CHAPTER I.
Concerning the Ideas entertained by the Ancient Geographers, as well as the Moderns, down to the Times of Delisle and D’Anville, respecting the Course of the River Niger.
The late journey of Mr. Park, into the interior of Western Africa, has brought to our knowledge more important facts respecting its Geography (both moral and physical), than have been collected by any former traveller. By pointing out to us the positions of the sources of the great rivers Senegal, Gambia, and Niger,[26] we are instructed where to look for the elevated parts of the country; and even for the most elevated point in the western quarter of Africa, by the place from whence the Niger and Gambia turn in opposite directions to the east and west. We are taught, moreover, the common boundary of the desert and fruitful parts of the country, and of the Moors and Negroes; which latter is the more interesting, as it may be termed a boundary in moral geography; from the opposite qualities of mind, as well as of body, of the Moors and Negroes: for that physical geography gives rise to habits, which often determine national character, must be allowed by every person, who is a diligent observer of mankind.
It must be acknowledged, that the absolute extent of Mr. Park’s progress in Africa, compared with the amazing size of that continent, appears but small, although it be nearly 1100 British miles in a direct line, reckoned from its western extremity, Cape Verd. But considered in itself, it is no inconsiderable line of travel; being more extensive than the usual southern tour of Europe.
But moreover, it affords a triumph to the learned, in that it confirms some points of fact, both of geography and natural history, which have appeared in ancient authors, but to which our own want of knowledge has denied credit. I allude more particularly to the course of the Niger, and the history of the Lotophagi. That the Greeks and Romans, who had formed great establishments in Africa, and the latter in particular, who had penetrated to the Niger[27] should have had better opportunities of knowing the interior part of the country, than we, who live at a distance from it, and possess only a few scattered factories near the sea coast, is not to be wondered at: but the proof of such facts should teach us to be less hasty in decrying the authority of ancient authors; since the fault may arise from a want of comprehension on our parts, or from an assumption of false principles on theirs.
Few geographical facts have been more questioned in modern times, than the course of the great inland river of Africa, generally understood by the name of Niger; some describing it to run to the west, others to the east; but of these opinions, I believe the former has been espoused by the most numerous party, by far.[28] Although Mr. Park’s authority, founded on ocular demonstration, sets this question for ever at rest, by determining the course of the river to be from west to east, as Major Houghton’s information had previously induced a belief of, yet it may not be amiss to trace the history of the opinions, concerning the course of this celebrated river, from the earliest date of profane history.
Herodotus,[29] more than twenty-two centuries ago, describes, from the information of the Africans, a great river of Africa, far removed to the south of the Great Desert, and abounding with crocodiles. That it flowed from west to east, dividing Africa, in like manner as the Danube does Europe. That the people from the borders of the Mediterranean, who made the discovery, were carried to a great city on the banks of the river in question; and that the people of this quarter were black; that is, much blacker than their visitors. Our author, indeed, took this river to be the remote branch of the Egyptian Nile, and reasons on the circumstance, accordingly: but even this argument serves to express in a more forcible manner, the supposed direction of its course.
Pliny also believed that the Nile came from the west; but he is far from identifying it with the Niger, which he describes as a distinct river. But we have at least his negative opinion respecting its western course; for he speaks of the Bambotus river as running into the Western ocean; meaning to express by it either the Gambia or Senegal river, and not the Niger.[30]