D Livingston short biography. David Livingston is a tireless Englishman, an African traveler. David Livingston biography briefly

David Livingston(David Livingstone; English David Livingstone; March 19, 1813, Blantyre - May 1, 1873, current Zambia) - Scottish missionary, explorer of Africa.

Biography

Youth

David Livingston was born in the village of Blantyre (Eng. Blantyre, South Lanarkshire) into a poor Scottish family and at the age of 10 began working in a weaving factory. He taught himself Latin and Greek, as well as mathematics. This allowed him to enter the university, and for two years he studied theology and medicine there, while continuing to work in a factory, after which Livingston received a doctorate.

First African expeditions

On November 20, 1840, Livingston was granted missionary status; at the end of that year he sailed for Africa and arrived in Cape Town on March 14, 1841.

Livingston spent the next fifteen years in uninterrupted travel through the hinterland of South and Central Africa. He had numerous skirmishes with the local Boers and the Portuguese because of their harsh treatment of the native Africans, which caused him acute opposition, and created a reputation for himself as a staunch Christian, a courageous explorer and an ardent fighter against slavery and the slave trade. Livingston quickly learned the languages ​​of the local population and won their respect.

On July 31, 1841, Livingston arrived at Moffett's mission at Kuruman on northern border Cape Colony, and in 1843 he founded his own mission in Kolobeng in the Bechuan Country (Tswana) (the future protectorate of Bechuanaland, now Botswana). Almost immediately after his arrival, he began to carry out expeditions to the north, to unknown Europeans and, as it was believed, densely populated areas, still untouched by the preaching activities of Christian missionaries. His goal was to propagate the faith through "local agents" - converted Africans. By the summer of 1842, Livingston had already made his way north into the inhospitable Kalahari Desert, further than any European before him, becoming familiar with local languages ​​and customs.

In 1843, he visited the settlement of the Kwena (Bakwena) tribe of the Tswana people and became friends with its leader, Sechele, who eventually became the first of the leaders of the Tswana tribes to convert to Christianity. Sechele gave Livingston comprehensive information about the "land of great thirst" in the north - the Kalahari - and Lake Ngami.

Livingston's missionary tenacity was dramatically tested in 1844 when, while traveling to Mabotsa to set up a mission there, he was attacked and seriously injured by a lion. The damage to her left arm was then aggravated by another accident, leaving her crippled for life. Livingston could no longer hold the barrel of his gun with his left hand, and was forced to learn to shoot from his left shoulder and aim with his left eye.

On January 2, 1845, Livingston married Robert Moffet's daughter Mary. For seven years, despite her pregnancies and her father's protests, she accompanied Livingston on his travels and bore him four children. The Livingstones first settled in a mission in Mabotsa, then briefly moved to Tchonwane, and from 1847 they lived in Kolobeng. main reason The transfer of the mission to Kolobeng was the presence of drinking water there from the river of the same name, necessary for irrigating crops. It was in Kolobeng that Sechele was baptized on the condition that he refuse to take part in any pagan ceremonies like making rain, and divorce all his wives, leaving one. These conditions aroused dissatisfaction among some of the Tswana tribes, who considered Livingston guilty of a terrible drought and drying up of the Kolobeng River, which happened in 1848 and claimed the lives of a large number of people and livestock. In addition, the Sechele ex-wives, who suddenly found themselves without a husband, faced significant difficulties in the patriarchal Tswana society.

In June 1849, Livingston (as a topographer and researcher), accompanied by African guides, was the first European to cross the Kalahari Desert and explore Lake Ngami for southern edge the Okavango Marshes, opened August 1st. For this discovery, he was awarded the Gold Medal and a cash prize by the British Royal Geographical Society. From this event begins the European fame of Livingston and his collaboration with the Geographical Society, which continued throughout his life. The society represented his interests in England and promoted his activities in Europe. In the desert, Livingston met the Stone Age Bushmen and Bakalahari tribes and introduced them to the outside world for the first time.

David Livingston (1813-1873), illustrious missionary to Africa, explorer from Britain. David spent his childhood in the village of Blantyre, his family was not wealthy, David's father was a street tea merchant, and the boy had to work at a textile factory from the age of 10. Curious David, being busy at work, knew how to find free time to study theology at the evening factory school. The boy was also passionate about learning Latin. From the age of nineteen, he dreamed of becoming a researcher and later successfully completed his education.

After some time, David meets Robert Moffet, a missionary engaged in scientific activities in Africa. He told the young man fascinating stories and exciting stories about incredible travels across the African continent, and David, carried away by what he heard, decides to enter the Cape Colony in 1840. On the ship, while sailing, Livingston is trained to determine the location of the coordinates of points on the Earth. Subsequently, according to the filming of David Livingston, the most best cards South Africa.

Further, in 1841, David reached south coast rivers in the Kalahari Desert. The missionary lived for about seven years in the Bechuan country, where he continued to travel and study the area. Later, David decides to explore all the existing rivers.

David Livingstone in Africa

Later, in 1849, David Livingstone crosses the Kalahari. During the study of the territory of the desert, the research decided that the shape of the Kalahari is bowl-shaped. In the same year, in August, David discovered a temporary lake, fed during times of rain by water from the Okavango River.

Further, Livingston's path led him to the now famous Zambezi River. Given the aridity of the continent, the height of the river was about 300-600 meters wide, while its depth was also impressive. During heavy rains, the water level could reach a height of six meters and had a detrimental effect on a space of twenty miles.

In 1853, in November, the explorer begins his journey up the Zambezi River. In the last days of May 1854, David's group reaches the Atlantic Ocean. David Livingston in Africa decides to go to the east coast and his plan was approved by the clergy and authorities of Portugal, as they were also interested in obtaining information about the territories between Mozambique and Angola.

The implementation of the expedition, which involved the study of the course of the Zambezi River to the Indian Ocean, became real thanks to the support of Sekeletu, the ruler of an African tribe. He paid for the crossing of Africa by David Livingston and himself accompanied the expedition to a 120-meter-high waterfall on the Zambezi, which the Africans called "Roaring Smoke". The missionary was the first European to see this waterfall. Today, this waterfall, which was named after Queen Victoria of England, is considered one of the largest and most famous.

In March 1856, Livingston reaches the territory of Tete - the first settlement of European civilization. Further exploration along the Zambezi River was canceled by the expedition of David Livingston. On May 20, 1856, David and his team ended their journey in the town of Quelimane. As a result, a journey of this kind was the first in the history of European man.

After returning to his homeland, David published his first book, A Missionary's Travels and Studies in South Africa, in 1867. She undoubtedly made Livingston famous. The book brought Livingston a small income, which he spent on the education of his children and gave part to his mother. The missionary invested the bulk of his earnings in further travels across the continent.

A little later, the Royal Geographical Society rewarded the missionary with a gold medal. The government instructs David to explore Africa in more depth, establish relations with African rulers and agree with them on the cultivation of cotton on the continent. In May 1858, the missionary went to the Zambezi, already being British consul in Mozambique. With the help of the British government, Livingston made the journey from 1858-1864.

The significance of the expedition was colossal in the history of Africa. The missionary, traveling through unexplored sections of the Zambezi River, determined that it was known as Liambier. Thanks to his research, geographic Maps more accurate data were plotted on the lakes Shirve and on the Shire and Ruvuma rivers.

In the winter of 1866, David Livingston begins new travels across the African continent. On April 1, 1867, the explorer reaches the coast of Tanganyika, which today is called Liemba. On November 8, 1867, the missionary discovered Lake Mweru, many islands in it, and later in 1868, he discovered Lake Bangweolo. On the maps, David Livingston depicted the lake in size much larger than in reality, since he could not explore it completely.

In March 1871, David Livingston went to the village of Nyangwe. There he discovered a huge number of reservoirs, the so-called "hydrographic artery".

In 1871, the missionary falls ill, but continues his explorations of the north and concluded that the lake does not belong to the source of the Nile, as previously assumed. He decides not to return to his homeland due to illness, as he had the goal of completing the study of Lualaba. He sent his diaries and notes to Europe by ship.

Later, in 1873, the missionary decided to go to Lualaba. On the way, he stayed for the night in the town of Chitambo, near Lake Bangweulu. The next morning, the great explorer was found dead. The missionary's heart was buried by his servants near Lake Bangweulu. The body of David Livingstone was treated with salt and dried in the sun. After walking 1500 kilometers, after 9 months, Livingston's servants transferred his body to the town of Bagamoyo.

The missionary's diaries, which were called " Last Journey David Livingstone" was printed in London in 1874.

During his famous explorations of Africa, David Livingston located at least 1,000 points; the researcher was the first to point out the unexplored terrain of Africa, explored the system of the large Zambezi River, and was the founder of the scientific study of the large lakes of Tanganyika and Nyasa.

Mountains were named in memory of the famous missionary East Africa, as well as waterfalls on the Congo River (Zaire). David Livingston was a highly ideological humanist, hated the slave trade and fought against it. Near the city of Glasgow, in Scotland, is located memorial museum Livingston.

Eighteen years ago, an unremarkable ship was leaving the mouth of the Thames, one of those ships of which thousands annually come to and from London. On this ship sailed from Europe a poor and unknown young man. The ship landed on the African coast, the young man went to land and went deep into the distance, into unknown deserts, disappeared between wild tribes, whose names were not even known in Europe. The rumor of the poor young man also disappeared.

As time went. Europe was actively engaged in solving its political and religious, civil and military issues. As before, many ships entered and left the Thames; business people were moving in crowds from the outskirts of London to the city itself, and - could it have occurred to anyone to remember some young man who eighteen years ago left for Africa? Suddenly, a thick rumor glorified this young man: business crowds with thousands of voices began to repeat the name of Dr. David Livingston, an enterprising, fearless traveler, missionary full of selflessness and devotion to his work. In a few days, scientists and unlearned people throughout Europe knew about his discoveries and were unanimously surprised by them. Immediately all the evangelical churches in England agreed to publicly express their gratitude to the man who had rendered so many services to the holy cause of missionary work.

livingston

Before Livingston's discoveries, the entire southern half of Africa seemed like a monotonous, lifeless desert; maps of this part of the world depicted with timid dots the supposed currents of rivers, but at some distance from the coast - there were no dots. Rare settlements and stations were known along the banks, as well as the mouths of the rivers, in which seafarers stocked up with water. Further inland - as if everything is just steppes and steppes, burned by the scorching rays of the sun, without water, without vegetation, without life, where only fierce animals reign supreme, kings of deserts and steppes. It was into these wild, unknown parts of southern Africa that Livingston dared to make his way.

Livingston's task was to penetrate into Africa with the gospel and pave the way for enlightenment to put an end to the abominable slave trade, and he accomplished his task in a victorious manner. The road is paved and Africa is open to trade and civilization.

From 1840 to 1849, Livingston studied the dialects and customs of the natives and made, one after another, four great trips. Each journey, taken separately, is so significant that one could forever glorify a person.

On the first even more important journey, undertaken in 1849 with his wife and children, Livingston managed to get to one of the inland lakes of Africa, Lake Ngami, lying at a distance of 1300 miles in a direct direction from the city of Kapa on the Cape of Good Hope. He did not clearly guess about this lake from the conversations and stories of the natives. Then, still with his family, he explored further and further and discovered hitherto unknown lands, and thus discovered the magnificent Zambezi River, which he considers a great road for connecting Europe with inner Africa. Finally, from 1852 to 1856, leaving his family in Kapstadt, Livingston alone, accompanied by several natives, amid countless difficulties, passed through all of Africa, first from east to west, and then from west to east, over a space of eighteen thousand miles. Thanks to Livingston, inner Africa is now known to be irrigated rich rivers, covered with luxurious, diverse vegetation; it is known that the banks of these rivers are inhabited by numerous tribes who have an idea about trade and certainly have a clear idea about war; in short, it is known that South Africa is not a barren, waterless, deserted and impenetrable desert, but a country with a rich future, open to enterprise, trade and missionaries.

I

Livingston was born in 1813 at Blantyre, near Glasgow, Scotland. His father and mother were poor people who had to send their ten-year-old son to work in a paper mill in order to support the meager existence of the family with his earnings. He had to work from six in the morning until eight in the evening. With a different character, a boy in such work would have completely died out and become wild; but little Livingston, on the other hand, worked energetically to acquire a good stock of knowledge. "Having received my week's wages," Livingston writes, I bought myself a Latin grammar, and for several years in a row I studied this language stubbornly, then I went to school from 8 to 10 pm, and still worked with the lexicon until midnight, until my mother used to I have thus read many of the classics, and at the age of seventeen I knew Horace and Virgil much better than I know them now.

“Our school teacher, who received a salary from the factory where I worked, was a very kind person, attentive and extremely indulgent regarding the payment of students, so that anyone who only wanted to be admitted to his school.”

Livingston read everything he could get his hands on, everything except novels. Books of scholarly content and travel were pleasures for him. After reading, most of all he liked to study nature itself. Very often, together with his brothers, running around the outskirts of the village, he collected samples of minerals. Once he climbed into the lime quarries and, to the great surprise of the workers, enthusiastically rushed to collect shells, of which there were many. One of the workers looked at him with regret, and Livingston asked him why there are so many shells here, and how did they get here?

When God created these rocks, at the same time he created the shells, - the worker answered with imperturbable calmness.

“How many works geologists would get rid of and how far we would all go if it were possible to answer everything with such explanations,” Livingston notes in his notes.

“In order to be able to read, while working in the factory,” the author writes, I placed the book on the very machine on which I worked, and thus read page after page, not paying attention to the clatter of machines from all sides. To this circumstance I owe my invaluable ability to go deep into myself and completely retire in the midst of all noise; this ability was extremely useful to me in my travels between savages.

Livingston dedicated his life to suffering humanity and chose the surest path for his ministry: he decided to become a doctor and a missionary, and for this did not spare his strength. At the age of nineteen he got a job as a spinner and, at the first increase in his salary, began to save money. All summer Livingston works indefatigably; and in winter he listens to lectures on medicine, Greek classics and theology.

“No one has ever helped me,” says Livingston, with a legitimate and full conscience, “and I, in time, by my own efforts, would have reached my goal, if some of my friends had not advised me to enter into relations with the missionary society in London. as with an institution based on the broadest Christian principles. This society has no shade of sect and sends to the pagans not Presbyterians, not Lutherans, not Protestants, but the Gospel of Christ itself. dreamed of organizing a society of missionaries. Now, when I remember this working time of my life, I bless these moments, and rejoice that a large part of my life was spent in the labors and occupations by which I achieved my education. If I had to relive all that, what I have experienced, I would be very glad and would not have chosen another path of life, perhaps easier and more carefree. "With willpower and vigilant labor, the Glasgow spinner overcame all the obstacles that threatened destroy his dreams of being a missionary, and Livingston successfully passed the medical exam. He wanted to first choose China as a field of missionary activity, but the opium war blocked all paths there, and Livingston turned in the direction where the venerable Moffat worked and worked - to Africa.

II

After a three-month voyage, in 1840, Livingstone landed on the African coast at Kapstadt. From there, he soon went to the Kuruman station, arranged inland, 1200 miles from Cap, by Hamilton and Moffat, to whose mission he joined.

To better get used to new life, Livingston decided to retire from his friends and lived for six whole months alone among the savages, energetically studying their language, habits and customs. During these six months he became so familiar with the savages and began to communicate with them so well and easily that it did not cost him much difficulty to enter into relations with various other tribes of inner Africa, which also made it possible to go to places where no one dared to climb. European.

Livingston's Adventure with the Lion

He needed to get used to hard and long hikes in order to endure them without fatigue; consequently he undertook journeys of discovery, accompanied by a few natives. Livingston was thin and generally weak in build, and had little hope for his physical strength. Once he heard the savages laughing among themselves at his weakness. “All the blood in me began to boil,” says Livingston, and, having gathered the last strength, completely forgetting the fatigue that, as if, had begun to overcome me, I went forward so quickly and cheerfully that the savages who laughed at me confessed to me that they did not expect me to was such a nice walker." With such inevitable tedious transitions, it often happened that his life was in danger. Among many similar cases, it is impossible not to mention the meeting of Livingston with a lion, and he escaped by some miracle.

A flock of lions has haunted the inhabitants of one village for some time. At night, the lions made their way to the fence, where livestock was locked, and chose their prey there. Finally, they began to appear and attack animals even during the day. This is such a rare case in South Africa that the natives, explaining to themselves such a misfortune, came up with the idea of ​​blaming the neighboring village, as if the local inhabitants conjured this misfortune for them and as if they were all doomed to sacrifice to the lions. It was necessary, by all means, to get rid of such a disaster. Usually, you need to kill at least one lion from the pack, and then all the comrades of the slain go somewhere else. When Livingston heard about the new attack of lions, he himself went on a lion hunt to give some vigor to the unfortunate savages who decided to get rid of them.

“We noticed the lions on a small hill covered with dense trees. All the people became around the hill and began, gradually approaching, to converge towards the lair. were guns. - We noticed one of the lions in a lying position, on a rock. My friend fired first, but aimed poorly, and the bullet only knocked off a piece of stone. As a dog rushes at a stone thrown at it, so the lion rushed, baring his teeth, into place , which was hit by a bullet, then in a few jumps found himself in a circle of hunters who were so timid that everyone seemed to have forgotten about their weapons. The other two lions also remained intact, thanks to the cowardice of the hunters, who did not even try to shoot them with arrows or use Seeing that the hunt was not at all successful, I went back to the village, and suddenly I saw that the fourth lion was hiding and lying behind a bush. ami my gun.

Wounded, wounded! the whole crowd shouted; let's go finish it! But, seeing that the lion was wagging its tail in rage, I shouted to them to wait until I loaded my gun again, and was already putting a bullet in the muzzle, when a general cry made me turn around. The lion jumped towards me, grabbed my shoulder, and we both rolled. I now hear the terrible roar of a lion. He ruffled and tugged at me like an angry dog ​​ruffles its prey. I was so shocked that I was morally completely numb; a mouse is probably in such a stupor when it falls into the claws of a cat. I was as if in a swoon and felt neither pain nor fear, although I clearly understood everything that was happening to me. I can compare this position with that of a patient who has sniffed chloroform and consciously sees the surgeon take his penis away from him, but does not feel any pain. I could even look without shudder at the terrible beast that held me under it. I believe that all animals are under this strange impression when they are taken as prey by predators, and if in fact their condition is similar to mine in these terrible moments, then this is a great happiness, because it relieves the pangs of death and the horror of death.

“The lion's paw lay with all its weight on the back of my head; turning my head instinctively to get rid of this pressure, I saw that the eyes of the lion were fixed on Mebalva, who was aiming at him ten or fifteen paces away. Unfortunately, Mebalva's gun was flintlocked and misfired twice. The lion left me, rushed at my brave comrade and grabbed him by the thigh. Then a native, whose life I had previously saved by repulsing him from the pursuit of an angry buffalo, shot an arrow at the lion. The enraged lion left his second victim, seized the savage by the shoulder, and would surely have torn him to pieces if he had not fallen dead beside him, due to two mortal wounds made by my bullets. The whole incident was a matter of seconds, but the last effort of the lion's fury was terrible. In order to destroy the trace of the alleged witchcraft, the savages burned the dead lion on a large fire the next day; the lion was huge; the savages claimed that they had never seen lions of such magnitude before. “After this story, there were traces of eleven teeth of this monstrous beast on my shoulder, which at the same time broke my arm bone in several places. My clothes helped me a lot, on which the malicious saliva of an angry beast remained, and my wounds soon healed; but my comrades, who were without clothes, recovered slowly. The one who was bitten by the lion on the shoulder showed me the next year that the wounds reopened in the same month in which the lion bit him. This fact would be worth observing and studying.”

When Livingston could speak the native language completely fluently, got used to all the difficulties and dangers of his position, and was not afraid of fatigue, he decided to establish a new station, further in the depths of the interior of Africa, about another 350 miles from Kuruman station. In 1843, Livingston settled for the first time in the town of Mabotse; and two years later he moved his entire establishment to the banks of the Kolobeng River to live among the Bakuen (Bakwena) tribe. There he became friends with the chief (leader) of this tribe, Sechele. His father died in revolt when Sechele was still a child; for a long time another one used his power, but then Sechele, with the help of one ruler of the inner region, named Sebituane, regained power over the Bakuen tribe.

The friendly relations of these two chiefs later helped Livingston to find in countries that were completely unknown before, such populations that were disposed to receive him and patronize him. In the meantime, Livingston dreamed and thought only about how to convert Sechele and the tribe subject to him to the path of the Gospel.

“The first time I started talking about Christian doctrine in the presence of my friend Sechele,” says Dr. Livingston, “he remarked to me that, according to the custom of the region, anyone has the right to ask questions to anyone who says something unusual; and he asked me Did my ancestors know about all this and did they have an idea about the future life and the terrible judgment, about which I preached on that very day?

“I answered him in the affirmative with the words of Holy Scripture and began to describe to him the terrible judgment.

"You terrify me, said Sechele; these words make me tremble. I feel that my strength is weakening! Your ancestors lived at the same time as mine, why did they not teach them, did not explain these truths to them? My ancestors died in ignorance and did not know what would happen to them after death.

“I got out of such a difficult question by explaining the geographical obstacles that separate us, and at the same time presented to him that I firmly believe in the triumph of the Gospel throughout the earth. Pointing towards the great steppe, Sechele told me: “You will never pass to that distant country which is beyond this steppe, and you will not reach the tribes living there: even we blacks cannot set off in this direction except after heavy rains, which are very rare with us. To this I again answered that The gospel will penetrate everywhere, and then the reader will see that Sechele himself helped me to pass through the desert, which for a long time was considered an insurmountable barrier.”

Soon Sechele began to learn to read and studied with such diligence that he gave up his hunting life, and from such a quiet occupation, from a thin man, he became full. He could not see Livingston, so as not to make him listen to several chapters of the Bible. Isaiah was his favorite author, and Sechele often repeated: "Isaiah was a great man and could speak well." Knowing that Livingston wanted all the tribe subject to him to believe in the Gospel, he once said to him: “Do you think that this people will listen to your words alone? In all my life, I could not get anything from them except by beatings. If you want, I will order all the leaders to appear, and then we will just force them all to believe with litups ”(these are long whips made of rhinoceros skin). I assured him, of course, that this means was no good, that the whip's conviction had a bad effect on the soul, and that I would achieve the goal only with a word; but it seemed to him extremely wild, improbable and impossible. However, he did not make quick, but firm progress, and in every case confirmed that he deeply believed in all the truths preached by the Gospel, and he himself always acted with directness and frankness. “What a pity,” he often said, “that you did not come here before I entangled myself with all our customs!”

In fact, native customs did not quite harmonize with Christian ones. In order to establish his influence over his subjects, and, as is the custom of all tribal chiefs in Africa, Sechele had several wives, all the daughters of important people of the region and for the most part the daughters of chiefs who were faithful to him in his bad and unfortunate days. As a result of new convictions, he would like to keep one wife for himself, and send the others to his parents; but it was too difficult a step both in relation to himself and in relation to the fathers, to whom such an act might seem ingratitude and could shake his power. In the hope of converting other natives to Christianity, Sechele asked Livingston to start worship at home with him. Livingston gladly hurried to take advantage of this favorable opportunity, and was soon struck by the commander's prayer, which was simple, noble, meek, and showed all the eloquence of the native language, which Sechele was fully familiar with. However, no one was present at these services, except for the chief’s own family, and he said sadly: “Before, when the chief loved hunting, all those subject to him became hunters; if he liked music and dancing, everyone also liked dancing and music. Now it's completely different! I love the word of God, and not one of my brethren comes, wants to unite with me.” For three years, Sechele remained faithful to the new faith of Christ he adopted. But Dr. Livingston did not rush him to be baptized; he understood the difficulty of his position and felt sorry for the chief's wives. But Sechele himself wished to be baptized and asked Livingston to act as the word of God and his own conscience commanded him: and he himself went to his house, ordered all his wives to make new clothes, divided between them everything that was due to them, endowed them with all that he had the best he sent to his parents and ordered to say that he was sending these women away not because he was dissatisfied with them; but only because respect for the word of God forbids him to have them with him.

“On the day of the baptism of Sechele and his family, a lot of people gathered. Some of the natives, deceived by slanderers and enemies of the Christian faith, thought that the converts would be given water infused with human brains to drink. And everyone was surprised that at baptism we use only clean water. Some old people wept bitterly about the boss who was bewitched by the doctor.

Soon, parties were formed against Sechele, which had not happened before the baptism. All the relatives of the exiled wives became his enemies and enemies of Christianity. The number of prayer listeners and school students was limited to members of the leader's family. However, Livingston was respected and treated kindly by everyone; but the poor and once terrible Sechela sometimes had to listen to such things for which before any insolent person would have paid with his life.

III

At a time when Sechele's conversion to Christianity was so delightful to Livingston, an unexpected test hit the new mission. These were extraordinary droughts that lasted almost three years.

Rains, of course, are the chief necessity of the inhabitants of Africa, and they imagine that some people have the power, by means of sorcery, to attract clouds. These rainmakers have a stronger influence over the whole people than the influence of the leader, who himself is often obliged to submit to them. Every tribe has its rainmaker or rainmaker, and sometimes there are two or even three of them in one place. Like any rogues, they know how to take advantage of the gullibility of their fans. One of the most famous cloud-catchers and rain-makers, according to the famous missionary Moffat, was summoned to Kuruman by the Bakuen tribe. By a lucky chance, on the day when the arrival of the expected wizard was announced, clouds gathered over Kuruman, thunder rumbled and several large drops of rain fell to the ground. Joyful shouts were heard from everywhere. However, the clouds swept past, and the drought continued, despite the fact that the magician then looked at the clouds every day, made some things, waving his arms. The wind did not change, the droughts continued.

One day, when he was sleeping soundly, it began to rain. The chief went to congratulate the cloud-catcher; but was very surprised when I found him sleeping. “What is it, my father? I thought you were busy with the rain: and you are sleeping!”

The rogue woke up; but seeing that his wife was immediately churning the butter, he was not at all lost and answered: “Not me, so my wife, you see, continues my work and beats so that it rains; and I got tired of this work and lay down to rest a little.

But it is not always possible for these deceivers to get off so easily, and most of they die in cruel torment. Sooner or later their deception is revealed and they are killed by angry savages who so easily believe them at first. Despite this, others appear and find admirers, who again, at the first failure, curse them and kill them without mercy.

Sechele was one of the famous attracters of clouds and rain, and, strangest of all, he himself blindly believed in his ability. Subsequently, he confessed that of all pagan prejudices, faith in his own power and ability to attract rain was most deeply rooted in him, and that it was most difficult for him to part with this prejudice.

At the first time of the drought, on the advice of Livingston, the entire tribe of the Backuens moved and settled down on the banks of the Kolobeng River, 700 miles further into Africa.

By watering the fields, by means of cleverly placed dams and dams, flourishing plantations were successfully maintained for some time. But in the second year there was not a drop of rain, and the river dried up in its turn; all the fish, of which there were many, died; the hyenas that fled from neighboring places could not devour all this mass of dead fish. Between these remnants there was even a huge crocodile, which also died from lack of water. The inhabitants of this unfortunate place began to think that Livingston had brought trouble to Sechel and deprived him of his ability to attract rain; Soon a significant deputation from the people appeared and begged Livingston to allow the chief to attract clouds and rain to revive the earth, at least for a short time. “The crops will perish,” they told Livingston, “and we will have to disperse, run away from these places! Let Sechele once more bring rain, and then we all, men, women and children, will accept the gospel and pray and sing as much as you like.”

Livingston tried in vain to assure the savages that he was not to blame for anything, that he himself suffered just like them; but the poor savages attributed his words to indifference to their common distress. It often happened that the clouds converged over the heads of the poor inhabitants, thunder rumbled and seemed to foreshadow the desired rain; but the storm passed by, and the savages finally became convinced that between them, the preacher of the word of God, and their calamity, there was some kind of mysterious connection. “Look,” they said, “our neighbors have heavy rain; but we don't. They pray with us, but no one prays with them. We love you, just like you were born between us; you are the only white man we can live with, and we ask you to stop praying and don't preach your sermons anymore." One can imagine the unpleasant position of Livingston under such circumstances, and could he fulfill the desire of the savages? But, to the credit of the entire tribe of the Backuen, it must be added that in spite of their pagan prejudices and the constancy of the drought that was disastrous for them, they did not cease to be kind and show their favor to the missionary and his family.

Near the noble personality of Livingston there is always a being close to him and all his actions, this being is his devoted wife, the daughter of the venerable missionary Moffat. Removed from the bustle of the world, completely devoted to family concerns, this woman personifies the high, ideal appointment of a wife, to be an assistant in everything and never an obstacle in her husband's useful actions.

Here is an extract from Livingston’s notes about his home life: “We cannot get the most necessary things for life here for any money. We need bricks to build a house for ourselves; for this we need to make a form, and for one form we cut down a tree, saw it ourselves on boards, and after sawing, to do it right. One by one, all the skills will be needed: and the natives cannot be counted on; they are so accustomed to the natural round shape that the quadrangular shape confuses them: they do not understand how to get down to business. All three the houses that I have had to build are built with my own hands from the base to the roof; every brick I have molded and laid in place myself, every log is hewn and laid by my own hands.

“I cannot fail to notice in this case that it is not at all as hard and difficult as people think to rely only on oneself, and when, in a desert region, a husband and wife owe most of their hard-earned wealth only to their mutual help and labor, then their existences are even more closely connected and take on an unexpected charm.Here is an example of one of these days of our family life:

“We get up at sunrise to enjoy the beauty of the morning coolness, and have breakfast between six and seven o’clock. Then follows the time of study, at which everyone is present: men, women and children. The study ends at eleven o’clock. sometimes for a blacksmith, sometimes for a carpenter or a gardener, sometimes for myself, sometimes for others.After dinner and an hour's rest, about a hundred babies gather around my wife; she shows them something useful and teaches whom to teach, whom to sew; all children with pleasure they wait for these minutes of children's school meetings and study with great diligence.

“In the evenings, I walk around the village, and whoever wants to talk to me either about religion, or about the general subjects of life. Three times a week, after the cows are milked, I perform a church service and preach a sermon or explain objects incomprehensible to savages through paintings and prints.

“My wife and I tried to win the love of all those around us, helping them in bodily suffering. The missionary must not neglect anything; the smallest service, a kind word, a friendly look, everything good - this is the only weapon of a missionary. Show mercy to the most notorious opponents of Christianity, helping them in their illnesses, comforting them in their sorrows, and they will become your friends. In such cases, you can most certainly count on love for love.

In the midst of labors, our missionary met with a disaster greater than that which threatened him for droughts; he needed to get rid of the attacks of the Boyers (Boers). The Boyers (Boers), that is, farmers, were the original Dutch settlers in the vicinity of Cap, before the British occupied this region. Since then, some of the Dutch colonists, in order not to be under the rule of new conquerors, left the lands of the colony and went into Africa, to 26 degrees. south latitude, and settled in Magaliesberg, in the mountains lying to the east of Kolobeng station.

In the course of time, the new colony was replenished with English fugitives, vagabonds of all kinds, multiplied and increased to the point that an independent republic was formed. One of the important purposes of all these people is to keep in their dependence the Hottentot slaves, who, according to English law, should be free.

They say this about their attitude towards the natives from whom they have taken the land: “We allow them to live in our possessions; therefore it is only fair that they should cultivate our fields.”

Livingston saw several times these settlers suddenly invade the village, round up a few women and take them away to weed their gardens and orchards; and these poor women had to leave their own work, go after them and drag on their backs babies, food for themselves and more tools for work, and all this to do without any reward, without pay for labor. To this advantageous method of having free laborers they added an even more advantageous one. Sometimes a huge gang of such boyer robbers goes to distant villages and kidnaps children there, especially boys, who soon forget their native language and get used to bondage more easily.

It must be added to these disgusting deeds that these colonists call themselves Christians and are not ashamed to admit that they are preying on people. They justify themselves by saying that Negroes are the lowest breed of people; but is the cause itself justified by this, and is it not only the justification of unscrupulous people? As a result, they persecute everything that contributes to the development of the Negroes, and therefore persecute missionaries who preach that there are no slaves. The successes of the missionaries are insulting to the boyers and seem to them just an enemy attack. They try to harm, persecute, and finally openly attack and make war on those tribes that live on friendly terms with the missionaries. All these troubles and significant obstacles led Livingston to the idea, and even forced him to look for a new way into Africa, new countries, further north, where the tribes could escape from the persecution of their enemies.

IV

But where was it to go? To the west and to the north, between the station and the distant tribes, for whose friendly disposition Sechele vouched, the Kalahari steppe stretched like an insurmountable barrier. This is the name of a vast plane lying between 20 ° and 26 ° longitude, and 21 ° and 27 ° south. lat. There are no rivers, no mountains, no valleys, and, strangest of all, not a single stone. But this steppe is not some barren and deserted sultry Sahara. No, the grass there is in places as thick, juicy and tall as in India; impenetrable forests cover vast areas, giant mimosas grow, luxurious flowering shrubs, various flowers.

But the Kalahari deserves the name of the steppe, due to the complete lack of water. Thirst, languishing thirst, stronger than all other obstacles, stops travelers. “Dryness or a complete lack of water, write the missionary Lemu from southern Africa, does not come from the fact that there is no rain there: but precisely from the too smooth plane of the edge. No elevation, no slope, nowhere the slightest depression where water could accumulate; light, loose and sandy soil absorbs water everywhere and does not give it anywhere.

During heavy rains, the earth immediately absorbs the entire mass of falling water, to the point that during heavy rain during the day, the traveler in the evening will no longer find anything to quench his tormenting thirst.

However, in some places, at great distances, there are places of not completely sandy soil, where rainwater is retained and stored. During the rains, these puddles become small lakes. Then a man, a lion, a giraffe, all the inhabitants of this country come one by one to quench their thirst, and at such meetings, of course, terrible and deadly fights occur. It is also clear that, under the scorching African sun, the water in these basins soon evaporates, and it is impossible to count on the water of these places; it also happens that in some places this water dissolves the salt contained in the soil, becomes brackish and further inflames thirst.

But even in these inhospitable places people live! They belong to two tribes, which, although for centuries subjected to the same climatic conditions, have retained a noticeable difference, by which one can judge a different origin.

The first of these are the Bushmen, the primitive tribe of this part of the mainland; nomadic people, live by hunting and move from place to place following the game that they feed on. They are active, tireless, attack lions without fear and with their poisonous arrows instill fear in all their enemies.

The second tribe, the Bakalihari, belongs to the Bakuen family. These are the remnants of that tribe, which, as a result of wars and oppression, had to seek refuge and freedom in these deserts. They retained all their former inclinations: a love of agriculture and the ability to care for domestic animals. By nature, timid to the extreme, they are distinguished by meekness of morals and hospitality. And there is almost no owner nearby who would not consider them subject slaves. Each of the chiefs, no matter how insignificant he may be, speaking of them, you will certainly say: My workers are bakalihari. Their lands are called so: Kalihari, the land of slaves.

Bakalihari, however, love their wild deserts, which, by their vastness, give them the opportunity to hide from their oppressors. They are very skillful in finding places where at least a little water is kept, and women collect it in leather bags or in skillfully drilled ostrich egg shells, and carefully hide it underground to keep it fresh and hide it from enemies.

If a traveler comes to them with friendly intentions, and these poor people after a while make sure of this, they will take water from somewhere where it is impossible to suspect it, and let them quench their thirst. Once a gang of robbers attacked one of these poor villages and demanded water. They were answered coolly that there was no water and no one was drinking it. The strangers guarded the inhabitants all day and all night, with vigilant attention, which was excited by a terrible thirst; but they could not notice anything; the inhabitants seemed accustomed to living without drinking and did not suffer from thirst, as they did. Without waiting for a drop, the enemies had to leave and look for water themselves somewhere in the puddles.

The strangest thing about the Bakalihari's attachment to their lands is the multitude of beasts to which they are constantly subjected to attacks. Apart from elephants, lions, leopards, tigers, hyenas, there are so many snakes of all kinds that their incessant hissing inspires mortal fear in the traveler. Some snakes are green, like the leaves in which they hide, others are bluish and similar in color to the branches around which they wrap themselves. The bite of almost all of these snakes is fatal. Lemu mentions one of them, the most dangerous snake, called the Chosa Bosigo or snake of the night. “She is completely black and terrifies a person with her disgustingly bulging, completely round, disproportionately large eyes; the fixed gaze of this snake is unbearable and cannot be compared with anything in all of nature. Moreover, it is of such enormous size that I once saw (says Lemu) how the natives killed such a snake with darts at a great distance.

The type of plants varies in Africa according to the requirements of climate and soil: for example. the grapes there do not have the same roots as ours: their root was formed by tubers there, like our potatoes: perhaps it was an effort of nature to keep in reserve some moisture, so necessary during long droughts. The other two plants are a perfect boon for the inhabitants of this steppe. The stalk of one rises from the ground barely three inches; and goes deep into almost 7 inches and grows like a tuber into a large children's head; the cellular tissue of this fruit is filled with thick juice, which, due to the depth in which it ripens, is unusually fresh.

Another plant is even better, it is like a watermelon. After heavy rains, as sometimes happen, the desert is covered with these fruits and presents a charming, lively and even tasty picture.

When the first rays of the sun begin to gild the tops of the trees, the dove will coo sadly and gently, and her feathered friends will answer her this morning greeting with the same gentle cooing. Dark blue starlings, beautiful jays fly from tree to tree. The nests of the crossbill sway in the wind, hanging on the branches, which hangs the nest to the branch on some flexible stalk in order to protect its offspring from the attack of snakes; and on other trees, nests of birds of strange arrangement are calmly attached, living in families and often constituting significant colonies. “In the forest, the sound of the beak of a woodpecker and a toucan is noisily heard, which, under the rough bark of a mimosa, are looking for all sorts of insects and caterpillars.”

Livingston had to go through such places in order to get to the tribes living inside Africa. In order to avoid the difficulties that would have to endure in the event of prolonged droughts, he decided to take a non-direct path; but bypass the outskirts of the steppe and thus, if possible, prevent all the disasters of travel in such regions.

On June 1, 1849, Livingston, with his family and two of his friends, Oswell (Oswell) and Murray (Murray), set off on a journey into unknown lands. For more than five hundred miles they walked in the midst of a terrible lack of water; but one can imagine their delight when, after thirty days of a terribly hard journey, the desolate, barren, deserted places ended, and they approached the banks of a wide and deep stream, Zug, overshadowed by magnificent trees, between which were completely unknown to our travelers.

The inhabitants received the strangers with complete and sincere cordiality and said that the Zuga flows out of Lake Ngami, which lies 500 miles further to the north. Livingston, rejoicing at such an unexpected discovery, allowed his companions to slowly make their way in a heavy carriage along the meanders of the river: while he himself, with several escorts, got into a boat made of tree bark and sailed to the lake. As they went upstream, the river became both wider and upstream, the river became both wider and deeper, and villages were more often seen on the banks. Finally, on the 1st of August, the small caravan, after a two-month hard journey, stopped on the shore of a beautiful and magnificent lake, where no European had been before. - Livingston's wife and their three children, who shared all the hardships with their father hard way, shared with him the honor of discovering the lake. Lake Ngami is about 35 versts long; but despite its vastness, it is shallow and therefore will never be properly navigated; and the shores might be the center of the ivory trade.

Indeed, there are so many elephants there that one merchant who joined Livingston's expedition bought ten elephant tusks for a gun that barely cost five rubles. In the lake and in the river there is a great abundance of all kinds of fish, and all the inhabitants eat fish, contrary to the customs of more southern tribes, among whom fish is considered an unclean food. One fish drew particular attention to Livingston: it looks like an eel with a thick head, without scales; the natives call it mosala, and naturalists glanis siluris (catfish). This fish is sometimes very large; when the fisherman carries it, holding his head on his shoulder, the tail of the fish drags along the ground; in its head, according to the special device of the gills, a little water is always stored, so that it can live for quite a long time, buried in the thick mud of a drying swamp.

Livingston really wanted to penetrate beyond the lake, to the settlement of a significant king named Sebituane, a friend of Sechele, converted to Christianity. But the hostility of one of the local chiefs of the village, the impossibility of obtaining timber for the construction of a raft, and the late season, everything was an obstacle, so that this trip had to be postponed until another, more convenient time, and our travelers went back along the road to Kolobeng.

In the following year, 1850, they again tried to make their way in the same direction; the converted Sechele joined them; but hope again deceived Livingston. Some of the travelers fell ill with a fever, and the draft oxen were almost all exterminated by a poisonous fly called tsetse. I had to hurry to get back somehow.

The tsetse fly, glossina morsitans, which always plays a remarkable role in all travel stories in Africa, is no more than our common fly, brownish in color, like a bee, with three or four yellow stripes on the abdomen. Her sting is not at all harmful to a person: but if she stings an ox or a horse, then there is no salvation for them. It has also been observed that tsetse is not dangerous to wild animals, and does not even harm calves that are still sucking their queens. This fly is found only in some, sharply limited bands; Livingstone himself saw that the south side of the Hobe River was inhabited by them, and the opposite bank was free, so that the oxen ate quite safely at a distance of 70 steps from their deadly enemies. At first, the tsetse sting does not produce any particularly harmful effect on the ox; but a few days later there are signs of illness. The ox grows thinner and thinner from day to day, and after a few weeks or months, having weakened completely, dies. There is no remedy for such a disaster. Where cattle breeding is the only wealth of the people, one can imagine what misfortune can happen if the herds somehow wander beyond the safe line, into a strip inhabited by a poisonous fly: then a rich tribe can lose everything at once and endure terrible hunger.

The traveler, whose wagon is pulled by oxen and at the same time provides his food with their meat, in the event of an unsuccessful hunt, can easily die of hunger if this noxious fly comes across him on the road.

V

Livingston and his comrades had just returned from the road after the second unsuccessful expedition, when people arrived at Kolobeng station, sent from Sebituane, to which Livingston wanted to get. Sebituane knew about both attempts of the missionary to go to him, and therefore sent as a gift a significant number of oxen to three commanders under his control, past the villages of which our travelers would have to go so that they would not interfere and, j and also help the missionary's expedition.

Prior to these gifts, the chiefs really did everything they could to prevent Livingston from penetrating the interior of the country, because they wanted to keep all the benefits of intercourse with the Europeans alone.

Encouraged by this urgent appeal, in the early spring of 1851, Livingston, with his friend Oswell, set out on his journey, with the firm intention of finally establishing a missionary station in the midst of the newly discovered tribes. Livingston took his wife and children with him, deciding to stay with them in the middle of the savages and deserts of Africa.

Our travelers noticed with surprise a whole chain of swamps covered with salt crystals; one of these swamps stretched for 175 versts in length, and 25 versts in width. By mistake of the guide, the travelers walked along the most bleak side of the desert, without any vegetation; only in some places small bushes protruded, creeping along the sand; the monotonous silence of the steppe was not enlivened either by the voice of a bird or by the flight of an insect. The guide finally admitted that he himself did not know where he was leading, and in addition, on the fourth day he disappeared. Luckily for the little caravan, Livingston spotted the footprints of a rhinoceros that never strays far from the water. The oxen were unharnessed, and some of the servants followed in the tracks of the animal, confident that they would find at least some puddle nearby.

Five days passed in this direction, five terrible days for the father, who saw that the small supply of water carefully kept for the children was running out. Neither reproach nor grumbling was uttered by the poor mother; but a few silent tears proved her desperate fears about the fate of all those dear to her heart. Finally, on the fifth day, messengers arrived with a good supply of water. The fleeing guide returned with them, and they all went to the banks of the Chobe (Linyanti), a wide and deep river that flows into the Zambezi. Along this river is the village of Linyanti, the seat of Sebituane, king of the Macololo tribe.

The reception made to the missionary clearly showed the disposition and impatience with which he wished to see Livingston in his house. Sebituane asked permission to be present at the mass service, which Livingston appointed for the next day after his arrival, and performed in the presence of the king and the whole village.

"Early before dawn," says Livingston, "Sebituane came and sat down with us by the lighted fire, and told us the story of his past life.

“Sebituane was, undoubtedly, the most wonderful person of all the Negroes that I have ever met. He was about forty-five years old; tall and Herculean build showed a lot of strength: olive complexion, and a head with a slight baldness. In address he is usually cold and cautious; but he treated us very kindly and answered everything with such frankness, which I did not find in my relations with any of the black bosses. Sebituane was the bravest warrior in the whole region and always himself led his army in all battles: although this was against the general custom of the country, he neglected customs and never acted like others. Often he fought, and always happily; but to his credit, it must be said that the war was not a pleasure for him: he fought not for glory, but only out of necessity: he was forced to defend himself from the boyers and other more dangerous enemies, matebele and their king Mozelekatsi.

At the time when Livingston saw the Sebituane, he conquered all the small tribes inhabiting the swampy area at the confluence of the Chobe with the Zambezi. Concentrating all his strength in this place, he favorably received everyone who sought protection from him: he was loved by everyone for his kindness and justice. Sebituane was very pleased that Livingston was not afraid to take his family with him; he accepted this as a proof of confidence which flattered his noble character.

Sebituane showed Livingston the surroundings and left him to choose a place for establishing a missionary station wherever he liked; but soon he suddenly fell ill, due to old wounds. All missionary enterprises stopped; and Livingston's position was very unpleasant: as a stranger, he did not dare to treat the patient, so that in the event of his death he would not be accused by the people. “You are doing well,” said one of the native doctors to Livingston, “that you are not treating the chief; people will accuse you, and there will be trouble.”

“After dinner, on the day of the death of the leader and chief of the people,” Livingston writes, “I went with my little Robert to visit his sick man. “Come, he said, and see if I still look like a man? My end has come!”

“Seeing that he understood his position, I began to talk about death and the future life, but one of those present remarked to me that it was not necessary to talk about death, because Sebituane would never die. I remained a few more minutes near the patient, then I wanted to leave: then the patient got up, called one of the servants and said: “Take Robert to Maunka (one of his wives) so that she will give him milk.” These were the last words of Sebituane.

Although the death of such a powerful patron temporarily destroyed Livingston's assumptions, it did not deprive him of the favor and friendly relations of the natives. The daughter, the heiress of the deceased king, allowed the missionary to inspect their possessions.

In contrast to the barren deserts of southern Africa, this part is a real labyrinth of rivers, and the natives very correctly call their land by a name that, in translation, means: "a river on a river." Following the main course, our travelers discovered the magnificent Zambezi River, which flows into the Mozambique Gulf, as Livingston later became convinced.

The Zambezi River changes its name several times; her name is now Liba, then Liambi, then Zambezi. All these names mean a river in different dialects of the tribes that live along its banks. Livingston describes this river thus:

“The width of the Zambezi is from 170 to 230 fathoms; despite droughts, water is always in abundance. The banks are from 2 to 3 sazhens high; and during floods, whose traces are visible everywhere, the banks are flooded for twenty miles in both directions. With wind, the excitement is so strong that crossings are dangerous. Once I crossed over to the other side in good weather; and on the way back, after the sacred service, I barely persuaded the natives to transport me back in their boats.

It is impossible to imagine the happiness that filled Livingston's soul at the sight of this magnificent river, which in his dreams was a natural and convenient way to these inaccessible countries. Now, then, the key to this mysterious land has been found.

Returning for the third time to Kolobeng, the missionary wept with delight, and decided, by all means, to persistently continue further discoveries.

Here is Livingston's letter to the Missionary Society in London, October 4th, 1851.

“You see what vast countries are open to us at the behest of good Providence; but I feel that I am not in a position to do anything unless I am freed from all household worries. Since we already had the intention of sending the children to England, I I find that now sending them away with their mother would be the smartest thing. Then I can go about my business alone and devote two or three years to these new countries. The mere thought of separation from wife and children breaks my heart; but this sacrifice is necessary.

"Think how many people in the lands of Sebituan are disposed to accept the Gospel, think that, in all probability, the influence and efforts of missionaries can stop the trade of Negroes in most of Africa. Think that especially with this newly opened path is the possibility of communication between Christians and savages; and then, I am sure, I will not have to wait long for an answer to this letter.

"My ambition is limited to the desire to translate the Bible into their language, and when I achieve that it will be accessible to the understanding of this people, then I will die in peace."

To such a call from a man devoted to the idea of ​​Christianity, the society of missionaries could not respond unsatisfactorily.

100 great travelers [with illustrations] Muromov Igor

David Livingston (1813–1873)

David Livingston

Scottish explorer of Africa. Having decided to devote himself to missionary work among Africans, he studied theology and medicine. He made a number of long journeys in South and Central Africa (since 1840). Explored the Kalahari Depression, the Kubango River, the Zambezi River Basin, Lake Nyasa, discovered Victoria Falls, Lake Shirwa, Bangweulu and the Lualaba River; together with G. Stanley explored Lake Tanganyika.

David Livingston was born on March 19, 1813 in the family of a street tea merchant. After graduating from a village school, the boy worked at a weaving factory near Glasgow from the age of ten. With a fourteen-hour working day, David in his free time studied a Latin textbook, which he bought with his first salary. In addition, from 8 pm to 10 pm he attended evening school.

In the twentieth year, a change took place in Livingston's spiritual life, which influenced his whole fate. He decided to devote himself to the service of God. And after reading the appeal of the missionary Gutzlaf, addressed to the English and American churches regarding the Christian enlightenment of China, David had a dream of becoming a missionary.

In 1836, Livingston saved up some money to pay for a course of study. In Glasgow he began attending lectures on medicine, theology and ancient languages. A scholarship from the London Missionary Society enabled him to continue his education. Deeply religious, like his father, he had long ago decided that he would go as a missionary to China. But the so-called Opium War between Britain and China prevented this intention. It was at this time that the young doctor met the missionary Robert Moffett, who was working in South Africa. He painted for Livingston an attractive picture of the country of Bechuana (Tswana), adding that in those parts there had not yet been a single messenger of the faith of the Lord.

In 1840 Livingston left for the Cape Colony. During the voyage, the captain of the ship taught him the astronomical determination of the coordinates of various points on the Earth. Livingston achieved such perfection in this that later, from his topographic surveys, the best maps of South Africa were compiled.

In July 1841, he reached the Moffett Mission at Kuruman, located on the banks of the river of the same name south of the Kalahari Desert, the most remote point of the movement of the messengers of the Christian faith. Livingston realized after a while that Africans had little interest in religious sermons. But local residents immediately appreciated the medical knowledge of the young missionary, eagerly learned from him to read and write, tried to adopt new farming techniques for them. In the country of the Bechuans, he learned their language (of the Bantu family), and this helped him a lot during his travels, since the Bantu languages ​​are close to each other. He married Mary Moffett, daughter of the first explorer of the vast Kalahari semi-desert; his wife became his faithful assistant. Livingston spent seven years in the country of the Bechuans. Under the pretext of organizing missionary stations, he made, most often in winter, a number of trips.

In 1849, Livingston, fascinated by the stories of Africans about the "beautiful and vast" Lake Ngami, along with elephant hunters Oswell and Murray, local guides and hundreds of pack animals, was the first European to cross the Kalahari Desert from south to north. He established for the first time the true nature of the landscape of this area, which Europeans considered a desert. “The Kalahari,” Livingston wrote, “is by no means devoid of vegetation and population, as it is covered with grass and numerous creepers; in addition, in places there are shrubs and even trees in it. Its surface is remarkably even, although in different places it is cut through by the channels of ancient rivers.

These areas, monotonous and far from fertile, were inhabited by Bushmen and the so-called Kalahari people - Tswana aliens who penetrated the desert. The first led a truly nomadic lifestyle, earning their living by picking bulbous plants and being content with meager hunting. The second lived settled, bred goats, grew melons and pumpkins, traded in the skins of jackals and other desert animals. Owning livestock was tantamount to wealth. And Livingston was often asked how many cows Queen Victoria had.

When travelers north of the Kalahari reached the gallery forests that grew along the banks of the rivers, Livingston had the idea to explore all the rivers of South Africa in order to find natural passages inland, bring the ideas of the gospel there and start an equal trade. Livingston soon entered the history of the discovery of Africa as the "Seeker of the Rivers".

Altitude measurements convinced Livingston that the Kalahari was bowl-shaped; he first described its steppe regions. Livingston carried out a study of Lake Ngami, discovered by him, which turned out to be a temporary lake, fed during the rainy season by the waters of the great Okavango River, through the drying arms of its swampy delta.

From Kolobeng, a settlement he founded on the southern edge of the desert, Livingston again made attempts to travel north in 1850 and 1851. But the first attempt ended almost in vain, as members of his family fell seriously ill with a fever. The second journey brought him along with Oswell to the Zambezi.

The new route was laid a little to the east - through the low ridge of Bamangwato and along the northern coast of Zouga. Travelers reached the Chobe River (Linyanti) - the lower reaches of the Kwando, the right tributary of the Zambezi. Further, Livingston and Oswell headed northeast and at the end of June 1851 “were rewarded by discovering the Zambezi River in the center of the mainland. This was a matter of great importance, because the existence of this river in Central Africa was not previously known. All Portuguese maps show her rising to the east far from where we were now.

Despite the dry season, the river was 300–600 meters wide and quite deep. The benevolent representatives of the Makololo tribe, who accompanied the researcher during the transition through the plain, covered with giant termite mounds and overgrown with thickets of mimosas, told how the river looks like in the rainy season. Then its level rises to six meters, and the water floods a space 20 English miles wide. Perhaps this mighty stream is a tributary of the Nile, or does it carry its waters towards the Congo? David Livingston believed that he had found what he dreamed of while traveling to Lake Ngami.

At the end of May 1853, the Englishman arrived in Linyanti, the capital of the Makololo, where he was cordially received by the new leader, Sekeletu.

A month later, Livingston, in company with Sekeletu, undertook a reconnaissance trip to the country of the Barotse (Lozi) people, located in the Zambezi valley above the Makololo settlement area. The Liambier River, as the locals called it, turned out to be rapids, but still accessible for swimming on pirogues; the most serious obstacle was the Gonje waterfall, which had to be bypassed on dry land. The expedition climbed up the Liambie (Zambezi) to the confluence of its two branches: Kabompo and Liba.

Upon his return to Linyanti, Livingston developed a plan new expedition, the decision to organize which was made at the general meeting of macololo. Its practical goal was to establish a direct trade link between the Makololo country and the Atlantic coast, bypassing intermediaries - itinerant merchants from Angola, who bought ivory for next to nothing.

On November 11, 1853, with a force of 160 macololos in 33 boats, Livingston began sailing up the Zambezi through a flat, savanna-covered plain, sometimes overcoming rapids. Most of the people he let go on the road. The route of the expedition ran from southern regions today's Zambia to Luanda in Angola. The expedition equipment consisted of only 20 pounds of beads, the necessary scientific instruments, a projector (“magic lantern”), with which Livingston showed the audience pictures from biblical life, and only three guns.

Travelers sailed in boats down the winding Chobe, passing water rapids and dodging angry hippos. Yes, and meeting with aggressive crocodiles was a concern. Residents of the surrounding villages hurried to meet the expedition, providing it with meat, milk, butter. Livingston's sermons were so popular here that, at his request, prisoners of war were released. In early 1854 they reached the Lund empire. It was an early feudal formation headed by a military aristocracy. Livingston found distinct traces of matriarchy: the leaders here were women.

By February 1854, already with a small detachment, Livingston went up the river to its upper right tributary Shefumage and along its valley moved to a barely noticeable watershed, behind which all streams did not flow in a southerly direction, as before, but in a northern one. (Later it turned out that these were the rivers of the Congo system.)

Down to Lake Dilolo, located on the watershed discovered by the expedition between the Congo and Zambezi basins, Livingston admired the well-cultivated fields and highly developed smelting industry, as well as the exceptionally hospitable reception accorded to him. On the other side of the lake, the expedition ended up in areas that slave traders had already visited more than once and where they were used to robbing caravans passing by. Here they bargained for every tuber of cassava, and the leaders, greedy for enrichment, made unthinkable demands, sometimes threatening with reprisals. Livingston, who did not have valuable goods with him, showed exceptional courage that amazed the leaders, and everything went without the use of weapons.

Continuing to go in a general direction to the west-north-west, Livingston's small detachment crossed the valleys of the Kasai and other rivers of its system - Chiumbe, Lwashimo, Chikapa, Kvilu. In early April, he crossed the Quango, the largest left tributary of the Kasai, flowing in a very wide and deep valley, and soon reached the Kasanje, the easternmost settlement of the Portuguese in Angola. Having crossed the Tala-Mugongo mountains, which bound the Kwango valley from the west, the expedition entered the Kwanza basin. The further path to the ocean passed already through places well known to Europeans, however, even here the researcher largely corrected and clarified the existing maps.

Completely exhausted, exhausted by hunger and malaria, a small detachment at the end of May 1854 reached the Atlantic Ocean near Luanda. But Livingston does not leave the idea to penetrate the east coast. Perhaps in this direction the Zambezi is navigable throughout? His intention was supported by both the Portuguese authorities and the clergy, for they were very interested in exploring the areas between Angola and Mozambique.

The return journey to the main Makololo settlement on the Linyanti River, begun in September 1854, took 11 months. On the way, Livingston examined the middle reaches of the Kwanza, and then, again crossing the territory of the state of Lund, collected a lot of information about it and the areas located to the north of it.

In the Makololo capital, the explorer found all his belongings unharmed. The expedition, whose purpose was to trace the course of the Zambezi to the Indian Ocean, became possible only thanks to the help of the leader Sekeletu. After all, Livingston's salary, as well as a small allowance from the Geographical Society of London and goods received in Angola, were long ago spent. The leader of an African tribe financed the crossing of the continent by a European. The journey was continued in October 1855. Sekeletu personally led the expedition to the majestic 120-meter waterfall on the Zambezi, which the Makololo called "Mozi-oa-tunya" - "Roaring smoke" ("Here the steam makes noise").

Livingston, the first of the Europeans, saw it on 18 November. This waterfall, 1.8 kilometers wide, is one of the most powerful in the world. Five huge columns of smoke were already visible from a distance. They looked like a fire in the steppe and merged with the clouds. Of course, the scientist understood that this was sprayed water rising up above a stream falling down from a height of about 120 meters. Victoria Falls, named after the Queen of England, has forever remained for Livingston the most wonderful sight in Africa. Today, his monument can be seen from the so-called Devil's Falls on the river along which he advanced with such dedication.

In December 1855, the expedition crossed by boat through the large left tributary of the Zambezi - Kafue and along it again went to the Zambezi. The further way down the river valley led Livingston to the mouth of its other left tributary, the Lwangwa, beyond which began places long known to the Portuguese.

In March 1856 they reached Tete, the first outpost of European civilization, in the vicinity of which the effects of the slave trade were clearly felt. The expedition abandoned further exploration of the main channel of the Zambezi, which had already been mapped, and on May 20, 1856, the northern arm reached the Indian Ocean, ending the journey in the seaside town of Quelimane (a port north of the Zambezi). Thus, for the first time a European crossed the African continent.

Returning to his homeland, in 1857 Livingston published a book that deservedly glorified him, Travels and Researches of a Missionary in South Africa. The book has been translated into almost all European languages. Livingston made a very important generalizing geographical conclusion: tropical Central Africa south of the parallel “turned out to be an elevated plateau, somewhat lowering in the center, and with crevices along the edges along which rivers run down to the sea ... The place of the legendary hot zone and burning sands was occupied by a well-irrigated area, reminiscent of its freshwater lakes North America, but with its hot humid valleys, jungles, ghats (elevated edges) and cool high plateaus of India.

The Royal Geographical Society surrounded him with honors and awarded him a gold medal, edition travel notes brought him fortune. The British bourgeoisie not only showed favor to the missionary, but also gave him political support. Queen Victoria herself appointed him an audience. When David Livingstone returned to the Zambezi in May 1858, he was no longer a missionary, but the British consul in Mozambique. The government instructed him to study the interior of the continent, establish contacts with local rulers and persuade them to start growing cotton. After becoming consul, Livingston took up research work. He set as his goal to prove that Liambier and Zambezi are one and the same river.

Together with his wife, son and brother, Charles Livingston, on a small steamboat delivered disassembled from England to the mouth of the Zambezi, went up the river. This time the expedition was generously financed by the British government. The detachment also included John Kirk, a botanist and physician, Richard Thornton, a geologist, Thomas Baines, an artist, and several other Europeans.

At Tete, Livingston met again with the faithful Macololo. True, 30 of them died of smallpox during this time, but the rest set off again with him. The expedition had difficulty moving up the river, but disappointment soon set in. The rapids of Quebrabas proved impassable, and the steamer turned onto the Shire, a northern tributary of the Zambezi. Locals said that the Shire flows out of a huge lake, which even in fast boats can be crossed in only a day and a half. But then the waterfalls blocked the way again. In honor of the president of the Geographical Society, Livingston named them Murchison Falls. He went around the obstacle and on April 18, 1859 opened among high mountains Lake Shirva, which does not have a runoff. Of course it wasn't body of water, which he was told about, but the provisions came to an end, and the expedition was forced to turn back.

Four months later, Livingston again headed to the headwaters of the Shire. On September 16, 1859, the expedition reached Lake Nyasa, which is 500 kilometers long and more than 50 kilometers wide. Livingston found out that the lake has a depth of more than 200 meters (according to the latest data - up to 706 meters). It was the same lake Livingston had been told about on the Zambezi. But this time he managed to see only its southern tip. Unfortunately, the steamer, whose bottom was leaking, was obviously not suitable for sailing on the lake, where storms often occur. Therefore, Livingston, together with the Makololo, who decided to return home, sailed up the Zambezi.

The British government equipped the steamships Pioneer and Lady Nyasa with the aim of establishing missionary settlements on the plateaus around Lake Nyasa. On these ships, Livingston in March 1861 and then in September 1862 explored the flowing into Indian Ocean the Ruzuma River on the northern border of the colony, as it was assumed that the river had a connection with Lake Nyasa. On the second voyage, Livingston and his companions climbed the Ruvume for about 250 kilometers, until a rocky threshold blocked the steamer's path.

In September 1861, Livingston again visited Lake Nyasa and walked along the western shore. His brother Charles followed by boat along the same coast. Based on the results of the survey, Livingston compiled the first relatively correct map of Nyasa: the reservoir stretched almost 400 kilometers along the meridian (the true length turned out to be much longer - 580 kilometers).

David Livingstone began exploring the southern and western shores of Lake Nyasa.

On April 27, 1862, Mary Moffett-Livingston died of tropical malaria. David's brother Charles, who until then participated in the expedition, was forced to return due to prolonged dysentery. Looks like Seeker of the River has failed everywhere. Nevertheless, Livingston continued his journey until the end of 1863 and found out that the sheer shores of the lake, which seemed to be mountains, are in fact the edges of high plateaus.

Since the Shire was not yet deep enough for the return trip, Livingston decided to use the coming months for a new expedition to the western shore of Lake Nyasa. From there he moved into the interior of the country, because he heard that there are many lakes from which mighty rivers spring. Indeed, the plateau west of Nyasa turned out to be a watershed. The question whether the rivers flowing north would lead to the Nile or the Congo remained unanswered. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated unequivocally that the salaries of the members of the expedition would be paid only until the end of 1863. In January 1864, Livingston left the Shire on the Pioneer and in April-May, on the assembled Lady Nyasa, he crossed from Zanzibar to Bombay.

The geographical results of the expedition were great. Livingston photographed sections of the Zambezi that he had not previously traced and finally proved that this is the same river that is known in the upper reaches as the Liambier. Lake Nyasa and the Shire River, Lake Shirva, downstream Ruvums.

In 1865, Livingston published a book, The Narrative of the Expedition to the Zambezi and Its Tributaries, and of the Discovery of Lakes Shirwa and Nyasa, 1858-1864. In London, they listened with pleasure to his lectures on the mind and industriousness of Africans. However, he had to look for funds for a new expedition himself.

Livingston sold the Lady Nyasa and spent most of his fortune on equipping the new expedition. In January 1866, Livingston again set foot on African soil, however, contrary to his former habits, he whole year did not make itself felt, and already in 1867 he was considered missing.

But the scientist at that time with a numerous caravan of porters (Indian and Arab merchants contributed their share in the enterprise) had already visited the valley of the Ruvuma River, rounded Lake Nyasa from the south and west, then, taking a direction to the northwest, crossed two major rivers: Lwangwu and Chambeshi, separated by the Muchinga mountain range. The locals told him that Chambeshi flows into a "very large lake".

On April 1, 1867, he reached south coast Tanganyika (locally known as Liemba). The lake, 650 kilometers long with azure water, is part of the Central African volcanic fault, which includes lakes Nyasa, Kivu, Edward and Mobutu-Sese-Seko. The expedition reached it in the place where the water surface is surrounded by lush forests, in sharp contrast with the gray and red sandstone cliffs. Behind the lake, on the then maps of Africa, vast "white spots" began.

The whole transition from the coast to Tanganyika was full of difficulties and setbacks. Indian sepoy soldiers refused to go into the unexplored depths of Africa. Some of the porters fled, taking with them various expeditionary property, including a box of medicines, which was a real disaster for the traveler. Livingston was forced to resort to the help of Arab-Swahili slave and ivory traders. For many years Livingston had been ill with malaria, and by this time he had become so weak and emaciated that he had to be carried on a cot most of the way. Nevertheless, he continued his research.

On November 8, 1867, Livingston discovered Lake Mweru with many islands, and on July 18, 1868, southwest of Tanganyika, Lake Bangweulu (Bangweolo).

In February 1869, Livingston went to Lake Tanganyika, this time closer to its middle. It took exactly a month to sail on boats, first along the western coast of Tanganyika, and then straight across the lake to Ujiji. There, Livingston was waiting for letters and various supplies sent to him with passing caravans from Zanzibar. True, most of the goods addressed to him got stuck along the way or were stolen.

In July 1869 he left Ujiji, crossing Tanganyika again. Only at the end of March 1871 did Livingston finally reach Lualaba near the trading village of Nyangwe. “This is a mighty river,” he wrote in his diary, “at least three thousand yards wide and deep everywhere. Nowhere, at any time of the year, you can ford it ... The river flows here to the north at a speed of about two miles per hour. On the way to the Lualaba, Livingston got acquainted with its right tributary, the Lwama; he also learned about the existence of its left tributaries - Lomami and Lveki, but information about them was too vague.

The abundance of water in Lualaba indisputably proved that Livingston discovered one of the largest hydrographic arteries in Central America. He did not clearly imagine to which system - the Nile or the Congo - this big river, and could not deal with such a difficult issue: his health deteriorated noticeably. The researcher only found that the mighty stream is moving north, but is located at an altitude of about 600 meters. Such a hypsometric position of the Lualaba led him to believe that it "eventually" might turn out to be the Congo River. Scientists then were not yet sure that Lake Victoria, discovered by John Speke, was really the source of the Nile. But Livingston was right about something: the Luapula (Lovua) River, which flows near Lake Bangweulu, and the Lualaba belong to the basin of the upper reaches of the Congo.

Turning back to Tanganyika, Livingston went by boat from the west bank to the east, to the village of Ujiji, and in October 1871 stopped there for rest and treatment. The Lualaba mystery remained unresolved.

In Europe and America, for several years they did not know where Livingston was and whether he was alive. Several expeditions were sent to look for him. One of them, led by Henry Stanley, found him in Ujiji.

Together with Stanley, the seriously ill Livingston at the end of 1871 examined the northern corner of Tanganyika and made sure that the lake had no flow to the north, therefore, it was not the source of the Nile, as previously assumed. He refused to return to Europe with Stanley, because he wanted to complete the study of Lualaba, the thought of which haunted him. Through Stanley, he sent diaries and other materials to London.

In 1873, he again went to Lualaba and on the way stopped in the village of Chitambo, south of Lake Bangweulu. On the morning of May 1, 1873, Livingston's servants found him dead in the hut, on the floor by the bunk.

The ashes of Livingston were taken to London and buried in Westminster Abbey - the tomb of the kings and prominent people of England. His diaries, titled The Last Journey of David Livingstone, were published in London in 1874.

Livingston David (1813 - 1873) Scottish explorer of Africa. Having decided to devote himself to missionary work among Africans, he studied theology and medicine. He made a number of long journeys in South and Central Africa (since 1840). Explored the Kalahari Basin, the river