St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-09-11
DR.. LIYINdsTONE,s HEART.
A Journey to the Tree Under Which It Is
Buried.

A Journey to the Tree Under Which II Is
The second article made up from the
journals of the late E. ]. Glave, who
crossed Africa in the interests of The Cen
fury, appears in the September number
of that magazine. 1t is devoted to the
journey to the Livingstone tree, and
gives the following account of this me-
mortal OF the great missionary:
July 8. This is red-letter day in my
career. have visited the place where
DR.. Livingstone's heart is buried beneath
big tree, called mowula, and by the
Ilala mpundu. Although done twenty
years ago, the inscription is in splendid
state Of preservation. The trees shows
no Disagreement, and, moreover, the
carving is not on the bark, but on the
grain of the tree itself. 1t is hardwood
tree, three feet in diameter at the base;
at thirty feet it throws out large
branches; its top is thick mass of
foliage. When Livingstone died the
heart and other viscera were buried
beneath this tree, and the bark was
cleared off for space of two and half
feet square; in this space Jacob VAIN
wright (whose account my discovery
veri6es to the letter. carved the inscrip-
ton with no OUNCES hand, the letters
being well shaped and bold. The tree is
situated at the edge of the grass plain,
and is very conspicuous, being the
largest tree in the neighborhood. 1t is
about five miles south-southwest from
the present site of the village of Karonga
Nzofu, an important Bisa chief, whose
father was a friend of Livingstone
Chitambo's is now ten miles away. II
was originally near the tree; in fact
Livingstone died few minutes walk
from the old village of Chitambo. About
ten years ago Chitambo wasso harassec
|
that he left his village. The sacred tree
has often heard the fierce yell OF the man
hunters, and the screams of women ant
children and wounded men.
Livingstone's long prayers for Africa
deliverance have not yet received fai
response. Since his death new raider
have appeared in the shape OF Awemb'
from the north. There isnow no vestig
of Chitambo's old village standing
merely big space covered with youni
timber. The Livingstone tree look
sturdy and healthy, and likely to las
, many years. do not see how can cor
tribute to the future recognition OF tn
place; metal, if had it, would be stoler
There are no stones in the district I
1 make cairn. The tree will outlive an
. wooden cross might erect. Several {
o the older men at Karonga Nzotu
. remember DR.. Livingstone, and descrlt
n his appearance very well indeed; the
mention the cap he always wore.
, July 8. Today l revisited the tr'
where Livingstone died, and in order
guide others to the exact spot, in ca'
this tree should disappear from an
cause, selected another big tree likely
last many years, cleared away two all
a half square feet of its bark, and in tt
space marked as follows: "This tree
magnetic southwest OF the tree whe
: Livingstones remains are buried, and
!, forty-fve PAGES from it." | brougl
. away bit of the bark of the memorial
tree-a dead part, so as not to be guilt
of vandalism.
a Livingstone's grave is quiet moo
! such as he himself desired, in the on
! skirts of forest bordering on a gra
, plain where the roam buck and elar
6 roam in safety. When visited the pla
! turtle-doves were cooling in the tree-top
i and a litter of young hyenas had BET
4 playing near by; in the low ground GU
. side the hole leading to the cave we
!, their recent tracks; they had scamper'
- into safety at our approach.