The Nevada journal., 1858-03-12
LIyINGsToN's TRAVELS IN AER,c,


DIR. Livingston's travels in Africa
which we take from Harper's Magazine
for February. Livingstone's work will
be found in the Nevada Library.
''In course of time Mr.. Livingston be-
came convinced that Bibles and preach
ing were not all that was necessary.
Civilization must accompany Christian
| ization; and Commerce was ostensible
to civilization for commerce, more
speedily tLan anything else, would break
down the isolation of the tribes, by ma
king them mutually dependent upon and
serviceable to each other
1t is well known that northward, be-
yond the desert, lay great lake, in the
midst of country rich in ivory and 9th
er articles of commerce. In former
years, when rains had been more album
dant, the natives had frequently crossed
this desert; and somewhere Gear the
lake dwelt famous chief, named Sebi-
tuane, who had once lived on friendly
terms in the neighborhood of Sechele,
who was anxious to renew the old ac-
quaintance. Mr.. Livingston determined
to open intercourse with this region, in
spite of the threats and opposition of the
Beers
SO the missionary became Il traveller
and explorer. While laying his plans
and gathering information, the oppor-
tune arrival of Messrs Oswell and Muir
ry, two wealthy Englishmen who had
become enamored of African hunting,
enabled him to undertake the proposed
expedition, Mr.. Oswell agreeing to pay
the guides, who were furnished bv Sc
chele.
This expedition, which resulted in the
discovery of Lake Ngmai, set out from
the missionary station at Kolobeng on
the 1st of June, 1919 The way lay
across the great Kahalari desert, seven
hundred miles in breadth. This is a
singular region. Though it has no run
Mug streams. and few and scanty wells,
1t dbohnds in animals and vegetable life
Men, animals, and plants accommodate
themselves singularly to the scarcity of
water. Grass is abundant, growing in
tufts; bulbous plants aboumd among
which are the Ier0siua, which sends up
slender stalk not larger than crow
quill, with TUDOR, a foot or more below
the surface, as large as child's head,
consisting of a mass of cellular tissue
filled with a cool and refreshing fluid
and the mOkuri, which deposits under
ground, within a circle Of a yard from
its stem, a mass Of tubors OF the size of Il
mans head. During years when the
rains are unusually abundant, the kaia-
hari is covered with the kengm,, a spe-
cies of water melon. Animals and men
rejoice in the rich supply; anteopes,
lions, hyenas, jaclals, micci and men de-
your it with equal avidity.
The people of the desert conceal their
wells with jealous care. They fill them
with sand, and place their dwellings, at
distance, that their proximity may not
betray ;he precious secret The women
repair 20 the wells with a score or so of
ostrich shells in a bag slung over their
shoulders. Digging down an arms
length, they insert hollow reed, with a
bunch of grass tied to the end, then ram
the sand firmly around the end of the
tube, The water slowly filters into the
bunch of grass, and is sucked up thro'
the reed, and squirted mouthful by
mouthful into the shells When all are
filled, the women gather up their load
and trudge homeward
Glands, springbucks. koodoos, and os-
tr,nh hoe nlo
well without any moisture, except that
contained in the grass they eat. They
appear to live for months without drink
ing but whenever rhinoceroses, buffa-
loes, or gnus are seen, it is held to be
certain proof that water exists within a
few miles
The passage of the kalahari was eff
fected, not without considerable difficult
ty in two months, the expedition reach
ing Lake Ngami on the 1st of August.
As they approached it, they came upon
a considerable river.
Whence does this come p asked Lly-
ingston.
From a country full of rivers was
the reply; $50 many that no man can
tell their number, and full of large trees
This was the first actual confirmation
of the report of the Backwins that the
country beyond was not the large sandy
plateau IF geographers. The prospect
Of highway capable of being traverScd
by boats to an unexplored fertile region
so filled The mind of Livingston that
when he came to the lake, this discov-
cry seemed of comparatively little i'm
portance.
A third expedition was successful
although the whole party came near
perishing for want of water, and their
cattle, which had been bitten by the
1setse, died.
Livingston had satisfied himself that
the great River Lecambye, up which he
had padded so many miles on his way
to the west, was identical with the Zam
besi, which had discovered four years
previously. The two names are indeed
the same, both meaning The River, in
difforapt d;,locte cpol-on ON ;te bo,l-s