How I Found Livingstone

Excellent,exciting,and touching. History at its best by the participants. I only wish there had been an update included to know what eventually happened

How I Found Livingstone; travels, adventures, and discoveries in Central Africa, including an account of… By Henry M. (Henry Morton) Stanley The book starts when Mr. Stanley (for short) was sent by the manager of the “New York Herald”, Mr. Bennett James Gordon, on a journey to get news and perhaps bring back Dr. Livingstone , circa 1870-1871. Preparation for such a journey began in Zanzibar and had to be thought out and planned. The trip seems to go through endless country with interesting views and experiences, Such as one would encounter in the vastness of Africa .They paid tariffs to the tribal chiefs along the way by taking portions from rolls of cloth and beads they had brought with them to give to the chiefs. The caravan could go no further than Unyanyembe because of an impending war brought on by Mirambo a renegade chieftain. It was heard that Livingston had traveled that way and it was hoped that he may have passed that way before the hostilities began. A band of Arabs was sent out to war against the renegade tribe but were unsuccessful and had to retreat. After traveling West they had to go West via a Southern route and arrived at Ujiji where Dr. Livingston was reported to be. Travel was accomplished by caravan hiking maybe 10 or 15 miles per day and then camping by night. Although Dr. Livingstone made missionary travels, his later ambition was to find the head waters of the Nile . Dr. Livingston discovered that the Chambezi river what the most southern tributary of the Nile. The book gives account of Dr. Livingston’s explorations as far back as 1866. Lake Tanganika being the Southern most reservoir of the Nile was explored by Mr. Stanley and Dr. Livingstone before Mr. Stanley returned to Zanzibar. When in Zanzibar Mr. Stanley was to gather up men and arms for Livingston’s continued exploration as he was in need of porters. Dr. Livingston had ambition of searching out the source of the Nile before he considered returning to civilization. The description of the country side leaves one in awe as to the beauty and vistas that Africa offers. The different obsticles they encountered and overcoming them keeps one riveted to the book.

I purchased this book in he hopes of learning about these two interesting characters but was left empty handed, so to speak, due to the period writing style. I guess Im not cultured enough to appreciate the style. I hope to find another book about the two that will quench my curiosity in a more readable manner.

Absolutely excellent. The writing is quite excellent and the story the same. It is an adventure story worth reading

This is Mr Stanleys accurate account of his travails in Africa, and it is never what you think. The bugs, the people, the muck, not the animals. Also an insight into the medical ignorance of the day. Learn the real value of cloth in Dotis. Yes folks, money in Africa was carried in bales....cloth. Dr Livingston really really could have used google earth and penicillin, but alas....

For someone who has an Africa upbringing, a map of his travels would have been helpful , very few of the tribes or chiefs were necessary to the story. It is interesting that the Arabs dominated so many of the tribes near the east coast of Africa. Yet the British and Americans have all taken the blame.