The Son of Mungo Park

The Son of Mungo Park

The son of the pilgrim has passed on his way,

To seek the wild land where his father had died;

He longs by his tomb of the desart to pray,

And place a momento of love by its side.

Dark woods and wild streams will his footsteps surround;

The thirst of the desert will rage on his path

The sun-basking serpent in secret will wound,

The Moor and the traitor will barter their faith.

But these were the dangers his father defied;

Thro' toils and thro' snares had his pilgrimage gone;

The wild man of Afric had oft been his guide,

The hut of the savage his shelter alone.

"And I," said his son, "shall his footsteps pursue,

Of his worth and his fame I would prove me the child;

Be mine his mild spirit, distilling like dew,

And smoothing to kindness the sons of the wild.

"Be mine his high soul, that on terror could smile,

By the maidens of Afric still echoed in song;

He quailed not in danger, he sunk not in toil,

The white man was poor, but his spirit was strong.

"The pilgrim of knowledge, like him I would go,

To spread her bright dawn on the African wild;

The arts and the science of Europe to throw,

On the clay gathered cottage of Joliba's child."

The sons of the pilgrim arose with the day,

To seek the wild where his parent had died:

The God of his father supporting his way,

Hope cheering his bosom, and science his guide.

Alas! for the region where darkness reclines,

The intrusion of knowledge revenging by death;

The son of the pilgrim but reached to its lines

And yielded (its demons demanding) his breath.

He lies by the desert, unhonoured, untombed,

Afar from the grave of his father he lies;

On son & on parent misfortunes gave gloomed;

But Scotland and Europe their glory will prize.

1828.07.04

From the Fife Herald

(The following letter is from a gentleman whose information on the point he writes about is of the most authentic kind. It would appear, therefore, that the paragraph, which recently appeared in all the newspapers detailing the circumstances attending the death of Mungo Park's son was erroneous in all respects but the most important one - the death of the young raveller. - Albion.)

To the Editor of the Edinburgh Weekly Journal.
Sir - About a month ago a notice regarding the death of Mr. Thomas Park, son of the celebrated traveller, appeared in most of the newspapers, in which it was said, that, from revenge for his interfering with some of the religious customs of the natives of the Aquimbo country, he had been poisoned by the priests. This would leave a strong imputation of imprudence against the memory of Mr. Park, which would be deeply felt by all his friends, and I am therefore happy to have it in my power to contradict the above report, and to inform you that his death was caused by the Yellow Fever, and after an illness of nine days, on the 31st October, 1827. Akitto, the King of Aquambo, in whose country he died, treated him with the greatest kindness, and immediately upon his death, sent intelligence to Captain Fry, the Commandant at Accra requesting that some person might be dispatched to take care of Mr. Park's effects; which was done, and they arrived in England by the ship Esk, - I am, &c. Selkirk, 5th May.