Dr. David Livingstone of Scotland, the great African missionary who narrowly escaped with his life in an Arab slave raid in the vicinity of Lake Victoria in the spring of 1871.
Survive with no supplies and only a few makers, he fought for the South to his portfolio in the Arab trading center of Uijiji on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika.
The desperate party, reduced to skeletons, come to see was their wares from the villain, had been sold in charge left so that it almost beggars amongStrangers. "
It is not surprising that Livingston fell into despair. "I felt," he wrote in his diary, "as if I'm the man who went from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves."
But when his mood had reached its nadir, a Good Samaritan was very close, according to an article in Harper's Monthly Magazine from March 1875. It was written by extensive, Livingstone's posthumous recordings.
On the morning of the 10th November 1871, his faithful servant, African, Susi,came running and gasped, "An Englishman! I see him coming," and darted off to meet him. Livingstone followed.
An American flag at the head of the approaching caravan revealed the stranger's true allegiance. Henry Stanley, a reporter for the New York Herald, stepped forward and extended his right hand, "Dr. Livingstone I presume?"
This taciturn greeting was so incongruous -- after hazardous thousand-mile treks by both men through uncharted jungles and swamps -- it has become a Classics of modesty.
Dr. Livingstone said: "You have brought me new life!"
* * *
David Livingstone was born in the small town Blayntyre in 1813. Like most other children there, with 10 years he worked as a tie-er in the cotton spinning mill of 6 clock until 8 clock in the evening attended by a brief dinner, he Children's Night School.
He studied hard, and appropriate age attended medical classes at Anderson's College in Glasgow. In the winter he has studied Greek at the University of Glasgowwhere he was (for licentiate licensed assistant) at the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons.
During his studies, he attended a lecture by Dr. Robert Moffat. The fellow Scot was on leave from a Christian Mission in Kuruman, 500 miles north of Cape Town, South Africa.
David was inspired by the description of "smoke of a thousand villages" in central Africa, where the Gospel and civilized commerce were unknown. He decided to become a missionary.
He joined Dr.Moffat in Cape Town under the auspices of the London Missionary Society. There he married Moffat's daughter, Mary. She bore him three sons and two daughters before moving to London to escape the devastating effects of malaria.
Livingstone to be severed relationship with the Missionary Society in 1857 accepted the position of the British consul at Quelimane. In this capacity, he has explored central Africa to a large extent on the rivers map. He believed that the key to civilized WaterwaysDevelopment.
The trade in slaves from the Arabs - and compliant African chiefs - was an "abomination," he tried to eliminate them.
During a visit to England to receive instructions for his consular functions, Livingstone was given the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh. In a speech, the shy witness recipients spoke about the evils of slavery:
"In the current back [to Africa] is my intention to try and get a permanent path into the central region, from which most of the slaves has always beendrawn. "Said Dr. Livingstone.
"The native is a slave driver to go into the country and run our factories. With just a few yards of material they buy slaves. Then, they take it to the coast. The people are so happy to get a little of our factories that, in return for them, they part with their own children not abducted, but with children from other tribes.
"I hope that I to make a path from the Zambezi River in the central country. Then, if we can deliver the peoplewith our goods to legitimate trade, I think we have a nice view slide a stop to the slave trade.
"We know that our country is highly dependent on the supply of cotton in the United States. So we have to rely on this material on slave labor.
"If we get sufficient supply of raw materials from Africa, we will soon find that the slave owners in America is more enlightened."
Ironically, and sadly, the Livingstone's eldest son, Robert,lost his life in the American Civil War.
While in England, Livingstone was persuaded to explore south of Lake Victoria to settle the "last geographical puzzle" about the Nile headwaters. As a byproduct of his missionary travels, he did determine that the largest lake in Africa was, indeed, the remotest source of the Nile and did not connect with Lake Tanganyika.
Slave References
Harper's Magazine in its article included many references by Livingstone to the slave trade during his African travels:
"Today we passed the body of a dead woman tied by her neck to a tree. The people of the country explained that she had been unable to keep up with the other slaves in a gang. Her master had determined that she should not recover to be the property of any one else.
"Others tied in a similar manner were seen farther on. There is a double purpose in these murders. The terror inspired in the minds of survivors They provide the incentive to endure the hardships of the march.
"One day, one of my people wandered from the party and came to a number of slaves with slave-yoke sticks. They were sick for lack of food and was left to the death. When found, they were too weak to speak . Some were only children.
"Our march for a portion of the road has been depopulated by a country. Locals differ on the cause. Some say slave wars and argue that the Makon from the vicinity of Mozambique a playimportant role. "
On another occasion, Livingstone said: "A company passed slaves, singing as if they do not reduce the weight and feel of the slave stick around his neck. When asked the cause of their merriment was told that they were glad to the idea of returning to the death and haunting and killing those they had sold into slavery.
"Their song was, 'Oh, you took me to the manga (the coast), but the yoke is off when I die. I come back to pursueand kill you. "Then everyone will be in the choir, in which the names of the individual dealer has been repeatedly connected. It tells of the joy, but of the bitterness and tears of the oppressed."
Upon reaching the area west of Lake Tanganyika, Livingstone asked: "The Arabs have an inkling of the huge quantities of ivory that could lay procured. Uijijian The hordes of dealers is likely to doom at the end of Tribe After Tribe of the slave trade and looting - as in so many otherRegions. "
Livingstone crossed the Lualaba in February 1871 and found a river to the other unknown. He called it "Lincoln" in honor of American presidents. Here he witnessed the massacre mentioned above.
Stanley's Voyage
Explore Livingstone Zambezi exploration - in which he reports, "" the mighty Victoria Falls - brought him worldwide fame.
Stitch-makers reported that hehad died. However, native travelers from the area said Dr. Livingstone was alive but ailing. He suffered malaria throughout his career. As he grew older, bouts with the mosquito-borne disease hit him harder and lasted longer. In his last years, his porters had to carry him on a litter.
Livingstone was not heard from for nearly three years. In New York City at this time, five newspapers fought for circulation. The Herald had a foreign correspondent named Henry Morton Stanley who had proved to be resourceful in reporting the war in Out-of-the way places.
The Herald publisher, in search of a sensational "scoop," said Stanley, organize an expedition and "Go Livingstone."
Stanley was born in Wales as John Rowlands. His parents died when he was just three years old. Little Johnny was placed in the poorhouse. He was a cheerful boy who was at the age of 13 ship as a cabin boy on a steamer to New Orleans. On arrival, a businessman and his passenger hasgave him his name.
Unfortunately, Stanley, Sr., died at the beginning of the American Civil War. Stanley, Jr., joined the Confederate Army and was captured shortly thereafter. He was discharged because of illness. Then he joined the U.S. Navy, where he was on an iron cannons. After the war he emigrated North Africa and the Middle East as a reporter.
To carry out his assignment Herald Stanley "192 winners and collect bales of goods, baths of tin (canned), huge kettles, cookingPots, tents, etc., "Livingstone wrote later in his diary:" This must be a luxury rather than a traveler at the end of his tether "as I am."
Use the following path blazed Livingstone, Stanley reached him Uijiji in seven months. The two men formed a deep friendship.
Stanley stayed with Dr. Livingstone for four months. During this time she made a native-canoe trip on the northern end of Lake Tanganyika, and determined there was no connection to Lake Victoria.
Stanley returned towas on the news that Dr. Livingston was alive, and ironically, and unfortunately contribute to the Livingstone's eldest son, Robert, lost his life in the American Civil War. committed to its exploration by circling Lake Tanganyika completed in the West.
Jacob Wainwright, with additional supplies and support, was dispatched from Stanley expedition, to strengthen Livingstone.
Dr. Livingstone, now old and weak, but was soon confined to his down throw dysentery. When the party reached theChief Chitambo village south of Lake Bangweulu, the famous missionary Ruhr deteriorated. He was placed on a makeshift bed in an empty hut.
On the following morning of the 1st May 1873, he was discovered dead - kneeling by his bed, his hands as if in prayer.
Susi and chumba, its oldest and most loyal companion African cut, Livingstone's heart and internal organs and buried them under a Mvula tree near where he died. Then they returned his body packed in salt to England to beby Wainwright.
Dr. Livingstone's remains reached London on April 18, 1874. A day of national mourning was declared, and he was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Stanley returned permanently to England, married, had two children, was elected to Parliament and knighted in 1899.
With thanks to Al Leonard, proprietor of All Books used and rare book emporium at Punta Gorda, FL who found the old Harper's Magazine for me.
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