Mungo Park on the Niger (1795-1797)
Mungo Park · 1795–1797 · on horseback and on foot, and finally with nothing at all
Inland from the Gambia with two companions and a horse: imprisoned for four months by a Moorish chief, escaping alone across the Sahel, reaching the Niger at Segou to find it flowing east, and walking back destitute — carried the last stage by a slave caravan whose passage he recorded from inside it.
The itinerary
13 stages. Journal excerpts are verbatim from public-domain sources, each with its citation; where no verified quote exists, the entry says so rather than inventing one.
1. Portsmouth
Today: Portsmouth, England · Arrived 22 May 1795Mungo Park departed from Portsmouth on his voyage to Africa, beginning the journey that would take him to the Gambia River and eventually into the interior in search of the Niger.
No verified journal excerpt for this stage yet — help us find one.
2. Jillifree
Today: Jufureh (Juffure), The Gambia · Arrived 21 June 1795No verified journal excerpt for this stage yet — help us find one.
3. Pisania
Today: Pisania (near Karantaba, on the Gambia River), The Gambia · Arrived 1 June 1795 · position reconstructedNo verified journal excerpt for this stage yet — help us find one.
4. Fatteconda
Today: Fatteconda, Senegal · Arrived 1 December 1795 · position reconstructedMungo Park entered Fatteconda, the capital of Bondou, crossing a river on horseback, and was soon invited to lodge with a respectable Slatee before being summoned to an audience with the king (Almami).
No verified journal excerpt for this stage yet — help us find one.
5. Teesee
Today: Teesee (near Kayes, Kayes Region, Mali) · Arrived 29 December 1795 · position reconstructedMungo Park arrived at Teesee, in the Kingdom of Kasson, after crossing the Senegal, and was lodged in Demba Sego's hut; the next morning he was introduced to Tiggity Sego, brother to the King of Kasson and chief of Teesee.
No verified journal excerpt for this stage yet — help us find one.
6. Sego
Today: Ségou, Mali · Arrived 20 July 1796No verified journal excerpt for this stage yet — help us find one.
7. Kamalia
Today: Kamalia, Mali (near Sibidooloo/Manding region, present-day Mali) · Arrived 1 September 1796 · position reconstructedMungo Park arrived at Kamalia in Manding country, exhausted and ill, and was received by the Bushreen slave-trader Karfa Taura, who was assembling a slave coffle to sell to Europeans on the Gambia and who hospitably took Park into his household.
No verified journal excerpt for this stage yet — help us find one.
8. Kamalia
Today: Kamalia, Mali · Arrived 19 April 1797 · position reconstructedAfter many delays and postponed dates, Mungo Park's slave coffle finally departed Kamalia for the Gambia, with the townspeople following the caravan a short distance and performing a farewell ceremony on a rise overlooking the town.
No verified journal excerpt for this stage yet — help us find one.
9. Malacotta
Today: Malakoota area on the Sénégal (Bafing) River, Guinea/Mali border region, West Africa · Arrived 2 May 1797 · position reconstructedMungo Park's slave coffle, guided in part by the schoolmaster whose native town this was, sent a messenger ahead to arrange provisions before arriving at Malacotta, and later some slaves joined the coffle to continue on to Baniserile, the capital of Dentila.
No verified journal excerpt for this stage yet — help us find one.
10. Medina, the Capital of Woolli
Today: Medina (Wuli region), Gambia River, The Gambia · Arrived 4 June 1797 · position reconstructedNo verified journal excerpt for this stage yet — help us find one.
11. Pisania
Today: Karantaba (Pisania), Gambia · Arrived 5 July 1795 · position reconstructedMungo Park arrived at Pisania, a small British trading factory on the Gambia River established in the King of Yany's dominions, where he was accommodated by Dr. Laidley.
No verified journal excerpt for this stage yet — help us find one.
12. Antigua
Today: Antigua, West Indies · Arrived 1 October 1797After a harrowing Atlantic crossing from Gorée, Mungo Park's ship made for the West Indies to save the crew, striking the Diamond Rock before limping into St. John's harbour, Antigua; the vessel was condemned and the slaves aboard were reportedly sold. Park remained on the island about ten days before securing passage home.
No verified journal excerpt for this stage yet — help us find one.
13. Falmouth
Today: Falmouth, Cornwall, England · Arrived 22 December 1797Mungo Park, having sailed from St. John's (Antigua) aboard the Chesterfield Packet on 24 November, arrived at Falmouth after a tempestuous voyage, completing his return from the interior of Africa, and set out immediately for London.
No verified journal excerpt for this stage yet — help us find one.
Published under CC BY-SA 4.0. Sources keep their own open licences. See the Magna Carta of the Seas for how this was verified.