David Livingstone: biography, travel and discovery. What did David Livingston discover in Africa?

One of the most famous travelers, whose contribution to the list of geographical studies can not be overestimated, is David Livingston. What did this enthusiast discover ? His biography and achievements are detailed in the article.

Childhood and youth

The future great discoverer was born March 19, 1813 in the village of Blantyre near Glasgow (Scotland). His family was poor, his father sold tea on the street, and the boy had to go to work at a local weaving factory at 10 years old. On his first salary, David Livingstone, whose biography is described in the article, bought a textbook of Latin grammar. Despite the fact that he worked hard from 6 am to 8 pm, he found time to study independently. And then the boy began to go to evening school, where he studied not only Latin, but also Greek, mathematics and theology. The boy was very fond of reading, especially classical poets in the original, popular science literature and travel descriptions.

How did the goal of all life

At the age of 19, David Livingstone received a promotion. This entailed the addition of a salary, which he used to study at a medical university. After 2 years he received a doctorate. At this time, the English church launched an active propaganda campaign to attract volunteers to missionary work. Having penetrated this idea, David studied in depth theology, and in 1838 received a priest's order and applied for membership in the Missionary Society in London. At the same time, the young priest and physician met with the missionary Robert Moffet, who worked in Africa, and who persuaded Livingstone to turn his gaze to the Black Continent.

The Beginning of a Great Journey Throughout Life

At the end of 1840, the 27-year-old traveler sailed on a ship to Africa. During the journey, he did not lose time in vain, mastering the wisdom of navigation and studying how to correctly determine the coordinates of points on the Earth.

A man landed in Cape Town (the coast of South Africa) on March 14, 1841. Deciding to prepare thoroughly for the cause of his life, David Livingston settled among the aborigines and began to study their language and customs. Six months later he freely spoke with the savages, which in the future was very useful for him to establish contacts with different tribes while moving deeper into the continent.

David did not sit still. He slowly but steadily moved forward, settling for a while in the next tribe, getting acquainted with new customs, making notes in diaries. By the summer of 1842, Livingston overcame a significant part of the Kalahari desert. So far, not a single European has gone before him.

Foundation of your own mission. War with the lion

In 1843, Livingston founded his mission in Mobots, preaching the Gospels to the local people and gradually moving north. Aborigines treated the missionary with respect, seeing from him only kindness and participation. He zealously defended them against the attacks of the Portuguese and other colonialists, who led the Negroes into slavery, patiently endured all the burdens of a difficult life in the African savannahs.

In 1944, David Livingston, Africa for whom it became a real home, experienced a terrible adventure. Hunting with members of the tribe, he was attacked by a huge lion and miraculously survived. The beast broke his left hand in several places, causing the missionary to remain a cripple for life. He had to learn to hold the gun on his left shoulder and aim with his left eye. In memory of that terrible event, there were traces of 11 lion's teeth on his shoulder. The natives began to call the white man the Great Lion.

Marriage. Migrating mission

In 1845, David Livingston married Mary - the daughter of the mastermind of his journey, Robert Moffett. The wife accompanied her husband in campaigns, resignedly shared all the pains of expeditions, in which he gave birth to his 4 sons.

By the time of the marriage, the young man freely communicated with the natives, enjoyed their confidence, so he decided to move his mission to the banks of the Kolobeng river. Together with his wife they settled in the Bavven tribe. Livingston became very friendly with the leader Secele, who unexpectedly took to heart the Christian teaching. He agreed to be baptized, renounced pagan rites and returned all his wives to the fathers, leaving only one. This was both an achievement, and at the same time a big problem for a European traveler. The tribe was dissatisfied with such unusual changes, events sadly coincided with a severe drought, all this forced the missionary and his wife to leave the mission and move farther into the Kalahari desert, which the natives called the Land of great thirst.

Opening of Lake Ngami

In addition to missionary activities, despite all the difficulties, David Livingstone did not forget about the research work. His discoveries he made during long expeditions, moving gradually from south to north across the mainland.

June 1, 1849 brave traveler with his wife, children and several companions traveled through the Kalahari to the Zambezi River, the approximate location of which was noted on the maps of South Africa back in the Middle Ages. Livingston was determined to indicate the exact coordinates of the river, to explore its channel, to find the mouth and source.

The long journey took as long as 30 days, was exhausting and very heavy, especially for Mary and the children. When the travelers came to the river, their joy was no limit. Here they met the tribes of the baklahari and the Bushmen, who welcomed the strangers cordially, replenished their supplies and gave the escorts. The travelers continued their journey up the river, and on August 1, 1949, they left for Lake Ngami, which until now had never been known to any European.

For this opening, David Livingstone was awarded a Gold Medal from the Royal Geographical Society and received a large cash prize.

After all the adventures, the members of the expedition returned safely to the mission to Kolobeng.

Lake Dilolo and the Victoria Falls

In 1852, Livingston sent his wife and sons to Scotland, and himself with new enthusiasm moved to the very heart of the Black Continent under the motto: "I will open Africa or die."

During the journey of 1853-1854. The valley of the Zambezi River, its tributaries, was investigated. The main event of the expedition was the discovery of Lake Dilolo in 1854, for which the missionary received another Gold Medal from the Geographical Society.

Further journey of David Livingston suggested finding a convenient road to the east to the Indian Ocean. In the autumn of 1855, a small detachment again moved down the Zambezi River. A few weeks later, on November 17, an incredible picture appeared before the travelers' eyes: a magnificent waterfall 120 meters high and 1800 meters wide. The aborigines called it "Mosi wa tunia", which means "Rumbling water". This grandiose phenomenon of nature, David named Victoria in honor of the Queen of England. Today, at the waterfall is a monument to the brave Scottish explorer of Africa.

Exit to the Indian Ocean. Homecoming

Continuing the study of the Zambezi, the missionary drew attention to its northern sleeve and along it came to the mouth of the river, reaching the coast of the Indian Ocean. May 20, 1856, the grandiose transition of the African continent from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean was completed.

As early as December 9, 1856, Queen David's wife David Livingston returned to the UK. What has this untiring traveler and missionary discovered in Africa? About all his adventures and geographical discoveries, he wrote a book in 1857. The fee from the publishing house allowed to provide a good wife and children. David received awards and titles, he was awarded an audience with Queen Victoria, lectured in Cambridge, appealed to local youth to call for missionary work and fight against the slave trade.

Second trip to Africa

From March 1, 1858 to July 23, 1864, David Livingston made his second trip to Africa, in which his wife, brother, and middle son went with him.

During the expedition, Livingston continued the study of the Zambezi and its tributaries. September 16, 1859, he opened the lake Nyasa, specified the coordinates of the rivers Shire and Ruvuma. During the trip a huge baggage of scientific observations was collected in such areas as botany, zoology, ecology, geology, ethnography.

Expedition, in addition to the joyful impressions of new discoveries, brought to Livingston 2 misfortunes: on April 27, 1862 his wife died from malaria, a little later David received news of the death of his eldest son.

After returning home, the missionary, co-authored with his brother in the summer of 1864, wrote another book about Africa.

The Third Trip to the Black Continent

From January 28, 1866 to May 1, 1873, a well-known researcher made his third and last trip to the continent. Deepening in the steppes of Central Africa, he reached the region of the Great African Lakes, explored Tanganyika, the Lualaba River, and sought the source of the Nile. In passing, he immediately made two loud discoveries: November 8, 1867 - Lake Mveru, and July 18, 1868 - Lake Bangweulu.

The travel difficulties exhausted the health of David Livingston, and suddenly he fell ill with tropical fever. This forced him to return to the camp in the village of Ujiji. To the exhausted and exhausted explorer on November 10, 1871, unexpectedly came the help in the person of Henry Stan, who was equipped in the search for a Christian missionary by the newspaper "New York Harold". Stan brought medicines and products, so David Livingston, whose brief biography is described in the article, went on the mend. Soon he resumed his research, but, unfortunately, for a short while.

On May 1, 1873, a Christian missionary, a fighter against the slave trade, a renowned explorer of South Africa, the discoverer of many geographical objects, David Livingston, died. His heart in a tin box from flour flourished with honors in Chitambo under a large mvula tree. The conserved body was sent home and on April 18, 1874, was buried in Westminster Abbey.