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pubOne.info thank you for your continued support and wish to present you this new edition. or, Journeys and Researches in South Africa.

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Publié par	Pub One Info
Date de parution	27 septembre 2010
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9782819923015
Langue	English

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MISSIONARY TRAVELS AND RESEARCHES
IN SOUTH AFRICA.
Also called, Travels and Researches in SouthAfrica;
or, Journeys and Researches in South Africa.
By David Livingstone
[British (Scot) Missionary andExplorer—1813-1873.]
the original was typed in (manually) twice andelectronically compared.
Italicized words or phrases are CAPITALIZED.
David Livingstone was born in Scotland, received hismedical degree from
the University of Glasgow, and was sent to SouthAfrica by the London
Missionary Society. Circumstances led him to try tomeet the material
needs as well as the spiritual needs of the peoplehe went to, and while
promoting trade and trying to end slavery, he becamethe first European
to cross the continent of Africa, which story isrelated in this book.
vs. new forms of words, names, etc. ); the other isa review from the
February, 1858 edition of Harper's Magazine, whichis included both for
those readers who want to see a brief synopsis, andmore importantly to
give an example of how Livingstone's accomplishmentswere seen in
his own time. The unnamed reviewer was by no meansas enlightened as
Livingstone, yet he was not entirely in the dark,either.
The casual reader, who may not be familiar with thehistorical period,
should note that a few things that Livingstonewrote, which might be
seen as racist by today's standards, was notconsidered so in his
own time. Livingstone simply uses the terms and thescience of his
day— these were no doubt flawed, as is also seenelsewhere, in his
references to malaria, for example. Which all goesto show that it was
the science of the day which was flawed, and not somuch Livingstone.
I will also add that the Rev. Livingstone has a finesense of humour,
which I hope the reader will enjoy. His descriptionof a Makololo dance
is classic.
Lastly, I will note that what I love most aboutLivingstone's
descriptions is not only that he was not polluted bythe racism of his
day, but that he was not polluted by the anti-racismof our own. He
states things as he sees them, and notes that theAfricans are, like all
other men, a curious mixture of good and evil. This,to me, demonstrates
his good faith better than any other descriptioncould. You see, David
Livingstone does not write about Africa as amissionary, nor as an
explorer, nor yet as a scientist, but as a manmeeting fellow men. I
hope you will enjoy his writings as much as Idid.
Alan R. Light
Monroe, N. C. , 1997. ]
MISSIONARY TRAVELS AND RESEARCHES IN SOUTHAFRICA;
Including a Sketch of Sixteen Years' Residence inthe Interior of Africa, and a Journey from the Cape of Good Hope toLoanda on the West Coast; Thence Across the Continent, Down theRiver Zambesi, to the Eastern Ocean.
By David Livingstone, LL. D. , D. C. L. , Fellow ofthe Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow; CorrespondingMember of the Geographical and Statistical Society of New York;Gold Medalist and Corresponding Member of the Royal GeographicalSocieties of London and Paris F. S. A. , Etc. , Etc.
Dedication.
To
SIR RODERICK IMPEY MURCHISON, President RoyalGeographical Society, F. R. S. , V. P. G. S. ,
Corr. Inst. of France, and Member of the Academiesof St. Petersburg,
Berlin, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Brussels, Etc. ,
This Work is affectionately offered as a Token ofGratitude for the kind interest he has always taken in the Author'spursuits and welfare; and to express admiration of his eminentscientific attainments, nowhere more strongly evidenced than by thestriking hypothesis respecting the physical conformation of theAfrican continent, promulgated in his Presidential Address to theRoyal Geographic Society in 1852, and verified three yearsafterward by the Author of these Travels.
DAVID LIVINGSTONE. London, Oct. , 1857.
Preface.
When honored with a special meeting of welcome bythe Royal Geographical Society a few days after my arrival inLondon in December last, Sir Roderick Murchison, the President,invited me to give the world a narrative of my travels; and at asimilar meeting of the Directors of the London Missionary Society Ipublicly stated my intention of sending a book to the press,instead of making many of those public appearances which were urgedupon me. The preparation of this narrative* has taken much longertime than, from my inexperience in authorship, I hadanticipated.
* Several attempts having been made to impose uponthe public,
as mine, spurious narratives of my travels, I beg totender my
thanks to the editors of the 'Times' and of the'Athenaeum'
for aiding to expose them, and to the booksellers ofLondon
for refusing to SUBSCRIBE for any copies.
Greater smoothness of diction and a saving of timemight have been secured by the employment of a person accustomed tocompilation; but my journals having been kept for my own privatepurposes, no one else could have made use of them, or have enteredwith intelligence into the circumstances in which I was placed inAfrica, far from any European companion. Those who have nevercarried a book through the press can form no idea of the amount oftoil it involves. The process has increased my respect for authorsand authoresses a thousand-fold.
I can not refrain from referring, with sentiments ofadmiration and gratitude, to my friend Thomas Maclear, Esq. , theaccomplished Astronomer Royal at the Cape. I shall never cease toremember his instructions and help with real gratitude. Theintercourse I had the privilege to enjoy at the Observatory enabledme to form an idea of the almost infinite variety of acquirementsnecessary to form a true and great astronomer, and I was led to theconviction that it will be long before the world becomesoverstocked with accomplished members of that profession. Let thembe always honored according to their deserts; and long may Maclear,Herschel, Airy, and others live to make known the wonders and gloryof creation, and to aid in rendering the pathway of the world safeto mariners, and the dark places of the earth open toChristians!
I beg to offer my hearty thanks to my friend SirRoderick Murchison, and also to Dr. Norton Shaw, the secretary ofthe Royal Geographical Society, for aiding my researches by everymeans in their power.
His faithful majesty Don Pedro V. , having kindlysent out orders to support my late companions until my return,relieved my mind of anxiety on their account. But for this act ofliberality, I should certainly have been compelled to leave Englandin May last; and it has afforded me the pleasure of traveling over,in imagination, every scene again, and recalling the feelings whichactuated me at the time. I have much pleasure in acknowledging mydeep obligations to the hospitality and kindness of the Portugueseon many occasions.
I have not entered into the early labors, trials,and successes of the missionaries who preceded me in the Bechuanacountry, because that has been done by the much abler pen of myfather-in-law, Rev. Robert Moffat, of Kuruman, who has been anenergetic and devoted actor in the scene for upward of forty years.A slight sketch only is given of my own attempts, and the chiefpart of the book is taken up with a detail of the efforts made toopen up a new field north of the Bechuana country to the sympathiesof Christendom. The prospects there disclosed are fairer than Ianticipated, and the capabilities of the new region lead me to hopethat by the production of the raw materials of our manufactures,African and English interests will become more closely linked thanheretofore, that both countries will be eventually benefited, andthat the cause of freedom throughout the world will in some measurebe promoted.
Dr. Hooker, of Kew, has had the kindness to name andclassify for me, as far as possible, some of the new botanicalspecimens which I brought over; Dr. Andrew Smith (himself anAfrican traveler) has aided me in the zoology; and Captain Need haslaid open for my use his portfolio of African sketches, for allwhich acts of liberality my thanks are deservedly due, as well asto my brother, who has rendered me willing aid as anamanuensis.
Although I can not profess to be a draughtsman, Ibrought home with me a few rough diagram-sketches, from one ofwhich the view of the Falls of the Zambesi has been prepared by amore experienced artist.
October, 1857.
Introduction.
Personal Sketch— Highland Ancestors— FamilyTraditions— Grandfather removes to the Lowlands— Parents— EarlyLabors and Efforts — Evening School— Love of Reading— ReligiousImpressions— Medical Education— Youthful Travels— Geology— MentalDiscipline— Study in Glasgow— London Missionary Society— NativeVillage— Medical Diploma— Theological Studies— Departure forAfrica— No Claim to Literary Accomplishments.
My own inclination would lead me to say as little aspossible about myself; but several friends, in whose judgment Ihave confidence, have suggested that, as the reader likes to knowsomething about the author, a short account of his origin and earlylife would lend additional interest to this book. Such is my excusefor the following egotism; and, if an apology be necessary forgiving a genealogy, I find it in the fact that it is not very long,and contains only one incident of which I have reason to beproud.
Our great-grandfather fell at the battle ofCulloden, fighting for the old line of kings; and our grandfatherwas a small farmer in Ulva, where my father was born. It is one ofthat cluster of the Hebrides thus alluded to by Walter Scott:
"And Ulva dark, and Colonsay,
And all the group of islets gay
That guard famed Staffa round. "*
* Lord of the Isles, canto 4.
Our grandfather was intimately acquainted with allthe traditionary legends which that great writer has since made useof in the “Tales of a Grandfather” and other works. As a boy Iremember listening to him with delight, for his memory was storedwith a never-ending stock of stories, many of which werewonderfully like those I have since heard while sitting by theAfrican evening fires. Our grandmother,