I just dont get this saying...
What about our ancestors who ve been fishing there way before Mungo Park ancestors....

Have asked same questions about who discovered what or where. I have always maintained that it be stated in a way that would reflect the true picture such as: Columbus was the first know European to set foot on America. That ll show that they were other humans living in America by the time he reached there. I'm always of the opinion that one don't discover a place that other humans are already inhabiting.
I think it'll always be good if it's put as: the first known....to discover/reach/find....place/tribe/people. Thus i can say i am the first known person to discover Bakasi Island. This would mean that there's nobody living in the Island and none have known the existence of the Island before i discovered it.
However if it's say a sea route, one may be tempted to agree since the inhabitants of a particular point on the route may not have travelled the whole stretch in order to know that sailing from thier position would take them to another point (group of other inhabitants). So the first person that made that journey can claim to have discovered the route.
I think it's patronizing to say one "discover" fellow humans. Why not the first....to locate them.

tinkinjow:
Have asked same questions about who discovered what or where. I have always maintained that it be stated in a way that would reflect the true picture such as: Columbus was the first know European to set foot on America. That ll show that they were other humans living in America by the time he reached there. I'm always of the opinion that one don't discover a place that other humans are already inhabiting.
I think it'll always be good if it's put as: the first known....to discover/reach/find....place/tribe/people. Thus i can say i am the first known person to discover Bakasi Island. This would mean that there's nobody living in the Island and none have known the existence of the Island before i discovered it.
However if it's say a sea route, one may be tempted to agree since the inhabitants of a particular point on the route may not have travelled the whole stretch in order to know that sailing from thier position would take them to another point (group of other inhabitants). So the first person that made that journey can claim to have discovered the route.
I think it's patronizing to say one "discover" fellow humans. Why not the first....to locate them.

exactly...