morning of Christmas day, 1797; and it being too early an hour to go to
his brother-in-law, Mr. Dickson, he wandered for some time about the
streets in that quarter of the town where his house was. Finding one of
the entrances into the gardens of the British Museum accidentally open,
he went in and walked about there for some time. It happened that Mr.
Dickson, who had the care of those gardens, went there early that
morning upon some trifling business. What must have been his emotions on
beholding at that extraordinary time and place, the vision, as it must
at first have appeared, of his long-lost friend, the object of so many
anxious reflexions, and whom he had long numbered with the dead!

* * * * *

Park's arrival was hailed with a sort of triumph by his friends of the
African Association, and in some degree, by the public at large. The
nature and objects of his mission, his long absence, and his unexpected
return, excited a very general interest; which was afterwards kept up by
the reports which prevailed respecting the discoveries he had made. The
Association, with that liberality which characterised every part of
their proceedings, gave him full permission to publish his Travels for
his own benefit; and it was speedily announced, that a complete
narrative of the journey would be prepared by Park himself, and given to
the public. But in the mean time, in order to gratify, in a certain
degree, the curiosity which prevailed, an Abstract, of the Travels,
prepared from Park's own minutes, was drawn up by Mr. Bryan Edwards,
secretary of the African Association, and was printed and distributed
for the private use of the subscribers. [Footnote: Proceedings of
African Association. Vol. I. p. 327.] This Abstract, which was written
with perspicuity and elegance, formed the principal ground-work of the
Book of Travels which was subsequently published.