Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-06-12
THE EXPLORING PASSION.
Some Stories of Mungo Park. John Led
yard, and Bruce.


yard, and Bruce.
The Royal Geographical society's medal
in honor of Mr.. Stanley, says the London
Globe, shows on the side female figure
the Africansor classical tradition, pouring
from urns the two great rivers which will
always be associated with the name of the
explorer. The background comprises a
lake, mountain, and a forest-the whole
forming suitable emblem of the great
achievement which the English-speaking
world is now uniting to applaud Looking,
however, little below the feeling of the
moment, we shall find that the same images
equally we'll symbolic the dream of all
minds deeply possessed by the instinct of
the pioneer. 1t matters little whether the
dream is of the ocean, the desert, the prair-
lie, or the Forest the thought of one or the
other haunts the young enthusiastic like
PASSION:
"The mountain, and the deep and gloomy wood,
Their colors and their FORMS are then to him an
appetite"
Almost without exception, indeed, the
annals of exploration show the resistless
bent of that fixed idea which the longing of
the would-be discoverer often becomes and
which Ibis own undaunted heart explores"
long before the circumstances have opened
the way to its realization. When boy at
school at Selkirk, Mungo Park, silent
studious, and indefatie able, showed many
traces of the ardent and adventurous turn
of mind which afterward distinguished
him. On his return from his first expedi-
ton to the Niger, undertaken when he " as
only "a years of age, so great were the
risks considered that he was welcomed ''as
one risen from the dead" Setting down
for a time to his practice as a surgeon at
Fowlshields, on the banks of the Yarrow,
Sir Walter Scott found him one dav idly
casting stones into the river, and being
asked by the "Wizard' what pleasure he
found in such an amusement Park made
the significant reply: This was how |
used to ascertain the depth of river in
Africa before | ventured to cross it, Judging
whether the attempt would be safe by the
time which the bubbles of the air took to
ascend" 1t was, however. less of diff
culties overcome than of new dangers to be
encountered that Park was thinking, and
Sir Walters insight led him to estimate
the incident in its true light
Park coolly meditated fresh enterprises
and soon afterward departed on a mission
to ascertain whether the Congo and Niger
were one system. From this he never
returned. He was not even heard of, but
disappeared forever in the African dark
ness which had fascinated him.
The story of the American, John Led
yard, had many features in common. He
was born explorer, a pioneer by instinct
and temperament. Hardship and peril
were the great stimulants of his existence.
He confessed on one occasion that his dis
tresses had been greater than he had ever
owned, Or ever would acknowledge, to any
one, but that they had never had power to
turn him from his purpose. Having suffer-
ed unexampled tolls in his American ex-
plorations, he came to England, and at the
instance of Sir Joseph Banks undertook a
journey on behalf of the association for
discovering the inland countries of Africa.
"When will you be ready to start?" ask
ed one of the society's officials, pointing
out on a chart the route that it was desired
that the explorer should follow. ITO
morrow morning." was Ledyard's mem
orable reply, an answer which may almost
be regarded as typical of the exploring in
stinct.
Completing trio of renowned African
travellers, the record of Bruce is yet a furth-
er instance of the deep-seated passion of
the born adventurer. AS a youth he
studied law, and subsequently entered into
partnership with wine merchant, but los
ing his wife a few months after marriage
he at once gratiied his rowing intinct by
beginning a journey through Spain, Port
ugal, France, and Netherland. On the oc-
casion of an interview with Lord Halifax,
when the discovery of the source of the
Nile formed the subject of conversation,
Bruce himself says: my heart in that
instance did me the justiceto suggest that
this was either to be achieved by me or to
remain as it had done for the last 1000
years, defiance to all travellers and an OPP
probrium to geography" But it has been
truly said that Bruce s achievements were
not so remarkable as the display of the
qualities which alone could have rendered
them possible.
This estimate is suggestive of Mr.. STAN
ley, that it is interesting to know that he
also in youth showed much of the stuff of
which explorers are made. When only six
years old he evinced quite a passion for
geography and books of travel, and at that
age was described by his teacher as "a
child of indomitable will, that really knew
of no impeachment to its purpose. His
youthful struggles, the character of his
reading, and his bold, infexible nature
eminently fitted him for life of adven-
ture."