Niger

5 That blank in Mungo’s biography the chronicler
fills in with an outline of the Niger’s. The
rumour of the Great River beyond the Great Desert
had haunted the fringes of Mediterranean history
for over two thousand years. It was the second great
mysterious river of the ancient world, the primal
Nile taking first place. Civilisation arose, an acci¬
dent from an accidental starting-point, on the banks
of the Nile and from there spread abroad the antique
world of the Golden Age hunters, carrying agri¬
culture, the first social classes, the first kings and the
first gods to many races of men, lifting them to
economic security and debasing their minds and
hearts in the ritual of kingship and temple. It
spread abroad Asia and Europe and far to America :
more slowly it seeped south into the dark continent
where it arose. Even at the present day there are
little lost tribes in the heart of Africa that still live
the life of happy primal innocence which all our
fathers led ere corn and the gods, Pandora’s gifts,
were let loose on the world.
The Mediterranean lands grew histories. Kings
rose and dominated and founded dynasties. Sailors
sailed the seas for Givers of Life, gold and pearls.
Travellers penetrated down through the fertile
North African fringe and gazed at the great barrier
of the Sahara. What lay beyond ?
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