The Story of David Livingstone

David Livingstone is a key figure in the history of the exploration of Africa. Livingstone was born on March 19, 1813, in Blantyre, Scotland. As a boy, he developed a passion for the natural sciences, while at the same time receiving a very religious upbringing. In 1840, he graduated from medical school and was ordained as a missionary. He departed for Africa one month later, with the intent of spreading the Word of Christ among the natives. He arrived in Cape Town, South Africa in 1841. In subsequent years, he travelled to the area now known as Botswana, though at the time it was mostly unexplored territory. It was a perilous journey. In 1844, Livingstone was attacked by a lion, causing permanent damage to his arm. Perhaps more painful to him than his wounds, Livingstone was distraught over his failure as a missionary, since the locals refused to embrace Christianity. Livingstone understood that it wasn't possible to spread Christian values without first improving the living conditions of indigenous peoples. According to Livingstone, it would be necessary to increase business contacts between Africa and Europe to achieve his purpose. From that time forward, Livingstone's goal was to find a navigable river linking the heart of Africa with the coast. In 1851, Livingstone was the first white man to reach the top of the Zambezi River. Following the course of the river, he discovered a magnificent falls, which he named Victoria, in honor of the Queen of England. In 1856, Livingstone returned to London, where he managed to obtain the necessary funds for a second expedition to the Zambezi River. The outcome of this second expedition is disastrous. Almost all of the members in Livingstone's party die of malaria or other diseases. Livingstone also discovers that the Zambezi River is in fact not navigable at all due to the large amount of rapids and waterfalls. Despite this failure, Livingstone refused to give up. In 1864, he went back to London and was able to organize a third expedition. This time, the goal was to search for the headwaters of the Nile River. This latest expedition, however, was never completed. Livingstone vanished. Another British explorer, Henry Morton Stanley, was sent in 1869 to find him. He does indeed find him two years later, on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. Livingstone was now ravaged by malaria, but elected not to return to his homeland until his mission was completed. He would never see his dream realized. Livingstone died in Chintambo, a village in Zambia, on May 1, 1873, at the age of 60. Henry Morton Stanley would continue Livingstone's search for the source of the Nile.