Tammy’s Reviews > The Story of David Livingstone > Status Update

Livingstone found the source of the Congo and Stanley went on to find the source of the Nile. A road and railway was built where he had envisioned them. Unfortunately, when the European countries decided to put an end to slavery, they used it as an excuse to build colonies and that had its own injustices.

Ch. 10 After all the treachery that happened in his travels, this final group of men were honorable like the Makolo. The difficulties of getting the body back were even greater than the journey to where Livingstone died. It took them nine months to reach the British Consul on the coast. Fellow travelers took his body to Westminster Abbey and then carried out his legacy.

Ch. 10 Livingstone could have returned to England but he was set on finding the source of the Nile. Stanley did Livingstone a great service for the final journey. He resupplied him and sent from Zanzibar a crew of faithful men who served him well to the end. These men recognized what Livingstone had done in fighting slavery in Central Africa. They embalmed his body and buried his heart where he died.

Ch. 10 What saddens me is the evidence of what happens when social order breaks down. Prior to this most of his letters were destroyed instead of being mailed. When England sends supplies for him, they are plundered. Today’s headlines show the breakdown because of lawlessness at all levels of society and government. Stanley and Livingstone became fast friends and explored but Stanley had to return.

Ch. 9 Livingstone is in a precarious situation. There is not a virtuous person that he can trust. He is weak and sick and without the medicine chest that proved so helpful. He has to rely on an Arab slave trader to stay alive. He has seen the horrors of slavery. An American philantrhopist sent H.M. Stanley to Africa with supplies to find Livingstone. Through Stanley, the story of the massacre reached the world.

Ch. 8 Livingstone had an amazing drive and constitution. The horrors of the slave trade (this time Arab) made things so difficult because people could not trust each others and stole and lied for their own survival. Rumors spread that he had died but that was not the case. Most of what he had had been stolen, including his medicine chest. His people abandoned him. He was ill and an Arab was taking good care of him.

Ch. 7 Livingstone had to head back to England. When he heard that the slavers were going to use his boat for their trade after he left, he and a brave crew siailed and steamed for 45 days and took it to Bombay! The boat really was not fit for such a journey but they did it! He went back to England, published another book on the Zambesi, and described the horrors of the slave trade.

Ch. 7 Livingstone’s attempt to find the source of the Nile and Congo was a bust because they could not get past the rapids. The Makolo wisely took the little steamer ashore but the conceited Zambesi canoe-men scoffed and tried to tow it down the rapids. The boat broke loose and was never seen again. The highland mission failed because they moved to the river and died of fever.

Ch. 7 The Portuguese slavers were part of the problem. This happened near the end of the slave trade for Portugal (abolished in 1869). Livingstone and Kirk became ill and then the British told them to leave the Zambesi because of problems with Portugal. The water was too low and they had to wait for the floods. So, they explored Lake Nyassa. Some pictures might need screening.

Ch. 7 On the second trip by river to the lake, they had a couple of problems. One tribe shot poisoned arrows and musket balls at them. A hippopatamus got under the boat and tried tip them over and then tried to eat them. The river he chose didn’t pan out. When they returned, they were horrified to see the slave trade flourishing again--the strong preying on the weak. Famine and death destroyed the land.