Page:Great Men and Famous Women Volume 6.djvu/189

 DAVID LIVINGSTONE 351 resolved to qualify himself in medicine, as well as the other attainments looked for in a missionary. The London Missionary Society having accepted the offer of his services, he went to London to complete his studies. His first desire was to labor in China, but, war having broken out between that country and Great Britain, this wish could not be fulfilled. The Rev. Robert Moffat's visit at this time to England turned many hearts to Africa Livingstone's among the rest; ultimately he was appointed to that field, and, having been ordained on Novem- ber 20, 1840, he set^ail for Africa, reaching Lattakoo or Kuruman, Moffat's set- tlement, on $uly 31, 1841. For several years Livingstone labored as a missionary in the Bechuana coun- try, at Mabotse, Chonuana, and Kolobeng, places that were chosen by him just because they were in the heart of heathenism. The conversion of Sechl6, chief of the Bakwains, and several of his tribe, was' a great encouragement. Repulsed by the Boers in an effort to plant native missionaries in the Transvaal, he di- rected his steps northward, discovered Lake 'Ngami, and found the country there traversed by fine rivers and inhabited by a dense population. His anxiety to benefit this region led finally to his undertaking to explore the whole country westward to the Atlantic at St. Paul de Loanda, and eastward to the Indian Ocean at Quilimane. Livingstone had married at Mabotse, Mary, eldest daughter of the Rev. R. Moffat, and now he found it necessary to send her, with their children, to Eng- land, that he might be free for this vast and perilous undertaking. To accom- plish it occupied from June 8, 1852, when he left Cape Town, to May 26, 1856, when he arrived at Quilimane. This journey was accomplished with a mere handful of followers, and a mere pittance of stores, amid sicknesses and other bodily troubles, perils, and difficulties without number. But a vast amount of valuable information was gathered respecting the country and its products, its geography and natural history, the native tribes, the regions that were favorable to health, and some great natural wonders, such as the Zambesi Falls. Livingstone, however, found that the London Missionary Society were not willing that he should be to so large an extent an explorer, and some time after returning to Britain he resigned his office as one of their missionaries. At home Livingstone was welcomed with extraordinary enthusiasm, receiving the acknowledgments and honors of scientific societies, universities, town coun- cils, and other public bodies in every quarter of the country. In addition to these tokens of honor, the fifteen months spent at home were signalized by three things : the writing of his book, " Missionary Travels" (1857), which was received with the liveliest interest ; his visit to Cambridge, awakening the enthusiasm of many of the students, and leading to the formation afterward of the " Universi- ties Mission;" and his appointment by Her Majesty's Government as chief of an expedition for exploring the Zambesi and its tributaries, and the regions adjacent. On this expedition Livingstone set out on March 10,^ 1858. While success- ful in many ways, it led to not a little disappointment. Livingstone explored the