XX INTRODUCTION.

reduced to little more than a degree of latitude, or about seventy miles ; but

it is seventy miles of a mountainous country. By our occupation of the beauti-

ful and fertile island of Fernando Po, and the extension of African commerce

which may be anticipated in consequence thereof, there can be little doubt that

this question of their identity or otherwise will ere long be decided.

From a variety of notices obtained byClapperton, it is pretty clear, that the

particulars of the death of Mungo Park, and the spot where the fatal event

happened, are not very different from what was originally reported by Amadoo

Fatima, and has since been repeated in various parts of the continent. The

following correspondence, which was found in one of Clapperton’s memoran- dum books, and translated from the Arabic by Mr. Abraham Salami, is highly

interesting; and the more important, from the avowal of an individual, that he

is in possession of the books of that enterprising traveller, and is ready to

deliver them up to any person duly authorised by the sovereign of England

to receive them.

TRANSLATION OF SOME DOCUMENTS RELATIVE 1 O MUNGO PARK’S DEATH AND PAPERS.

No. 1.

“ Praise is due to God alone !—As to the subject of the Christians who

were drowned in the river of Boossy, they consisted of two freemen, and two

slaves, their own property. The event thus happened in the month of Rajab : As their ship or vessel w

ras proceeding down the river, it came to a narrow

place or creek, into which they pushed it, and remained there three days ; but the people of Boossy, having observed them, assembled, and went and

fought them for three days. When the fight became severe, they (the

Christians) began to take up their goods, and throw them into the river, till

they had thrown a great quantity ; and on the fight becoming still more

severe (desperate), one of them got out, and threw himself into the river, and

died ; and, in the same manner, the other followed him, leaving their two

slaves imprisoned in the ship ; so that the hands of the people of Boossy did

not reach so far as to kill them (i. e. they died in drowning, and were not

murdered). Thus I have heard, and do herein write it myself. “ The Sharif of Bokhara.”