East Indiaman. Returning from India, he offered his
services to the African Association, who, notwithstanding the failure of
the first expeditions they had sent out, still determined to persevere
in their efforts.

Possessed of unbounded courage and perseverance, he was admirably fitted
for the task he undertook, and his offer was gladly accepted.

Having received his final instructions from the African Association, he
sailed from Portsmouth on the 22nd of May, 1795, on board the
"Endeavour," an African trader bound for the Gambia, where he arrived on
the 21st of the following month.

His directions were to make his way to the Niger, by Bambook or any
other route, to ascertain the course of that river, and to visit the
principal towns in its neighbourhood, particularly Timbuctoo and Houssa,
and afterwards to return by way of the Gambia or any other route he
might deem advisable.

Houssa is not a city, as was then supposed, but a kingdom or province.

The vessel anchored on the 21st of June at Jillifree, where he landed
and from thence proceeded up the Gambia to Pisania. The only white
residents were Dr Laidley and two merchants of the name of Ainsley,
with their numerous black domestics. It is in the dominions of the King
of Yany, who afforded th