Overview:
This second volume of David Livingstone’s journals picks up where the first left off, documenting his arduous journey through Central Africa from 1869 to his death in 1873. We follow Livingstone’s relentless pursuit of the Nile’s source, enduring constant struggles with illness, including pneumonia, choleraic symptoms, and debilitating ulcers. Throughout his travels, Livingstone encounters numerous tribes, gaining insight into their customs, beliefs, and interactions with the ever-expanding Arab slave trade. He grapples with the devastating effects of this trade, witnessing firsthand the brutal exploitation, violence, and suffering it inflicts.
While Livingstone’s determination to uncover the Nile’s source is unwavering, his journals also reveal a growing disillusionment with the Arab traders, their exploitative practices, and the rampant bloodshed they bring. His frustration intensifies as he navigates through a complex web of political alliances, rivalries, and the threat of violence, highlighting the treacherous realities of exploration in this volatile region. His journals provide a poignant testament to Livingstone’s dedication to his work, his unwavering commitment to ending the slave trade, and his deep compassion for the people he encounters.
Key Findings:
- The Lualaba River: Livingstone’s exploration of the Lualaba River reveals its vastness, depth, and complex geography, challenging existing theories about the Nile’s source.
- The Soko (Gorilla): Livingstone encounters a new species of chimpanzee, the “soko,” described in detail with insights into its social behavior, diet, and interactions with other animals.
- The Manyuema People: Livingstone provides a detailed portrait of the Manyuema people, their customs, beliefs, and the impact of the Arab slave trade on their lives. He highlights their resilience in the face of violence and exploitation.
- The Arab Slave Trade: Livingstone’s firsthand accounts vividly depict the brutality and devastation wrought by the Arab slave trade, emphasizing the need for intervention and abolition.
Learning:
- The Reality of the Slave Trade: Readers will gain a profound understanding of the horrors of the Arab slave trade, its impact on the lives of indigenous populations, and the complexities of trying to stop it.
- The Manyuema Culture: Through Livingstone’s observations, readers learn about the Manyuema people’s unique culture, their customs, beliefs, and social structures.
- The Challenges of Exploration: The journal entries provide a firsthand account of the immense challenges faced by explorers in Central Africa, including physical hardship, illness, the threat of violence, and the difficulties of navigating unfamiliar landscapes.
- Livingstone’s Character: Livingstone’s journals highlight his dedication to his work, his compassion for the people he encounters, his unwavering pursuit of knowledge, and his steadfast commitment to ending the slave trade.
Historical Context:
Livingstone’s journals are written during a period of significant global change. The American Civil War has recently ended, and the issue of slavery is a major topic of debate in Europe. Europeans are increasingly exploring Africa, motivated by both scientific curiosity and economic ambitions. The search for the Nile’s source is a major focus of exploration, and Livingstone’s work contributes significantly to our understanding of this region.
Facts:
- The Lualaba River: The Lualaba is much larger than previously thought, measuring up to 3000 yards wide and always deep.
- The Soko (Gorilla): The soko is a distinct species of chimpanzee, larger and stronger than the gorilla, but less formidable in battle.
- Manyuema Customs: The Manyuema people practice circumcision, have distinct methods of hair plaiting, and use copper bracelets as a form of currency.
- The Manyuema as a People: The Manyuema are a decentralized people with each headman operating independently. They have a culture of violence and revenge, with frequent intertribal feuds.
- Arab Slave Trade: The Arab slave trade is brutal and exploitative, characterized by kidnapping, murder, and the use of force to capture slaves.
- The Manyuema and the Slave Trade: The Manyuema people are victims of the Arab slave trade, often losing their families and their way of life. They are also vulnerable to being used as pawns in the power struggles between different Arab factions.
- Livingstone’s Illnesses: Livingstone suffers from various illnesses, including pneumonia, choleraic symptoms, and debilitating ulcers.
- Nyumbo Plant: The Nyumbo plant is a type of potato known for its restorative properties and is used to combat illness.
- The Manyuema and Cannibalism: The Manyuema people practice a form of cannibalism, primarily eating those killed in battle. This practice is driven by a desire for revenge and possibly a belief that it inspires courage.
- The Soko’s Diet: The soko (gorilla) is a vegetarian, feeding mainly on wild fruits.
- The “Broken-Heart” Disease: Captives who are taken from their homes and forced into slavery often suffer from a debilitating illness characterized by intense chest pain and a feeling of despair.
- The “Safura” Disease: The “Safura” disease is characterized by an intense craving for clay or earth, leading to malnutrition and death.
- The “Sassassa” Bird: The “Sassassa” bird, a type of hornbill, has a unique interaction with another bird, which pecks at its tail to induce purging.
- Tsetse Flies: The tsetse fly is a dangerous insect that infects animals with a debilitating disease. Lion’s fat is used to repel tsetse flies, smeared on the ox’s tail.
- The “Neggeri” Animal: The “Neggeri,” possibly the Ratel, attacks the tenderest parts of humans and animals.
- The Importance of Food: The Manyuema people have a wide variety of food sources available, including maize, dura, cassava, sweet potatoes, palm oil, groundnuts, and a variety of animals.
- The Role of Women: Manyuema women are key participants in the market, carrying heavy loads and engaging in lively bartering. They are also victims of the slave trade, often kidnapped and sold.
- The “Chitoka” Market: The “Chitoka” market is a vital social and economic hub for the Manyuema people, providing a place for bartering and exchanging goods.
- The Bakuss People: The Bakuss, a tribe west of the Lualaba, are known for their expertise in smithing, weaving, and their highly organized market system. They are also known for their aggressive resistance to the Arab slave traders.
- Lake Kamalondo: The Lake Kamalondo is a large lake formed by the confluence of the Lufira and Lualaba West rivers. It is said to be 25 miles wide.
- The Lomamé River: The Lomamé River is a large river flowing into the Lualaba, known for its rapids and the rich ivory market in the surrounding region.
Statistics:
- 550 Tons of Ivory: England imports approximately 550 tons of ivory annually.
- 44,000 Elephants Killed Yearly: An estimated 44,000 elephants are killed annually to provide the ivory consumed in England alone.
- 70,000 Cholera Victims: The cholera epidemic in Zanzibar claimed the lives of approximately 70,000 people.
- 500 Guns: Dugumbé’s party, a large group of Arab ivory traders, is armed with 500 guns.
- 1000 Frasilahs of Ivory: Katomba’s party brings back nearly 1000 frasilahs of ivory from the north.
- 3000 People at Market: The “Chitoka” market at Nyangwé attracts a crowd of approximately 3000 people, primarily women.
- 200 Killed by the Bakuss: The Bakuss retaliate against the Arab slave traders, killing 200 of Dugumbé’s party.
- 330-400 Souls Lost: The massacre at Nyangwé results in the death of an estimated 330-400 people.
- 27 Villages Burned: The Arab slave traders under Tagamoio burn down 27 villages, killing and capturing countless people.
- 400l. Offered for Men: Livingstone offers Dugumbé 400l. for 10 men to replace his Banian slaves.
- 11 Dotis for a Cow: Livingstone buys a milk cow for 11 dotis of merikano cloth.
- 80 Arabs in Unyanyembé: The Arab population of Unyanyembé is estimated at 80 males.
- 1500-1600 Population of Unyanyembé: The total population of Unyanyembé, including the Arabs and their dependants, is estimated at 1500-1600 people.
Terms:
- Masika: The rainy season in Central Africa.
- Frasilah: A unit of measurement for ivory, typically a large tusk.
- Doti: A unit of measurement for cloth, typically equivalent to 4 yards.
- Fundos: A type of bead, often used for trade.
- Merikano: A type of blue calico cloth.
- Kaniké: A type of blue calico cloth.
- Samsam: A type of bead.
- Lewalé: An Arab title of authority, often referring to a governor or leader.
- Pagazi: A porter, typically a slave who carries goods.
- Banians: Indian merchants, often involved in the slave trade.
- Batusi: A tribe known for their cattle-herding and their strength in battle.
- Baganda: A tribe from Uganda, known for their trading activities.
- Banyamwezi: A tribe known for their skill as porters and their trading activities.
- Tembé: An Arab house with a flat roof.
- Chitoka: A marketplace.
- Boma: A fortified village, often stockaded for protection.
- Lullilooing: A type of traditional African singing.
Examples:
- The Soko Hunt: Livingstone describes a soko hunt, providing details about the soko’s appearance, social behavior, and how it is hunted.
- The Massacre at Nyangwé: The journal entries provide a horrifying account of the massacre at Nyangwé, where hundreds of innocent Manyuema people were killed by the Arab slave traders.
- The Manyuema Child’s Walking: Livingstone observes a Manyuema child’s unique way of walking, beginning by putting forward one foot and using one knee.
- The Manyuema and the “Broken Heart” Disease: Livingstone describes the “broken heart” disease, which afflicts captives forced into slavery, and highlights how this disease exemplifies the suffering inflicted by the slave trade.
- The Woman and her Husband: Livingstone describes an encounter with a couple where the woman’s grief over the loss of her child is dwarfed by the concern over the lost goats that had been paid for her.
- The Manilla Foray: The Arab slave trader Manilla sets fire to 10 villages and kills numerous people in retaliation for a debt of three slaves.
- The Bakuss and the Muskets: The Bakuss tribe, unfamiliar with firearms, are initially confused by the power of muskets, mistaking them for insignia of chieftainship.
- The Slave’s Mistress: Livingstone describes a slave woman who is freed from chains after he intervenes, but is later beaten by her new mistress.
- The Manyuema and the Parrot Feathers: Livingstone describes a Manyuema custom where a man challenges others to stick a red parrot feather in their hair, requiring them to kill a man or woman.
- The Arab’s “Good Luck” Salutation: After Livingstone discovers that his goods have been stolen by Shereef, the Arab comes to him with the “Balghere,” or good luck salutation, as if nothing had happened.
Conclusion:
David Livingstone’s final journals offer a powerful and heartbreaking glimpse into the depths of his explorations in Central Africa. His unwavering pursuit of the Nile’s source is countered by the ever-present horrors of the Arab slave trade, exposing the brutality of human greed and its devastating impact on the lives of indigenous populations. While Livingstone’s determination to expose the slave trade and contribute to its abolition is clear, his journals reveal a profound sense of disillusionment with the Arab traders and their actions, as well as a growing fear for his own safety.
Livingstone’s resilience in the face of constant hardship, illness, and betrayal is testament to his dedication to his work and his deep compassion for the people he encounters. Despite the tragedies he witnesses, his hope for a better future for Africa and his belief in the ultimate goodness of humanity remains undimmed. His journals are a powerful reminder of the complexities of exploration and the enduring power of human spirit in the face of adversity.