Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-05-08
rHE pIsOovERY or LIVINGSTONE


There appears to be no longer doubt
that DR.. Livingstone, the great African ex-
plorer, has been found, and that the credit
of the discovery of his whereabouts is due
more to James Gordon Bennett, of the New
York Herald, than to any other man. No
private person in modern times has so pow
erfully enlisted the sympathies of all people
of intelligence as this ion-hearted mission,
airy, whose fanatical devotion to science
has led him for so many years through a
life of exile and priyations, in the effort to
widen the sphere of human knowledge and
the area of civilization. 1t is now seven
years since the heroic explorer de-
parted from England for the pur-
pose of carrying out the long cherished
idea Of ascertaining the true extent of the
great African lakes, concerning which so
many fabulous statements had been made.
No man living, perhaps, was better quail
fed for such peculiar task than DR.. Liv-
ingstone. For sixteen consecutive years
he was missionary among the South AT
rican tribes, penetrating during that time
into unknown regions and making many inn
portant geographical discoveries and astro-
nomical observations. After a visit home
in 1856 and 1857 he again returned to Afri-
ca, under government auspices, and spent
five years in exploring the lakes and rivers
of eastern Africa. The expedition was re-
called by government in 1868, before
he had completed his explorations. His
accounts of the country so interested the
Royal Geographical Society, that be was
offered the means of carrying on his re-
searches, and in 1866 he sailed from Lon
don for Zanzibar, port on the eastern
coast, about five degrees south of the equa-
tor, and nearly on a parallel with the great
bodies of water he wished to visit. In
1866, the last intelligence received from
himself was contained in a letter dated at
Matuka, 4" on the threshold of the unex-
plored into which he was about to plunge.
For the next two years rumors reached the
world of his having been seen at various
points, Cazembe, Tanganyika, Ujiji, and on
the borders of the Lake Nyassa. Then
came the news of his death, brought by the
African escort who had accompanied him.
At first this news was believed, but COM
mission sent out by the British gov
eminent, proved its falsity, and that the
story rested upon no other foundation than
the statement of the persons who had de-
serted DR.. Livingstone, and who were thus
attempting to justify their conduct. But
the commission returned to England with
out attempting to discover the whereabouts
of the intrepid explorer. The Government
of England treated the whole matter, says
the New York Tribune, with singular Ian
COR. 1t would seem that the nation which
would send a great army into the heart Of
Abyssinia to rescue a few adyenturers and
obscure men, might have been expected to
use a ship and a few of its soldiers to
transport to the coast and send into
the interior a party in search of this val
liable and popular explorer. But it is pos
sible that the considerations which prevent
ed any energetic efforts TO find him were,
that if he were dead it would be almost i'm
possible ever to ascertain the truth about
his death, and if he were alive it was in the
highest degree improbable that he was de-
tanned by anything except his own volition.
1t was not likely that be was a prisoner
anywhere. Therefore, if be were living,
there was every prospect of his returning
when he was ready. These considerations
might be satisfactory to Cabinet Ministers,
but there certainly was a large proportion
Of the reading aud thinking people of the
world who wanted to know where
DR.. Livingstone was, and what he
was doing. It is most creditable to Ameri-
can liberality and enterprise that the cdr
tor of the New York Herald resolved,
from his own ample resources, to attempt
the solution of this question. A CORE
spondent already somewhat familiar with
African travel was selected for this impor
tant and ardueus service, and an expedi-
ton was fitted out upon generous scale,
which started from Zanzibar year ago,
and, if the present good news should prove
to be true, has at last accomplished per-
feet and signal success. The world of sci
ence win wait with impatience for the
enormous contribution to geographical
knowledge which DR.. Livingstone will
bring back with him, and the press Of
America and of Europe wiz offerits cordial
congratulations to the New York Herald
upon this most brilliant achievement--the
merited reward of its energy and enter
prise.
A GRAND ceremony viii take place to-
day (May 3 at Orleans, to commemorate