The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-17
His WanderingEThe Land Of tho SOkOs-
Meeting with Stanley.
HIS LAST JOURNEY AND DEATH.
African Traits and Superstitens--The
Typical Negro.
CHATS ABOUT THE NOvELIsTS
sEdiths Mistake" Lost for LOve'-"ln Honor
Bound -" The Wilds Of London"

.'The Last Journals OF David Livingstone" pub
hshed in London by John Murray, ana shortly to
appear in this country from the press OF Harper
h Brothers, is a WORK OF extraordinary interest.
The American edition will De published by direct
arrangement with DIR. LvngstoEes family, who,
In addition to a large paid In advance, will
receive the usual percentage on the sales.
DR.. Livingstone is the grandest figure IN the
long annals of African exploration and discovery
He was of true heroic mould, brave but not
covetous OF danger Tor the sake OF displaying
bravery, strong Of heart and firm OF purpose. An
iron constitution carried him through years OF
hardship and privation, and had the relief al
fcrded by the arrival of Stanley at UjUl reached
him year earlier before accumulatlng
physical ailments had broken down his
health though they could not suodue his
WILL 1t is probable that ne would have lived to
complete the great Journey which he had planned
60 the unexplored region lying west OF the Lualaoa
RIVER where he believed the sources OF the Nile
would be found. But though not permitted TO look
with his own eyes upon the mysterious springs of
The great river OF Egypt he died in the belief
that his feet touched the very threshold OF their
hiding place, and that some more favored traveller
In the immediate future, following in his footsteps
would be aole to solve the prob EN- which from the
Gays or Sesostrs until now has ba1led human en-
ergy. He had the happiness to know that the pa
pers transmitted TO London through Mr.. Stanley
contained all the most important points OF his dis
coverles, including his theory OF the Nile sources;
but every feeling heart must regret tnat his
dying moments were cheered by the
certainty that every scrap Of his journals,
maps ana sketches would be carried IN safety
to the coast by his brave and devoted servants,
and that not scratch of pen or pencil would be
lost. This crcums tance is really wonderful, when
We CONSIDER the TACT that Livingstone died IN
Wilderness hundreds OF miles in the interior, and
that has men had 10 make their way back to the
coast through the territory OF superstitious and
hostile tribes. In spite OF Tyndal II looks as II an
''overruling Providence" had directed their steps
AMI ordered their way. These journals contained
arecord Of almost every day Of The travellers life
10 more than six years. from his landing at Fan
yloar In 1865. until four days before his death. His
custom was always to have metallic note books in
use. in which the days doings were jotted down.
When time and opportunity served, these memo
randa were copied into larger volume. During
the last three or four years OF his lie
the posting up had to be abandoned. While
In the Manyuema country he ran out
OF note BOOKS Ink and pencils, and had to resort
to shifts which at first made it o very debatable
point whether the most diligent attempt at de-
cipnering would succeed alter all Such pocket
books as renamed at this period OF his travels
were utilized TO the last inch OF paper. In some
Of them are found lunar observations, the names
OF rivers and the heights OF hills advancing toward
tie middle from end while from the other the
Itinerary grows day by day, interspersed with map
routes OF the march, botanical notes and carefully
made drawings. But In the meantime the middle
portion OF The book was filing up with calcula.
lions, private memoranda words intended for
vocaouiaries and extracts from books while here
and Oh l.o
tnctness; yet the thread OF the narrative runs
throughout. Nothing but his invarIabe habit OF
constantly repeating the month and year obviates
hopeless confusion. Nor is this all; for at
length pocket books gave out, and old
newspapers, yellow with African damp, were
sewn together, and his notes were written across
the lines OF type with a substitute for ink made
from the juice OF a tree. The laborious task OF
deciphering this portion OF the journal was only
accomplished with the assistance OF strong mag
pnying glass by persons who were thoroughly IA
miiar with the travellers handwriting. On COM
pairing this great mass OF material with the jour-
nal entrusted to Mr.. Stanley's care it was found
that a great deal oil interesting matter could be
ADDED. In the hurry OF writing and copying de.
spatches previous to his companions departure
DIR. Livingstone wrote up from his note books as
much time permitted. Fortunately he pre-.
served the original note books which we're saved
with his other effects after MS death. In fact we
have not to deplore the loss by accident or care
lessness, OF a single entry, from the time Of Liv-
1ngstone's departure from Zanzibar in the be.
ginning OF 1866 TO the cay when his note book
dropped from MS hand In the village OF Hala at
the emf OF April, 1873.
These daily notes, printed exactly as they were
written, give a far better idea oil Livingstone as
an Explorer and a man than could have been OBJ
taDled from the most finished narrative. Extend
ing over a period OF more than seven years, they
El in simple, sometimes In broken, words the
hopes. disappointments and results OF his last
efforts TO udl the mission OF his life. In more
finished work, intended for the public eye, we
might have missed those heartwrung expressions
OF devotional thought or of WEAKNESS well nign
unto death which make the journal at times I'M
speakaDly touching. Livingstone was not a lit
erary artist. and had he lived to elaborate his
journals many OF their most interesting traits
would nave disappeared
IL Is sad TO know that disaster followed Living
stone rom the start. His Sepoy escort proved to
be worthless; his medicine cnest was stolen; his
cames and donkeys died rom the sting OF the
terri bic tsetse ny. The goods sent forward TO
UjrI we're pundered and scattered before his ar
fryal at that station. He seems to have made a
great mistake in choosing the long and round d.
about route to UJJi, by way OF the Royuma
River and Lake Nyassa in preference to the shorter
aud more direct caravan road by which most Of
his goods were sent. BY so doing he needessly. Il
appears subjected himself to a thousand hard
ships and annoyances. He was constantly har
assed by the misconduct OF his carriers anc
weakened by the exhaustion or long and dreary
march through regions OF forest and morass. Th'
nations as a rule were friendly; but as they knew
but little OF agriculture and lived chiefly on musn
rooms, favored ON grea. festival OCCASIONS witt
sauce OF putrid elephant, he was unable to obtain
supplies OF iood. and suffered constantly from hun
ger The loss OF his medicine chest was grea
misfortune. lie had no quinine, the only safeguard
against African fever. and suffered so severely IL
c consequence that sometimes he became insensible
The muscles OF his back lost all power and there
was an incessant singing IN his ears Never
shsiess ~ accomplished moss tasu any previous