Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa by David Livingstone (fun to read .txt) 📕

Mode of Spending the Day -- Scarcity of Food -- Locusts -- Edible Frogs --

Scavenger Beetle -- Continued Hostility of the Boers -- The Journey north --

Preparations -- Fellow-travelers -- The Kalahari Desert --

Vegetation -- Watermelons -- The Inhabitants -- The Bushmen --

Their nomad Mode of Life -- Appearance -- The Bakalahari --

Their Love for Agriculture and for domestic Animals -- Timid Character --

Mode of obtaining Water -- Female Water-suckers -- The Desert --

Water hidden.

Chapter 3.

Departure from Kolobeng, 1st June, 1849 -- Companions -- Our Route --

Abundance of Grass -- Serotli, a Fountain in the Desert --

Mode of digging Wells -- The Eland -- Animals of the Desert --

The Hyaena -- The Chief Sekomi -- Dangers -- The wandering Guide --

Cross Purposes -- Slow Progress -- Want of Water -- Capture of a Bushwoman -- The Salt-pan at Nchokotsa -- The Mirage -- Reach the River Zouga --

The Quakers of Africa -- Discovery of Lake Ngami, 1st August, 1849 --

Its Extent -- Small Depth of Water -- Position as the Reservoir of a great River System -- The Bamangwato and their Chief --

Desire to visit Sebituane, the Chief of the Makololo --

Refusal of Lechulatebe to furnish us with Guides --

Resolve to return to the Cape -- The Banks of the Zouga -- Pitfalls --

Trees of the District -- Elephants -- New Species of Antelope --

Fish in the Zouga.

Chapter 4.

Leave Kolobeng again for the Country of Sebituane -- Reach the Zouga --

The Tsetse -- A Party of Englishmen -- Death of Mr. Rider --

Obtain Guides -- Children fall sick with Fever -- Relinquish the Attempt to reach Sebituane -- Mr. Oswell's Elephant-hunting --

Return to Kolobeng -- Make a third Start thence --

Reach Nchokotsa -- Salt-pans -- "Links", or Springs -- Bushmen --

Our Guide Shobo -- The Banajoa -- An ugly Chief -- The Tsetse --

Bite fatal to domestic Animals, but harmless to wild Animals and Man --

Operation of the Poison -- Losses caused by it -- The Makololo --

Our Meeting with Sebituane -- Sketch of his Career --

His Courage and Conquests -- Manoeuvres of the Batoka -- He outwits them -- His Wars with the Matebele -- Predictions of a native Prophet --

Successes of the Makololo -- Renewed Attacks of the Matebele --

The Island of Loyelo -- Defeat of the Matebele -- Sebituane's Policy --

His Kindness to Strangers and to the Poor -- His sudden Illness and Death --

Succeeded by his Daughter -- Her Friendliness to us -- Discovery, in June, 1851, of the Zambesi flowing in the Centre of the Continent --

Its Size -- The Mambari -- The Slave-trade -- Determine to send Family to England -- Return to the Cape in April, 1852 -- Safe Transit through the Caffre Country during Hostilities -- Need of a "Special Correspondent"

-- Kindness of the London Missionary Society -- Assistance afforded by the Astronomer Royal at the Cape.

Chapter 5.

Start in June, 1852, on the last and longest Journey from Cape Town --

Companions -- Wagon-traveling -- Physical Divisions of Africa --

The Eastern, Central, and Western Zones -- The Kalahari Desert --

Its Vegetation -- Increasing Value of the Interior for Colonization --

Our Route -- Dutch Boers -- Their Habits -- Sterile Appearance of the District -- Failure of Grass -- Succeeded by other Plants --

Vines -- Animals -- The Boers as Farmers -- Migration of Springbucks --

Wariness of Animals -- The Orange River -- Territory of the Griquas and Bechuanas -- The Griquas -- The Chief Waterboer --

His wise and energetic Government -- His Fidelity -- Ill-considered Measures of the Colonial Government in regard to Supplies of Gunpowder --

Success of the Missionaries among the Griquas and Bechuanas --

Manifest Improvement of the native Character -- Dress of the Natives --

A full-dress Costume -- A Native's Description of the Natives --

Articles of Commerce in the Country of the Bechuanas --

Their Unwillingness to learn, and Readiness to criticise.

Chapter 6.

Kuruman -- Its fine Fountain -- Vegetation of the District --

Remains of ancient Forests -- Vegetable Poison --

The Bible translated by Mr. Moffat -- Capabilities of the Language --

Christianity among the Natives -- The Missionaries should extend their Labors more beyond the Cape Colony -- Model Christians --

Disgraceful Attack of the Boers on the Bakwains -- Letter from Sechele --

Details of the Attack -- Numbers of School-children carried away into Slavery -- Destruction of House and Property at Kolobeng --

The Boers vow Vengeance against me -- Consequent Difficulty of getting Servants to accompany me on my Journey -- Start in November, 1852 --

Meet Sechele on his way to England to obtain Redress from the Queen --

He is unable to proceed beyond the Cape -- Meet Mr. Macabe on his Return from Lake Ngami -- The hot Wind of the Desert --

Electric State of the Atmosphere -- Flock of Swifts --

Reach Litubaruba -- The Cave Lepelole -- Superstitions regarding it --

Impoverished State of the Bakwains -- Retaliation on the Boers --

Slavery -- Attachment of the Bechuanas to Children --

Hydrophobia unknown -- Diseases of the Bakwains few in number --

Yearly Epidemics -- Hasty Burials -- Ophthalmia -- Native Doctors --

Knowledge of Surgery at a very low Ebb -- Little Attendance given to Women at their Confinements -- The "Child Medicine" -- Salubrity of the Climate well adapted for Invalids suffering from pulmonary Complaints.

Chapter 7.

Departure from the Country of the Bakwains -- Large black Ant --

Land Tortoises -- Diseases of wild Animals -- Habits of old Lions --

Cowardice of the Lion -- Its Dread of a Snare -- Major Vardon's Note --

The Roar of the Lion resembles the Cry of the Ostrich --

Seldom attacks full-grown Animals -- Buffaloes and Lions --

Mice -- Serpents -- Treading on one -- Venomous and harmless Varieties --

Fascination -- Sekomi's Ideas of Honesty -- Ceremony of the Sechu for Boys -- The Boyale for young Women -- Bamangwato Hills -- The Unicorn's Pass --

The Country beyond -- Grain -- Scarcity of Water -- Honorable Conduct of English Gentlemen -- Gordon Cumming's hunting Adventures --

A Word of Advice for young Sportsmen -- Bushwomen drawing Water --

Ostrich -- Silly Habit -- Paces -- Eggs -- Food.

Chapter 8.

Effects of Missionary Efforts -- Belief in the Deity --

Ideas of the Bakwains on Religion -- Departure from their Country --

Salt-pans -- Sour Curd -- Nchokotsa -- Bitter Waters --

Thirst suffered by the wild Animals -- Wanton Cruelty in Hunting --

Ntwetwe -- Mowana-trees -- Their extraordinary Vitality --

The Mopane-tree -- The Morala -- The Bushmen -- Their Superstitions --

Elephant-hunting -- Superiority of civilized over barbarous Sportsmen --

The Chief Kaisa -- His Fear of Responsibility -- Beauty of the Country at Unku -- The Mohonono Bush -- Severe Labor in cutting our Way --

Party seized with Fever -- Escape of our Cattle --

Bakwain Mode of recapturing them -- Vagaries of sick Servants --

Discovery of grape-bearing Vines -- An Ant-eater --

Difficulty of passing through the Forest -- Sickness of my Companion --

The Bushmen -- Their Mode of destroying Lions -- Poisons --

The solitary Hill -- A picturesque Valley -- Beauty of the Country --

Arrive at the Sanshureh River -- The flooded Prairies --

A pontooning Expedition -- A night Bivouac -- The Chobe --

Arrive at the Village of Moremi -- Surprise of the Makololo at our sudden Appearance -- Cross the Chobe on our way to Linyanti.

Chapter 9.

Reception at Linyanti -- The court Herald -- Sekeletu obtains the Chieftainship from his Sister -- Mpepe's Plot -- Slave-trading Mambari -- Their sudden Flight -- Sekeletu narrowly escapes Assassination --

Execution of Mpepe -- The Courts of Law -- Mode of trying Offenses --

Sekeletu's Reason for not learning to read the Bible --

The Disposition made of the Wives of a deceased Chief --

Makololo Women -- They work but little -- Employ Serfs --

Their Drink, Dress, and Ornaments -- Public Religious Services in the Kotla -- Unfavorable Associations of the place -- Native Doctors --

Proposals to teach the Makololo to read -- Sekeletu's Present --

Reason for accepting it -- Trading in Ivory -- Accidental Fire --

Presents for Sekeletu -- Two Breeds of native Cattle --

Ornamenting the Cattle -- The Women and the Looking-glass --

Mode of preparing the Skins of Oxen for Mantles and for Shields --

Throwing the Spear.

Chapter 10.

The Fever -- Its Symptoms -- Remedies of the native Doctors --

Hospitality of Sekeletu and his People -- One of their Reasons for Polygamy -- They cultivate largely -- The Makalaka or subject Tribes --

Sebituane's Policy respecting them -- Their Affection for him --

Products of the Soil -- Instrument of Culture -- The Tribute --

Distributed by the Chief -- A warlike Demonstration --

Lechulatebe's Provocations -- The Makololo determine to punish him --

The Bechuanas -- Meaning of the Term -- Three Divisions of the great Family of South Africans.

Chapter 11.

Departure from Linyanti for Sesheke -- Level Country -- Ant-hills --

Wild Date-trees -- Appearance of our Attendants on the March --

The Chief's Guard -- They attempt to ride on Ox-back --

Vast Herds of the new Antelopes, Leches, and Nakongs --

The native way of hunting them -- Reception at the Villages --

Presents of Beer and Milk -- Eating with the Hand --

The Chief provides the Oxen for Slaughter -- Social Mode of Eating --

The Sugar-cane -- Sekeletu's novel Test of Character --

Cleanliness of Makololo Huts -- Their Construction and Appearance --

The Beds -- Cross the Leeambye -- Aspect of this part of the Country --

The small Antelope Tianyane unknown in the South -- Hunting on foot --

An Eland.

Chapter 12.

Procure Canoes and ascend the Leeambye -- Beautiful Islands --

Winter Landscape -- Industry and Skill of the Banyeti --

Rapids -- Falls of Gonye -- Tradition -- Annual Inundations --

Fertility of the great Barotse Valley -- Execution of two Conspirators --

The Slave-dealer's Stockade -- Naliele, the Capital, built on an artificial Mound -- Santuru, a great Hunter --

The Barotse Method of commemorating any remarkable Event --

Better Treatment of Women -- More religious Feeling -- Belief in a future State, and in the Existence of spiritual Beings -- Gardens --

Fish, Fruit, and Game -- Proceed to the Limits of the Barotse Country --

Sekeletu provides Rowers and a Herald -- The River and Vicinity --

Hippopotamus-hunters -- No healthy Location -- Determine to go to Loanda --

Buffaloes, Elands, and Lions above Libonta -- Interview with the Mambari --

Two Arabs from Zanzibar -- Their Opinion of the Portuguese and the English -- Reach the Town of Ma-Sekeletu -- Joy of the People at the first Visit of their Chief -- Return to Sesheke -- Heathenism.

Chapter 13.

Preliminary Arrangements for the Journey -- A Picho -- Twenty-seven Men appointed to accompany me to the West -- Eagerness of the Makololo for direct Trade with the Coast -- Effects of Fever -- A Makololo Question -- The lost Journal -- Reflections -- The Outfit for the Journey --

11th November, 1853, leave Linyanti, and embark on the Chobe --

Dangerous Hippopotami --