No news was heard from Livingstone’s party, and in 1867 reports were received in England that he had been murdered by the warlike Mafiti tribe. Livingstone’s old friends refused to believe the story, and sent out a search expedition; at last in 1869 letters arrived in England from the Doctor himself.

Then another two years passed during which there was no more news of Livingstone. The Royal Geographical Society organised a search expedition; meanwhile another expedition, commanded by Henry Morton Stanley and funded by James Gordon Bennett, the proprietor of the New York Herald, was already in Africa.

Meanwhile, what had been happening to Livingstone? From the first his attendants had been insubordinate and mutinous. Near Lake Nyasa many of his party fled, and to account for their desertion spread the report of Livingstone’s death which had so distressed his friends. But Livingstone still persevered. From 1867 to 1869 he had been exploring near Lake Tanganyika, hoping to find the source of the Nile. Illness held him up for six months, but he pushed on for hundreds of miles, only to be bitterly disappointed when what remained of his party mutinied and fled, taking with them all the food, guns, ammunition and the precious medicine chest. Thwarted, he had to make the long journey back to the village of Ujiji.

He had not been there many days before the whole village was startled by a volley of musketry. It was 27 October 1871. Livingstone stood at the door of a house, with a group of Arabs around him; presently above the heads of the yelling mob appeared the American flag, and pushing his way through the crowd there stood before him a young man.

‘Doctor Livingstone, I presume?’ said the stranger.

Henry Morton Stanley had arrived just in time, for Livingstone was ill, had no more supplies or food, and was greatly discouraged. Thanks to Stanley’s help and company, Livingstone soon regained his health and good spirits; together they explored the northern shores of Lake Tanganyika. Stanley often urged Livingstone to return to England, but Livingstone was determined to finish his explorations – Stanley returned alone.

Livingstone went back to the spot where he had had to turn back with the intention of completing his survey of the area, a project which he calculated should take him about eighteen months. But exhaustion and illness overtook him. Racked by malaria and dysentery, he died bravely at the heart of the Dark Continent.

Comments (0)