Travels in the Interior Districts of Africa:

£2,000 · Offered by Maggs Bros Ltd

“Park’s Travels had an immediate success and was translated into most European languages. It has become a classic of travel literature, and it’s scientific observations on the botany and the meteorology of the region… have remained of lasting value” ( Printing the Mind of Man ). Following the success of his first expedition when he became the first European to reach the Niger, Park set out in 1805 once more for the Niger. However, having chosen a particularly bad season of the year in which to commence the expedition his party of 44 Europeans died one by one, the last five of whom were all drowned in an attempt to escape from a group of natives. Many years later one of these natives in recounting the incident, declared that no intimidation had been intended, but that their shouts were a warning that the Europeans were approaching dangerous rapids. Cox I, 394-95; Ibrahim Hilmy II, 93.

• Year: 1799

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