True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-03-04
dNtsttllaueous,
DR.. LIVINGsTONE's DISCOVERIES.


DR.. LIVINGST0NE's DISCOVERIES.
The secret Of Africa has ceased 10 be.
That mysterious quarter Of the globe, last
in ciyilizalion--for in the geography of
human advancement, as well as IN physi-
cal geography, Egypt has always been
part Of Asia-forti6ed against foreign
ers by its compact form, its fatal fevers,
the fabulous savagery of its inhabitants,
and more than all, the uncertain terror
which is everywhere projected like sha-
dow from the unknown, has, within a few
years past, lost great part OF its ndef-
mite character. The sources Of the Nile
have been almost reached. The countries
to the Sonth of Sahara have been cross
ed and recrossed by white men. Steam
has vexed thousand miles of the wa
ters of the Niger, and Tribunes have
been sent to within three or four hundred
miles of the geographical centre of the
country. North Of the Cape of Good
Hope, Lake Ngami has recently added
something to our knowledge, and its dis
coverer, DR.. Livingstone, is now astonish.
ing the lovers of heroic perseverance and
perfect maps, by his details of walk of
two thousand miles from st. Paul de lao
ando on the Atlantic, to Quillimane on
the Indian Ocean.
DR.. Livingstone is nearly forty years
old. His left arm is crushed and nearly
helpless from the too cordial embrace
of an African Lion, and sixteen years
among savages have given him an Afri-
can accent and great hesitancy in speak
ing English. Passing through all priva-
tons with the heart of true hero, not as
sacrifices, but as victories, he reached st
Paul de Loando, in May 1854, after a
foot journey of thousand miles from
his mission among the Bechuanas. He
remained at st Loando until the close OF
the year, when he sat out for the nn-
known East. In March he arrived al
Quillimanee, where he was taken up by
a British man of war. On the way he
traced the Leambye down to the Zambi-
zee, thus demonstrating the existence in
the centre Of this unknown land Of a
river two thousand miles long.
This immense stream whose discovery
is the great fruit of the journey, is in IT.
self an enigma without parallel. But a
small portion of its waters reach the sea
coast. Like the Abbyssinian Nile, il
falls through besaltic cleft near the mid
die of lis course, which reduces its
breadth from. one thousand to twenty
yards. Above these falls it spreads out
periodically into great sea, filling hun
dreds of lateral channels; below it is {
tranquil stream of totally different char
acler, Its mouth seems to be closing
The southermost was Manageable wher
the Portuguese first arrived in the coun
try, three years ago, but it has long since
ceased to be practicable. The Cuilliman'
mouth has of late years been impossible
even for canoe, from July to February
and for two hundred or three hundred
miles up the river navigation is never at
tempted in the dry season And in thi
very month OF July, when the lower por
tion of the river, after its April freshet
has shrunk to u mere dribbiet, above-th,
falls the river spreads out like sea ove1
hundreds OF square miles This witt
frequent cateracts, and the hostility of tn
natives; would seem to be an effectual ba
to the high hopes Of fat trade and fill
ibustring in which English merchants an
journals are indulging.
During this unprecedented march, a!on
and among savages, TO whom whit
face was miracle, Dr. Livingston wa
compelled to pass through indescribabl'
hardships. The hostility of the native
he conquered by his intimate knowledg
of their character and the Buchuana t.
which theirs is related. He waded riV
ers and slept in the sponge ooEe Of tn
marshes, being often SO drenched as
be compelled to turn his arm.pit into
watch pocket. His cattle were destroye
by the terrible tse-tseAy, and he was 10
poor TO purchase canoe. Lions wer,
numerous, being worshipped by man
of the tribes at The receptacles Of the de
parted souls of their chiefs dangerou
400, as his crushed arm testifes. How
ever he thinks the fear Of African will
beasts greater in England than in Al
rica. Many Of his documents were lo'
while crossing river in which he cam
near losing bis life also, but he has
memoranda Of the ATTITUDES and longitude
Of multitude Of cities, towns, rivers
and mountains, which will 60 far 10 f
up the "unknown region in our a
lasses. ~t2
Towards the interior he found the eoaI
try more fertile, and more pepulous.-
The natives worshipped idols, believed
iransmigrated existence after death, ar
performed religious ceremonies in grove
and woods. They were less sferocio,
ana suspicious than the sea-board tribe
had tradition Of the deluge, and mo-
settled governments. Some of the
practiced inoculaiion, and used quinn
and all were eager for trade, being entir
y dependant on English calico for clot