Stanley in Africa: The Wonderful Discoveries and Thrilling Adventures of the Great African Explorer, and Other Travelers, Pioneers and MissionariesBoyd, James P. (James Penny)
History
Stanley in Africa: The Wonderful Discoveries and Thrilling Adventures of the Great African Explorer, and Other Travelers, Pioneers and Missionaries
Boyd, James P. (James Penny)
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton), 1841-1904
His last day’s march was on a litter through interminable marsh and rain.
His bearers had to halt often, so violent were his pains and so great his
exhaustion. He spoke kindly to his humble attendants and asked how many
days’ march it was to the Lualaba.
[Illustration: LIVINGSTONE’S LAST DAY’S MARCH.]
Susi replied that “it was a three days’ march.”
“Then,” said the dying man, “I shall never see my river again.” The
malarial poison was already benumbing his faculties. Even the fountains
of the Nile had faded into dimness before his mind’s eye.
He was placed in a hut in Chitambo’s village, on April 29, after his
last day’s journey, where he lay in a semi-conscious state through the
night, and the day of April 30. At 11 P.M. on the night of the 30, Susi
was called in and the doctor told him he wished him to boil some water,
and for this purpose he went to the fire outside, and soon returned with
the copper kettle full. Calling him close, he asked him to bring his
medicine-chest, and to hold the candle near him, for the man noticed he
could hardly see. With great difficulty Dr. Livingstone selected the
calomel, which he told him to place by his side; then, directing him to
pour a little water into a cup, and to put another empty one by it, he
said in a low, feeble voice, “All right; you can go out now.” These were
the last words he was ever heard to speak.
It must have been about 4 A.M. when Susi heard Majwara’s step once more.
“Come to Bwana, I am afraid; I don’t know if he is alive.” The lad’s
evident alarm made Susi run to arouse Chuma, Chowperé, Matthew, and
Muanuaséré, and the six men went immediately to the hut.
Passing inside, they looked toward the bed. Dr. Livingstone was not lying
on it, but appeared to be engaged in prayer, and they instinctively drew
backward for the instant. Pointing to him, Mujwara said, “When I lay
down he was just as he is now, and it is because I find that he does
not move that I fear he is dead.” They asked the lad how long he had
slept. Majwara said he could not tell, but he was sure that it was some
considerable time: the men drew nearer.
A candle, stuck by its own wax to the top of the box, shed a light
sufficient for them to see his form. Dr. Livingstone was kneeling by the
side of his bed, his body stretched forward, his head buried in his
hands upon the pillow. For a minute they watched him: he did not stir,
there was no sign of breathing; then one of them, Matthew, advanced
softly to him and placed his hands to his cheeks. It was sufficient; life
had been extinct some time, and the body was almost cold: Livingstone was
dead.
[Illustration: DEATH OF LIVINGSTONE.]
His sad-hearted servants raised him tenderly up and laid him full length
on the bed. They then went out to consult together, and while there they
heard the cocks crow. It was therefore between midnight and morning of
May 1, 1873, his spirit had taken its flight. His last African journey
began in 1866.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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