Abstract
It is almost an accepted convention that no book shall deal with African exploration without some reference to Swift’s famous lines on cartography. Geographers of the early nineteenth century began the wholesale replacement of elephants with towns, at least in West Africa. The increase in geographical knowledge between 1790 and 1830 was greater than that of any comparable period. Explorers followed virtually the whole course of the Niger. They crossed West Africa from the Guinea Coast to the Maghrib. The major cities were either visited or known by hearsay, and their positions were plotted with tolerable accuracy. Chains of mountains, the important drainage, the principal political units—all these were located and described in outline. New maps had every right to the towns, but geographers might well have left a liberal sprinkling of elephants, symbolically representing certain remaining areas of ignorance and misunderstanding, especially in the field of ethnography.
…Geographers in Afric-Maps With Savage-Pictures fill their Gaps, And o’er inhabitable Downs Place Elephants for want of Towns.
—Swift, On Poetry
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Footnotes
J. Rennell, “Geographical Illustrations of Mr. Park’s Journey,” in M. Park, Travels in the Interior Districts of Africa, 2nd ed., 2 vols. (London, 1799), II, iii– xcii; “Account of the Life of Mungo Park,” in M. Park, The Journal of a Mission to the Interior of Africa in 1805, 2nd ed. (London, 1815), pp. 46–51.
P. J. Bruns, Neue systematische Erdbeschreibung von Africa, 6 vols. (Nuremberg, 1793–1799).
Minutes of the African Committee, 12 November 1802, in J. J. Crooks (ed.), Records Relating to the Gold Coast Settlements from 1750 to 1874 (Dublin, 1923), p. 99.
Laurie and Whittle’s New Sailing Directions for the Coasts of Africa, from Cape Spartel to the Cape of Good-Hope … (London, 1807), published to accompany the charts of the African Pilot; E. Bold, The Merchant’s and Mariners’ African Guide (London, 1819);
John Adams, Remarks on the Country Extending from Cape Palmas to the River Congo (London, 1823), pp. 223–65.
Great Britain, Hydrographic Office, The African Pilot, or Sailing Directions for the Western Coast of Africa. Part I Cape Spartel to the River Cameroons (London, 1856); W. F. Owen, Narrative of Voyages to Explore the Shores of Africa, Arabia, and Madagascar …, 2 vols.( London, 1833):
T. Boteler, The West Coast of Africa, from the Isles de Los to Sierra Leone (London, n. d. [c. 1831]);
A. Roussin, Memoir on the Navigation of the Western Coast of Africa from Cape Bojador to Mount Souzos (London, 1827), translated from French by Lt. James Badgley, R. N.
James Grey Jackson, Account of the Empire of Morocco (London, 1809), pp. 237–66.
J. L. Burckhardt, Travels in Nubia (London, 1819).
G. F. Lyon, A Narrative of Travels in Northern Africa in the Years 1818, 19, and 20 (London, 1821), pp. 121–63.
C. A. Walckenaer, Recherches géographique sur l’interieur de l’Afrique septentorionale … (Paris, 1821).
T. E. Bowdich, Mission from Cape Coast Castle to Ashantee … (London, 1819), pp. 161–227.
J. Dupuis, Journal of Residence in Ashantee (London, 1824); G. A. Robertson, Notes on Africa … With Hints for the Melioration of the Whole African Population (London, 1819), especially pp. 179–80, 185–88, and 206–7.
Menezes de Drumond, “Lettres sur l’Afrique ancienne et moderne,” Journal des voyages, XXXII, 190–224 (December, 1826).
R. Donkin, A Dissertation on the Course and Probable Termination of the Niger (London, 1829).
C. G. Reichard, “Ueber die Vermuthung des Dr. Seetzen zu Jever, dass sich der Niger in Afrika viellkht mit dem Zaire vereinigen könne,” Monatliche Correspondes zur Beforderung der Erd-und-Himmels Kunde, V, 402–15 (Gotha, May 1802);
Reichard, “Ueber den angekündigten, nun bald erscheinenden, Atlas des ganzen Erdkreises,” Allegemeine Geographische Ephemeriden, XII, 129–70 and map opposite p. 265 (August 1803), esp. pp. 157–67.
C. Malte-Brun, Précis de la géographie universelle … 8 vols. (Paris, 1810– 1829), IV, 635; “Appendix No. IV,” in M. Park, Journal of a Mission, II, 364–66.
J. MacQueen, Geographical and Commercial View of Northern Central Africa, Containing a Particular Account of the Course and Termination of the Great River Niger in the Atlantic Ocean (Edinburgh, 1821).
R. L. Lander, Records of Captain Clapperton’s Last Expedition to Africa … with Subsequent Adventures of the Author, 2 vols. (London, 1830), esp. I, 270–85.
D. Denham and H. Clapperton, Narrative of Travels and Discoveries in Northern and Central Africa in the Years 1822, 1823, and 1824, 2 vols. (London, 1826), I, 316.
R. L. Tafel, Documents Concerning the Life and Character of Emanuel Swedenborg, 2 vols. (London, 1875–1877), I, 640–42. The Afzelius papers, including his journals from Sierra Leone, are preserved in the University Library, Upsala.
T. Winterbottom, An Account of the Native Africans in the Neighbourhood of Sierra Leone, 2 vols. (London, 1803), I, v.
Philip Beaver, African Memoranda (London, 1805), pp. 318–36, quotation on p. 326.
As may have been the case with Peter McLachlan’s Travels into the Baga and Soosoo Countries (Freetown, 1821), a brief ethnographic report prepared by the Assistant Staff Surgeon of Sierra Leone, first incorporated in his official half-yearly report, and then separately published.
J. Leyden and H. Murray, Historical Account of Discoveries and Voyages in Africa, 2 vols. (Edinburgh, 1817);
R. Jameson, J. Wilson, and H. Murray, Narrative of Discovery and Adventure in Africa from the Earliest Ages to the Present Time (Edinburgh and London, 1830);
Hugh Murray, The African Continent (Edinburgh, 1853).
C. A. Walckenaer (ed.), Histoire générale des voyages, 21 vols. (Paris, 1826–1831).
J. Grasset de Saint-Saveur, Encyclopédie des Voyages, 5 vols. (Paris, 1795), IV.
See, for example, N. V., “Coup-d’oeil sur la guerre des Ashantis et sur l’état des possessions anglaises de la Côte-d’or,” Journal des Voyages, XXV, 169–89 (February, 1825).
Robert Kerr (ed.), A General History and Collection of Voyages and travels …, 18 vols. (Edinburgh, 1811–1824);
John Pinkerton, A General Collection of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages and Travels in All Farts of the World, 17 vols. (London, 1808–1814).
Catherine Hutton, The Tour of Africa … with the Manners and Customs of the Inhabitants, 3 vols. (London, 1819–1821);
F. Shoberl, The World in Miniature. Africa. A Description of the Manners and Customs of the Moors of the Zahara, and of the Negro Nations between the Rivers Senegal and Gambia, 4 vols. (London, n. d. [c. 1821]).
Travels in Africa (Dublin, C. Bentham, 1821).
C. Hulbert, The African Traveller … (Shrewsbury, 1817) and Museum Afri can urn (Shrewsbury, 1822).
Mrs. Barbara Hofland [née Houle], Africa Described (London, 1828).
William Bingley, Travels in Africa, from Modern Writers (London, 1819), p. 202.
Isaac Taylor, Scenes in Africa (London, 1820), pp. 31 and 33
Wilberforce to Z. Macaulay, 23 August 1793 and Wilberforce to Muncaster, 18 December 1804, in Wilberforce, R. I. and S. (eds.), Correspondence of William Wilberforce, 5 vols. (London, 1838), II, 409–13 and III, 203.
J. C. Prichard, Researches into the Physical History of Man, 2nd ed., 2 vols. (London, 1826), I, 250–81.
W. E., “Anthropology,” New Monthly Magazine, XXII, 505–09 (1828).
S. M. X. Golberry [S. M. X. de Golbéry], Travels in Africa Performed during the Years 1785, 1786, and 1787, 2 vols. (London, 1803), II, 310.
See also F. B. Spilsbury, A Voyage to the Western Coast of Africa (London, 1807), pp. 22–23.
Holgar Pedersen, Linguistic Science in the Nineteenth Century (Cambridge, Mass., 1931), pp. 9–10.
R. N. Cust, A Sketch of the Modern Languages of Africa, 2 vols. (London, 1883), I, 25–26.
J. C. Prichard, “Abstract of a Comparative Review of Philological and Physical Researches as applied to the History of the Human Species,” Reports of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, II, 529–44 (1832), p. 531.
Peter Bedford and others, “Address to Friends,” 22 May 1820, Thomas Hodgkin Papers;
Hannah Kilham, African Lessons. Wolof and English (London, 1823)
and Specimens of African Language Spoken in the Colony of Sierra Leone (London, 1828).
See also C. P. Groves, The Planting of Christianity in Africa, 4 vols. (London, 1948– 1958), I, 286–88.
J. C. Adelung and J. S. Vater, Mitbridates oder allgemeine Spracbenkunde, 4 vols. (Berlin, 1806–1817), III, 1–305.
H. H. Johnston, A Comparative Study of the Bantu and Semi-Bantu Languages, 2 vols. (Oxford, 1919–1922), I, 1–5;
C. M. Dolce, “Bantu Language Pioneers of the Nineteenth Century,” African Studies, XVIII, 1–27 (1959).
A convenient summary, based on a wide variety of sources, is found in Abbé Henri Baptiste Grégoire, De la litèrature des nègres, ou recherches sur leur facultés intellectuelles, leur qualités morales, et leur litèrature (Paris, 1808), translated by D. B. Warden as An Enquiry Concerning the Intellectual and Moral Vacuities, and Literature of Negroes … (Brooklyn, N.Y., 1810), pp. 89–106.
J. Montgomery, Poetical Works, 4 vols. (London, 1828), I, 36. “The West Indies” was first published in 1807.
J. B. L. Durand, A Voyage to Senegal, (London, 1806), p. 99.
PP, I8I6, vii (506), p. 176. For other summary views of the “Negro character” see M. Park, Travels in the Interior Districts of Africa, 2nd ed. (London, 1799), pp. 261–64; Golbéry, Travels in Africa, I, 70 and II, 310;
J. Corry, Observations upon the Windward Coast of Africa … made in the Years 1805–1806 (London, 1807), esp. p. 60; PP, 1816, vii (506), pp. 156–97;
J. MacLoed, A Voyage to Africa, with Some Account of the Manners and Customs of the Dahomean People (London, 1820), p. 129;
John Adams, Sketches Taken During Ten Voyages to Africa, Between the Years ij86 and 1800 … (London, 1822), p. 72; Balbi, Atlas ethnographique, table 19.
J. L. Phelan, The Millenial Kingdom of the Franciscans in the New World (Berkeley, Cal., 1956), pp. 56–57.
Torrane to African Committee, 20 July 1807, T 70/35, f. 66; Dupuis, Residence in Ashantee, lxiv; Edinburgh Review, XLI, 341–43 (January 1825); [J. MacQueen], “British Settlements in Western Africa,” Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, XXVI, 342 (September 1829).
See, for example, R. C. Dallas, The History of the Maroons from their Origin to the Establishment of their Chief Tribe in Sierra Leone, 2 vols. (London, 1803), I, 87–88; Spilsbury, Western Coast of Africa, p. 38;
H. I. Ricketts, Narrative of the Ashantee War with a view of the Present State of Sierra Leone (London, 1831), pp. 191–93 and 209.
Copyright information
© 1964 Regents of the University of Wisconsin
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Curtin, P.D. (1964). Towns and Elephants. In: The Image of Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-00539-0_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-00539-0_8
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-00541-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-00539-0
eBook Packages: Palgrave History CollectionHistory (R0)