Trunk call to New Zealand

But fans of the former Peebles doctor are running out of time in their bid to bring the treasured chest home.

Mungo Park’s Trunk is expected to fetch between 40,000 and 50,000 New Zealand dollars, £20,700 to £26,000, when it is sold today.

It is listed amongst the lots at Dunbar Sloane’s Maori, South Pacific & African Tribal Arts sale in Auckland.

And interest from around the world is expected.

Local councillor Vicky Davidson is attempting to gather support to enter the bidding war.

She told the Peeblesshire News: “The problem we have is that this has come up so quickly - we’ve not had time to go around the various funding streams to see if money would be available.

“We would love to have this trunk back in the Borders where it started out. This trunk was with Mungo Park on his expeditions - we have to bring it back to the Borders.” Mungo Park was born at Foulshiels in the Yarrow Valley.

He studied to become a surgeon in nearby Selkirk before taking his first job aboard the East India ship, Worcester.

His interest in Africa began aboard the Worcester - and in 1795 he mounted his first expedition to trace the Niger.

During his travels through darkest Africa he was held captive by a Moorish chief for four months before escaping.

After tracing the river’s route, he returned to Scotland, married and set up a doctor’s practice in Peebles.

But just three years later, at the invitation of the government, he led another expedition to the Niger. The ill-fated trek through Gambia saw around 30 of the 40 Europeans die of dysentery or fever by the time they had reached the Niger.

More and more of the men died before Park set sail with just one remaining officer, three soldiers a guide and three slaves. He sent another guide back to Gambia with letters for his wife and the Colonial Office.

Park’s route along the river would have taken him north east through western Africa, then into the Sahara and past Timbuktu, then south east through modern day Niger and Nigeria to the sea. He never made it.

Despite fighting off attacks from tribes and covering close to 1,000 miles by boat the expedition party eventually succumb after being stranded on rocks in Nigeria.

They drowned as they attempted to flee from tribesmen.

Park’s belongings were eventually recovered and returned to Scotland.

A statue to the explorer stands proud at the bottom of the Back Row in Selkirk.

And a plaque in Peebles’ Northgate marks the spot where his surgery was between 1801 and 1804.

Councillor Davidson added: “Mungo Park is famous around the world for his expeditions.

“There is so much we could do around the trunk. As well as educational purposes it would also attract more people to whichever museum we put it in. This year is all about homecoming - I would love to see Mungo Park’s Trunk have its own homecoming.” A meeting did take place earlier this week at Scottish Borders Council between director Glenn Rodger and museum services staff about bidding for the trunk. But they couldn’t justify the outlay from their shrinking budget.

A spokesman for Scottish Borders Council said: “It seems unlikely we would have the available funds.” It is understood that Scottish Borders Council already owns several items which belonged to Mungo Park, including a similar chest.

The trunk was taken to New Zealand in 1839 by Mungo Park’s descendant Robert Park.

He arrived with the advance guard of The New Zealand Company, and for the next 20 years he experienced early colonial life at Wellington, Dunedin, Hawkes Bay, Wanganui and Canterbury, contributing many sketches and watercolours of these places.

The complex Park family story continued as Robert fathered three families during his years in New Zealand.

And the trunk ended up in the possession of a Maori family in Petone. It has been on exhibition loan to the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

A book was published four years ago, called Mungo Park’s Trunk, telling Robert’s and the trunk’s story in New Zealand.

The Dunbar Sloane auction sale commenced yesterday (Thursday) with the Mungo Park Trunk due to be sold this (Friday) afternoon. It is described as being in bullock hide with brass studs.