Page 243

27f 60

tions: and we must therefore conclude, that either these countries h av e more than one name, o r have changed their names in the course o f the century. O n the whole, it cannot well be doubted that the adjustment o f the southern ro u te , to the northern, in this place, is to lerably e x a c t ; and it is indeed a matter o f the first importance to the geography. O n e circumstance is very much in its fa v o u r : at K irw an n y on this route M r . P a rk was told, that the co u rse o f the Gambia r iv e r la y three jo u rn ie s southward, o r one jo u rn e y within the boundary o f F o o ta -J a llo : and D r . A fz e liu s was informed, that the same riv er runs at the distance o f four jo u rn ie s from the mountains which skirt the R io Grande on the north-east. T h e s e notices accord perfe c t ly with the relative positions o f K irw an n y , and the course o f the R io Grande, which are ab out u s G . miles asunder, on the construction. T h is adjustment, moreov er, goes as well to the proportioning o f the longitudinal distance, on the line between K am a lia and W o o l li, b y means o f the course o f the riv e r F aleme , extended from a known point in the northern route. O n M r . Pa rk's original map, I find 201 G . miles on that portion o f the southern line, east o f the Faleme r iv e r ; 18 1 on the w e s t : whilst the respectiv e intervals on m y construction, are 2 1 1 , and 18 5 . B u t M r . P a rk observed, that there was a greater portion o f distance to be travelled through, on his return, than he had expec ted. His reckoning was, according to the sea phrase, ahead o f the s h ip : which was, no doubt, o ccas ioned b y his omittin g to take the variation o f the compass into the account, after he had lost his sextant at Jarra. I t appears on the examination o f his jo u rn a l, that between the r iv e r Faleme and Ba ra con da, in W o o l li (a few miles short o f Med in a ), they emp lo y ed nine wh o le days, and part o f a ten th ; a great part o f which jo u rn e y la y through the wilderness o f T en d a and Simbani. S ix o f the days are remarked to be either lo n g o r very long : and one in particular was a very hard day's work. A llow in g s ix miles for the fraction o f the day, the nine whole ones require 19 G . miles o f direct distance, e a c h : and as the road d iv e rg ed considerably from the dire ct line (to the southward, falling in with the Gamb ia pretty high up) they may b e taken somewhat higher. T h e five forced marches through the J a llonka wilderness are also calculated at 19 each, direct: and which may produce 25 road m iles : I should con c e iv e those through the T en d a and Simbani wildernesses to be equal to 2 6 , at a med ium ; and some o f them more than 30.* T h u s I have brought the grand outline o f M r . P a rk ’s G eo grap hy to a con c lus ion ; and cannot d o otherwise th an ' sympathize with him in his feelings, when he arrived at “ the hospitable door o f D r . L a i d l e y ,” at Pisania, after an absence o f eighteen months, unheard o f, during the whole tim e ; whether en jo y in g the triumphs o f exp lo r in g new paths; whether pining in hopeless captivity, amongst the barbarous M o o rs o f J a r ra ; o r fostered b y the kind hands o f Mandinga Negroes. I t remains that something should b e said regarding the connection o f M r . P a rk ’s G eo grap hy with that o f L a b a t, between the rivers Senegal and F a lem e ; as well as concerning the positions o f the fa l l s o f the Senegal river. L a b a t’s scale has already been adjusted to M r. P a rk ’s, in p. x lv , where 2 ,1 6 G . miles were found equivalent to one o f L a b a t’s leagues, in direct distance. Ka y e e , the pass on the Senega l river, where M r. P a rk crossed it, is g iv en at 16-1 leagues ab ov e F o r t St. Joseph, in Lab a t’s Map, (V o l. iv . p. 92.) and the falls o f F ’low (F e lo u in Laba t), 5-j still h igh e r up. K a y e e may therefore be taken at 36 miles, and F ’low 48, a b o v e St. Jo seph ; the bearing a point or more to the southward o f east. F ’low is the lower fall, (below which the r iv e r continues n avigable gene- ra lly , to the sea,) and G o v in e a , the upper fall. T h e distance between them is v e r y differently represented, b y different p e rson s ; but I be lie ve , is from 12 to 14 leagues, perhaps 30 G . miles, direct. I t is true that L a b a t says, * Mr. P.arfc seems to reckon 18 G. miles in a direct distance, a long journey: and 16 to 17 seems to have been his ordinary rate, when left to himself. This is also the ordinary rate o f travelling, with those who perform journies on foot, or with loaded beasts. s


27f 60
To see the actual publication please follow the link above