Pathway to Japanese Literature

I: Father of the Dark Continent One of the oldest cultures in the world flourished in Egypt, part of Africa's northern coast. Furthermore, the cultures of Greece and Rome, which formed the wellspring of modern civilization, cast their radiance across Africa's northern coastal expanse. Thereafter, the focal point of global culture seemed to have shifted to Western Europe—yet Africa lay in immediate proximity to that same Western Europe. Despite this geographical adjacency, while the African continent's coastal realms had become known to the world, the greater part of its interior persisted unexplored—cartographic voids veiled in mystery that earned it the epithet Dark Continent.

To bring this Dark Continent into the light, particularly from the nineteenth century onward, various explorations were conducted; however, venturing deep into its interior proved no easy task. There were various reasons for this. Africa lay mostly within the tropical zone, and its scorching heat plagued people. Then too, beginning with the vast Sahara Desert in the north, there were deserts here and there that proved difficult to travel through. Moreover, many coastal regions and valleys could well have been called hotbeds of fever. Furthermore, wild beasts and poisonous insects infested the land, while in the deeper interior dwelled fierce and dangerous natives. Therefore, the exploration of this continent was nothing short of a perilous undertaking, and indeed, many explorers perished.

In this exploration there was a man called the Father of Africa.

That is David Livingstone. Livingstone was born in 1813 in Scotland, Britain. Because his family was poor, he worked at a factory while attending night school and eagerly read various books. He then studied medicine and trained to become a missionary. He intended to devote his life to spreading Christianity among uncivilized peoples. Finally, at the end of 1840, he set out for Africa, the Dark Continent, as a missionary.

The rest of his life could no longer be separated from Africa. His primary task was to civilize the savage natives of Africa. Next was preventing the evil practice of slave trading that was rampant in Africa at the time. Then thirdly, it was to conduct geographical exploration of Africa's inland regions. It was due to those splendid works and his noble character that he came to be called the Father of Africa.

The most noticeable of his achievements was undoubtedly his exploration, and through him, African exploration saw remarkable progress.

He first went to the southern tip of Africa and then ventured into the interior. In 1849 he explored the great desert of Kalahari. In 1854, he succeeded in reaching Loanda on the west coast from the upper reaches of the Zambezi River with native attendants. Then he turned back inland once more, this time descending the Zambezi River, passing the great waterfall he named Victoria Falls, and continuing along the riverbank until he reached Quelimane on the east coast in 1856. This was the first crossing of Africa by Europeans.

Afterward, he briefly returned to Britain, but in 1858 headed back to Africa once more. For six years in Eastern Africa's interior, while civilizing the natives, he explored far and wide and made numerous discoveries. And gradually, the inner state of this Dark Continent came to be brought into the light. In 1866, he came to Zanzibar Port on the east coast of Africa for his third exploration expedition. Although he had already turned fifty-three years old, he attempted to venture deep into lands inhabited by pestilence, wild beasts, and savages. And this time, he had also been entrusted with the special mission of investigating the source region of the Nile River.

The Nile River is a mighty watercourse flowing north from Africa's heartland through Egypt's plains to spill into the Mediterranean Sea—a geographical titan shaping civilizations. Along its banks arose ancient Egypt's culture; its floods sustained fertile lands that birthed empires; its people revered these waters as a divine patriarch. Yet through millennia of human curiosity, the river's birthplace remained veiled—explorers' charts showing only speculative voids. Though Speke's expedition years prior had nominally crowned Lake Victoria as headspring, no definitive proof yet anchored this claim in fact.

Therefore, to survey the state of the mountain ranges in this region, explore the source area of the Nile River, and conduct studies of flora and fauna, Livingstone went to the Rovuma River estuary south of Zanzibar Port and ventured inland upstream. It was late March 1866, and he had led a motley group of over thirty natives. However, from that point onward, all news of Livingstone ceased. Around the time when people across Europe—not just in Britain—were growing increasingly concerned, one day in December, nine natives who had been part of Livingstone’s expedition suddenly appeared in Zanzibar, proclaiming that Livingstone and all members of the party had been killed by savages west of Lake Nyasa, while they themselves had barely escaped by fleeing into the jungle.

This account was considered quite plausible. However, the British Geographical Society doubted this account and ordered Colonel Young to investigate. Colonel Young came to Africa and, after many struggles, confirmed the following summer that Livingstone’s party remained alive. Though unable to meet Livingstone himself, he learned both of the party’s safety and that those natives had deserted midway.

Afterward, though intermittently, news of Livingstone once again began to come through. The party’s provisions were scarce; many fell ill; some stole goods and fled; they encountered vicious savages; Livingstone himself fell ill multiple times; and amidst these and other hardships, the exploration continued. He proceeded from Lake Nyasa to Lake Tanganyika and explored as far as Lake Mweru and Lake Bangweulu. However, due to the prolonged hardships, his body gradually weakened, forcing him to turn back multiple times to Ujiji—a town on the northeastern shore of Lake Tanganyika where Arab caravans gathered.

After the letter dispatched from Ujiji on May 30, 1869, his communications had once again ceased abruptly. This second vanishing had stirred profound disquiet. The rumor rippled outward from Britain across all Europe, seizing public consciousness. However long they waited, no further tidings could be gleaned.

The Father of Africa, David Livingstone—the great explorer who had battled Africa’s darkness for thirty years—his very safety had now become a complete mystery. Many people came to believe in his death.

Part 2: The Emotional Meeting

In October 1869, Bennett, editor-in-chief of America’s New York Herald who was staying in Paris, France, heard that Livingstone had gone missing and considered sending out a search party. He had long admired Livingstone and, even as many were beginning to give up on him, was certain he was still alive.

However, this search was no easy task. After considering various options, Bennett decided to select an employee named Stanley.

This Henry Morton Stanley was born in 1841 in a rural village in Wales, Britain. After enduring a difficult childhood, he became a cabin boy on a steamship bound for America, where he was later adopted by a merchant named Stanley. After that, he served in the Civil War, then became a sailor where he learned various things through practical experience while also studying independently, eventually becoming a journalist and joining the New York Herald newspaper. When Britain began its Abyssinian Expedition in Africa, he became a special correspondent for the newspaper and crossed over to Africa. Then, when civil war broke out in Spain, he was dispatched there. And while staying in Madrid, Spain, he was summoned by Bennett in Paris via telegram.

Upon seeing Stanley’s vigorous appearance, Bennett immediately spoke out.

“The truth is—though you must have long heard of this—it concerns Livingstone, who has gone missing again in Africa.” “In my view, Livingstone is still alive.” “Even if he were dead, we cannot leave a man of such stature’s final moments unaccounted for.” “Therefore, I wish to dispatch a search party for Livingstone, but I want you to take on the role of its leader.” “I believe you can certainly do it.” “I’ll cover all expenses—won’t you take on this challenge?”

Stanley thought for a while before answering.

“I will accept.”

So Bennett decided to entrust everything to Stanley. Stanley steeled his resolve. Secretly gathering all available information about Africa’s interior while listening to accounts from those experienced in African travel, he finally arrived at Zanzibar Port on Africa’s eastern coast in January 1871.

Here he struggled tremendously to organize a search expedition. The party included two white men, an interpreter, and five natives who had once accompanied Speke’s expedition and traveled near the Nile River’s source region. Essential provisions comprised food supplies, cooking utensils, tents, small boats, clothing, blankets. Gifts and trade goods for native chiefs consisted of woolen cloth, calico, brass wire, glass beads for necklaces. Weapons encompassed long and short rifles alongside swords and spears. There were also two riding horses and twenty-seven donkeys. Finally at Bagamoyo Port on the opposite shore he hired natives for luggage transport.

Thus, this party of 192 members divided into five groups and proceeded in succession toward Africa’s interior.

However, they had no idea where Livingstone was or what condition he was in. However, given that the last correspondence had come from Ujiji—where going there might yield some clue—Stanley resolved to make straight for Ujiji.

This expedition reached its utmost limits of hardship. Because the rainy season had not yet ended, valley streams overflowed, creating marshes everywhere. Poisonous ants, venomous wasps, and other insects tormented the party ceaselessly day and night. Many more contracted malaria. Stanley too fell victim to the disease, his consciousness frequently growing hazy from raging fevers. Horses and donkeys began to perish. And still they pressed onward through wilderness, marshes, and dense jungle—encountering lions and crocodiles. The path refused to yield any progress.

They had departed from the coast of Bagamoyo on March 21st, but over the following months, those who fled or succumbed to illness occurred one after another until their numbers dwindled to a mere fifty-six. One of the white men succumbed to illness, and the other, having grown too weak to continue, was carried back by porters partway through the journey.

When they reached Unyanembe village at roughly seven-tenths of their journey’s length, a fierce battle had erupted between Arabs and Black people beyond that point, making passage perilous. Stanley left much of his baggage in that village and advanced through dense jungle along an extensive detour. Amid this dishearteningly arduous trek, even the most robust members of the party progressively saw their resolve falter.

However, the more difficulties increased, the firmer Stanley’s resolve became. Searching for Livingstone was no longer merely the newspaper’s assignment—it had become his own heartfelt endeavor, a mission he now bore upon his shoulders alone. He firmly vowed to press onward relentlessly.

Fortunately, as if answering his resolve, a welcome clue had been obtained from a party of Arab merchants. In Ujiji, there had been a white man. That white man was almost certainly none other than Livingstone. Stanley, feeling as though he had suddenly found light in pitch darkness, pressed onward while rallying the party. On November 10th, when they descended along the river and emerged atop a hill, a lake came into view ahead. It was Lake Tanganyika. As they advanced further, the town of Ujiji materialized directly below them. The party erupted in cheers. Stanley marked their arrival by ordering blank rifle shots fired into the air.

As the party entered the town, natives startled by the gunfire gathered in commotion. One of them approached Stanley and said in English, “Good day.” Stanley, both astonished and delighted, inquired further and found that the man was none other than Sūshi, a loyal servant who had long attended to Livingstone. Sūshi dashed off like a madman. Stanley followed after him. Before long, the figure of a white man came into view there.

The man was tall and thin, and appeared exhausted. He wore a hat adorned with gold braid, from beneath which white hair could be seen, and donned a red coat with gray trousers. He was undoubtedly Livingstone.

Stanley tried to rush forward but felt somewhat daunted by the large crowd of natives standing lined up; thinking he must not act rudely, he quietly advanced and removed his hat.

“Could this be Dr. Livingstone?” His voice trembled with emotion. The man smiled faintly and, placing his hand on his hat, replied. “Yes, I am.” Stanley put on his hat, waited for the man to remove his hand from his own hat, then tightly grasped that hand and shouted. “I thank God that I have been able to meet you.” Livingstone answered: “I, too, am deeply thankful to have been able to welcome you here.”

It was a modest yet gallant meeting, imbued with profound emotion surpassing any gesture or shout.

Three: The Blessed Lake

Ujiji was a long-established town in Central Africa where Arabs resided on one side and natives on the other. From the vicinity, various goods gathered, and trade flourished. Along the shores of Lake Tanganyika, numerous native dugout canoes were moored. In this cramped house, Livingstone and Stanley conversed earnestly with each other for hours. Stanley first explained the circumstances of his search journey, while Livingstone recounted various events from his long exploration travels.

The hardships that Livingstone had endured defied description. After surveying Lake Nyasa's terrain and before reaching Lake Tanganyika's southern shore came days verging on starvation, while rain left nearly his entire party bedridden with illness. What pained him most was deserting servants absconding with the medicine chest. Yet he pressed onward with his explorations, investigating regions around lakes Moero and Bangweulu. In time, a lung ailment seized him until he coughed bloody sputum. Arab merchants bore him forward on their backs and stretchers. When he sought convalescence at Ujiji, he found most supplies sent from Zanzibar already pilfered. Upon partial recovery, he launched another expedition to survey the Nile's headwaters only to be felled anew by sickness that left him grievously weakened. Ferocious tribesmen ambushed him repeatedly - their flung spears grazing his neck. Returning at last to Ujiji revealed an Arab custodian who, deeming him dead, had sold off his remaining goods. Still his resolve held firm; clad in rough garb and subsisting on meager fare, he awaited Zanzibar's third shipment while steeling himself to resume exploration.

It was later discovered that the reason Livingstone’s whereabouts had been lost was that the Arab who had been entrusted with the letters had discarded all of them en route.

While listening to Livingstone’s sorrowful account, Stanley was struck by an emotion he had never before experienced and came to deeply admire Livingstone’s noble character. And Stanley—now bound to Livingstone from the depths of his heart—after resting a few days, promptly set out to assist him on an expedition to Lake Tanganyika’s northern tip. The two borrowed a large dugout canoe from a native chief. Then they loaded sixteen rowers, two cooks, and two guides aboard, fully stocked with necessary supplies, and advanced northward from Ujiji’s shore.

This great lake, lying long and narrow from north to south in the deep interior of Central Africa, held immense geographical interest, while its scenic beauty stood exceptional. Mountains cloaked in colossal trees and emerald-green grass spread their skirts to the lakeshore, sheer cliffs rose abruptly, capes jutted out, and dreamlike vistas unfolded one breathtaking scene after another. Luxuriant tropical flowers saturated the forest with vibrant hues, their fragrance drifting across the lake surface. Various birds flew about the vicinity. It was as if they had entered Eden itself.

Stanley had never before seen such a magnificent landscape. Even Livingstone, who had spent thirty years immersed in Africa’s wilderness, let out exclamations of wonder on multiple occasions. The lake waters teemed with fish, and the natives made fishing their primary occupation. On the flatlands along the lakeshore, fruit trees were planted, and corn, peanuts, sweet potatoes, and such were cultivated. From wild trees as well, oil and fruits could be obtained, while the large trees of the ravines became material for dugout canoes. However, even this region blessed with beautiful scenery and abundant produce was often ravaged by Arabs acting as agents for slave traders. Alongside Livingstone, who had long fought against the slave trade, Stanley too felt profound indignation toward them.

As days passed and they advanced northward, the natives along the lakeshore gradually became more cunning and violent. Ten rounds of ammunition were distributed to each member of the party. In the interior of Africa, travelers are required to present gifts as a form of toll at most tribal villages, and are also compelled to engage in trade. Money was of no use at all. Therefore, provisions and other goods were of utmost importance to travelers, requiring them to establish a meticulous schedule for their use—calculated from personnel numbers and itinerary—and if this plan were disrupted, it could plunge them into dire straits.

However, the natives were cunning and skilled in bargaining, and moreover had no concept of time; thus whether in gift-giving or trade, their negotiations dragged on interminably and rarely reached swift conclusions. In such situations, Livingstone remained remarkably composed, never showing the slightest irritation, and skillfully brought matters to favorable conclusions without resorting to force. At first, Stanley grew increasingly irritated, but later became fascinated by Livingstone’s negotiation methods and found much to learn from them.

When they arrived at the village of Mukungu, the natives demanded cotton cloth as tribute, but the amount of this gift was not settled until after sunset. Then, the natives tried to deceive them by claiming it was already dark as an excuse to avoid giving the reciprocal tribute. Livingstone said with a beaming smile, "Why don't you give us a sheep?" And at last, they managed to obtain a single lamb and received a jug of palm wine as a reciprocal gift.

The fresh lamb meat proved a welcome feast they hadn’t enjoyed in ages. The entire party felt inclined to hold a drinking fest and heartily consumed the sweet yet intensely strong palm wine.

That night, Susi, Livingstone’s loyal servant, and Bombay, Stanley’s attendant, had been assigned to keep watch over the dugout canoe, but both became thoroughly drunk on palm wine and fell fast asleep. And when dawn broke, the inside of the dugout canoe had been thoroughly ransacked. Upon examining the stolen items, they found nothing but crucial supplies: the depth gauge’s sounding line, ammunition cases holding roughly five hundred rounds, about ninety rifle bullets, a bag of wheat flour, a sugar sack, and such. Due to the palm wine received as a reciprocal gift, they incurred significant losses.

Stanley was furious about this theft, but Livingstone remained composed. The party’s dugout canoe advanced steadily northward. They discovered that the terrifying crocodiles dwelled exclusively near the estuaries of great rivers. There were times when clusters of natives’ dugout canoes floated leisurely. Along the lakeshore, there were also fishermen angling with rods and casting nets. There were also mothers smiling as they watched children playing in the water from the shade of palm trees.

The natives of the village called Bikari had a reputation for greed and cruelty, but when they passed offshore in the evening, sure enough, natives came out to the shore, shouting to bring the boat in and throwing stones. Stanley thought about firing his gun and checked Livingstone's expression, but Livingstone silently indicated his disapproval. Further ahead, they found an inlet sheltered by a rock formation resembling a folding screen and landed there to make camp. As they were preparing coffee, several natives stealthily approached at dusk, grumbling to the party’s guides while probing their situation, then departed. After a while, several natives came again, then a third group arrived and did the same before leaving.

It was undoubtedly suspicious. According to native custom, visiting as darkness falls is unheard of, and prowling around others’ huts at night is considered to harbor malicious intent. Therefore, the three visits were undoubtedly thought to be reconnaissance preceding an attack. Then yet again, a fourth group of several men arrived and repeated the same actions.

There was no more time to delay. Since dinner had just concluded, the entire party hurriedly boarded the dugout canoe and rowed out to open water. It was a close call. On the rocks and sandbanks, suspicious figures began appearing one after another. They had gathered everyone from the village to plunder. They hurled curses at the boat receding into open water. Stanley thought to shower them with bullets and glanced at Livingstone’s expression, but once again discerned that noble spirit of peace and love within it.

The natives of the next village called Magara were remarkably gentle, as if responding to Livingstone’s sentiments. The party pitched their tents near the village and rested. Eventually, many natives gathered around, looked on with curiosity, and left, but one man among them returned in the afternoon resplendently adorned and accompanied by many attendants. That was the chief, who had come in full ceremonial attire for an official visit. He was adorned with numerous ivory ornaments, wore brass chest rings, and had iron rings fastened around his legs. His face was more beautiful and distinguished than the others', and each time he smiled, his crystal-like teeth glimmered.

Here, the exchange of goods was also conducted with proper decorum. In the next village, a war was being waged against the neighboring village. It was truly a sluggish war. When one side would launch a surprise attack—plundering several head of livestock or killing one or two people before withdrawing—the other side would then, after several days or even dozens of days, seize an opportunity to stage their own surprise attack and retreat after committing roughly the same acts. And this was repeated over and over. Such were the ordinary wars among African natives—conducting grand assaults and engaging in fierce battles was an exceedingly rare occurrence.

Livingstone’s party arrived at the village engaged in that sluggish war. They were surrounded by natives armed with spears, clubs, axes, and such, but were eventually treated kindly by the chief.

At that time, Stanley had contracted fever and drifted through hazy consciousness amid a splitting headache and a lethargy that left his body with nowhere to turn, yet he would often glimpse Livingstone’s figure nearby and feel those hands touching his burning forehead and limbs. In response to such fatherly gentle comfort and nursing, Stanley was moved to tears of gratitude.

Then, the party finally reached the northern end of Lake Tanganyika.

The chief of that village, Ruhinda, was an old man who always wore a gentle smile and claimed to have already reached one hundred years of age. He was extremely knowledgeable about the local geography and taught Livingstone and his companions various things. In Livingstone’s estimation, the Rusizi River—which flowed from the northern end of Lake Tanganyika—might possibly form part of the upper reaches of the Nile. If that were indeed the case, the source of the Nile River would have to be Lake Tanganyika, located even further south than Lake Victoria. However, the area where this Rusizi River continued into the lake waters was a labyrinth of countless small streams branching out in all directions—whether the river as a whole flowed out from the lake or instead poured into it remained entirely unclear.

According to Chief Ruhinda, the Rusizi River flowed into Lake Tanganyika, and the source of the Rusizi River was a small lake called Kivu.

Livingstone and Stanley conducted an on-site investigation of it. And it was confirmed that Ruhinda’s words were correct. The Rusizi River indeed flowed into Lake Tanganyika, and consequently, it was also not the source of the Nile River. Livingstone's prediction proved incorrect. However, the objective of this expedition was fully achieved. Moreover, the beautiful Lake Tanganyika rowing excursions were, overall, a rare pleasure in the African interior.

The party safely returned to Ujiji on December 11th.

4. Farewell and Duty

In Ujiji, many letters and telegrams were waiting for Stanley. They had been forwarded from the American consul in Zanzibar. And now that Stanley had accomplished his objective of finding Livingstone, he had to return to Europe for the time being.

Now, what was to become of Livingstone? Stanley had consulted with him about the future shortly after their meeting. Livingstone now had only a few servants remaining, and supplies were meager. Even if those deficiencies could be remedied through Stanley’s efforts, Livingstone’s own health was such that he could no longer possibly continue the exploration. Therefore, Stanley earnestly recommended that he temporarily return home to convalesce and fully recover his health before resuming his endeavors.

However, Livingstone would not consent. He declared his firm resolve that he would not return home even in death until clearly investigating the source of the Nile River. At this point, Stanley proposed his next plan. That was to escort Livingstone to the village of Unyanyembe. There, during Stanley’s journey to Ujiji, he had left behind various goods, firearms, canoes, and tents. Stanley would provide all of that to Livingstone and then hurry to the coast to hire fifty or sixty attendants and have them bring food and other necessary supplies. Moreover, the village of Unyanyembe was culturally more developed than Ujiji and undoubtedly more convenient for convalescence.

To this plan, Livingstone also gladly gave his approval. The expedition to the northern end of Lake Tanganyika was, so to speak, a commemorative journey for the two of them. The plans were settled. After resting in Ujiji for several days, on December 17th, Stanley departed while escorting Livingstone and, traversing the same arduous route they had come by, arrived at the village of Unyanyembe after over fifty days. Unfortunately, the luggage Stanley had left in safekeeping had been mostly stolen. However, what was even sadder was that time passed swiftly, and Stanley now had to part with Livingstone.

The bond between the two was forged not by friendship, but by a mentor-disciple affection. Stanley was thirty-one years old at this time, Livingstone fifty-nine. And the elderly explorer's noble character had left a profound imprint upon the young journalist. March fourteenth had been fixed for Stanley's departure. Even on its eve, Livingstone still wore the air of one wishing to detain him. Though Stanley himself longed to remain longer, he compelled himself to consider the vital task awaiting at the coast - organizing Livingstone's expedition party. Exploration might be undertaken at any time, but human strength and life itself have their limits. Could this truth have anchored Livingstone's refusal to countenance even temporary repatriation? Through that night freighted with anguished reflection, sleep proved elusive until dawn's approach found them already stirring. Luggage lay heaped beyond doorways as departure preparations quickened about them. At breakfast table Stanley sat with heart too full for sustenance; Livingstone too seemed bereft of appetite.

The scheduled departure was at five o'clock, but as they lingered reluctantly, it had already become eight. When Stanley resolutely stood up, Livingstone also rose.

“I’ll see you off a little way.”

“Thank you.” “Alright everyone, let’s head out.”

The entire party set out with the flag at the forefront. After a while, when he looked back, the house they had lived in and the house where Livingstone remained stood lonesomely in the woods. It too soon grew small and vanished from sight. The surrounding hills were all steeped in memories. The servants began to sing. Stanley walked slowly side by side with Livingstone and said: "I may not comprehend your grand plan, but you intend not to return home until you have clearly ascertained the source of the Nile River. But when you are satisfied, please return to your homeland and bring joy to everyone."

“Precisely as you say.”

And then Livingstone spoke of various exploration plans. “Well, it should take about a year and a half.” “Then, accounting for potential deviations from our schedule, I shall have the porters hired for two years starting from their arrival date here.” “That is most satisfactory.” “Then, let us part here. God, who has ever aided you thus far, will surely continue to assist you and guide you safely to your homeland.”

“God will surely see you safely back.” “Goodbye.” “Goodbye.” The two men shook hands firmly. Stanley tried to part ways before his strained resolve could falter, but as Livingstone’s loyal servants Susi and Chuma alternately shook hands and embraced him, he became overwhelmed. Deliberately raising his voice in farewell, he urged the attendants onward. It was no time for sentimental behavior—there was only to press onward.

And Stanley left the village of Unyanyembe behind and, while encouraging the party along the arduous path, arrived at Bagamoyo on the coast on May 6th.

In Bagamoyo, a search party dispatched by the British Geographical Society was in the midst of preparing to depart. However, upon merely hearing from Stanley about Livingstone’s whereabouts, they—perhaps daunted by the hardships of the journey—abandoned their plans to head inland. Thereupon, Stanley hired an experienced Arab as a guide, had fifty-seven porters carry the necessary supplies, and departed from Bagamoyo on May 20th, thereby fulfilling his mission.

Afterward, Stanley secured passage on a mail ship and returned to Europe. The story he told astonished the world; at first, there were so many who refused to believe it.

Five: Loyal Servants to the Great Man

Livingstone remained in the village of Unyanyembe and devoted himself entirely to preparing for his next expedition. During that time, he investigated the nearby geography, flora, and fauna. He also worked to educate the natives. Then he wrote an extensive treatise forcefully advocating for slavery's abolition to people worldwide and sent it to the New York Herald. In time, the party Stanley had organized from Bagamoyo arrived on August 14th. The grand expedition's plans had already been laid. After completing final preparations, they finally departed on August 25th. Their purpose was investigating the Nile River's source. To this end, they first planned to advance their exploration to Lake Bangweolo's vicinity.

Livingstone's health had recovered, and his preparations were complete. However, the journey reached its utmost limits of hardship. When they entered a parched, blazing hot jungle and advanced through it for ten days, many of the party, including Livingstone, contracted fever. Nevertheless, by October 8th, they reached Lake Tanganyika. And they proceeded south along the eastern shore, but their hardships grew increasingly severe. The single donkey they had led for many years was attacked by poisonous bees and died. If they hired guides, those guides would maliciously lead the party into areas where provisions could not be obtained.

When December arrived, the rainy season had already set in, and day and night it rained steadily, turning everywhere into what resembled a muddy rice field. Because of this rain, they became unable to conduct both astronomical observations and topographical measurements. By the Chambezi River flowing into Lake Bangweolo, they encountered a profusion of rare flowers blooming in the forest. The array of colors and scents provided no small comfort to the party. However, in this region, the natives were exceedingly cunning. In one tribe, despite having agreed to trade goods and provisions, they delayed fulfilling their promise, causing negotiations to drag on for three weeks. When attempting to cross to the river's opposite bank, though ample trade items had been given, the natives provided only a single small boat. At that moment, even Livingstone flew into a rage. He ordered his men to rain down rifle fire upon the village, driving off the natives before seizing three small boats to ferry across to the opposite shore.

The journey made little progress. By April of the following year, Livingstone’s health had severely declined; he developed intestinal bleeding and could no longer ride the donkey, advancing instead on a stretcher. At times when he regained some strength, he would attempt to ride the donkey again, only to fall off and lose consciousness. Nevertheless, he never forgot about the expedition, inquired with the natives about the nearby terrain and examined the routes. On April 26th, he managed only a brief diary entry; by the next day, he no longer had the strength to hold a pen.

On the evening of April 29th, the party arrived at the village of Chitambo on the southern shore of Lake Bangweolo. A bed was set up in the hut there, and Livingstone was laid upon it. The next morning, the village chief came to visit, but Livingstone could no longer speak. He remained bedridden all day, had his clock brought to his side, and then seemed intensely eager to learn about the surrounding geography. Around midnight that night, he called his loyal servant Susi, ordered him to bring water, a medicine chest, and candles, and had him pour water into two cups.

“Very well, go over there,” he said.

Around four o’clock near dawn, the child attendant who had been serving close by him informed Susi.

“Please come.” “It seems he has passed away.” Susi and several others hurried into the interior of the hut. The candle flame still burned. Livingstone was not lying on the bed but knelt beside it, clutching his head with both hands, his forehead buried in the blanket as if in prayer. They all stood there in silence, but when he remained utterly motionless, they quietly approached and touched him—his forehead cold, his cheeks equally chilled. He was no longer among the living.

They all stood in silence, sensing something abnormal in their hearts. And the dawn light of May 1, 1873, began to break faintly.

To this great man who met such a solemn end, there were also loyal servants worthy of him. Since departing Zanzibar in 1866, Susi and Chuma, who had been following him all along, became the core of the party and gave instructions on all matters.

They decided to send Livingstone's remains back to their homeland. And before all present, they examined his belongings and recorded each item meticulously. Then they erected a new altar to enshrine the remains, buried his internal organs at the base of a great tree, and had an English-literate servant carve Livingstone's full name, birth date, and date of death into the trunk. Next, joining with the village chief and many others, they conducted an elaborate funeral—sun-drying the corpse for over ten days, stuffing it with spices before wrapping in cloth, sheathing it in moyonga bark, then encasing everything in canvas bound tightly front and back.

The party set out for the distant east coast, escorting the corpse. They continued that arduous journey with tremendous perseverance.

Prior to this, reports about Livingstone’s whereabouts—which Stanley had been variously conveying—had once again ceased. Consequently, Britain dispatched search parties from both its eastern and western coasts. The eastern contingent—Cameron’s team from the Royal Geographical Society—encountered Susi’s group while stationed at Unyanyembe village. Cameron sought to claim custody of the remains there, but Susi and his companions refused. Guarding their master’s corpse and possessions unwaveringly, they endured a grueling nine-month journey from Chitambo to the coastal settlement of Bagamoyo. Furthermore, they accompanied the remains all the way to Britain itself. These faithful and noble deeds by Susi, Chuma, and their fellow Africans sprang from their reverence for Livingstone’s virtue—he who was called the Father of Africa.

The remains of David Livingstone were transported by steamship from Zanzibar Port to Britain and, on April 18, 1874, were interred at Westminster Abbey through a grand state funeral. At this time, Stanley delivered a eulogy.

VI. The Source of the Nile River Stanley read a eulogy before Livingstone’s memorial, vividly recalling his life in Africa and contemplating the emotions of Livingstone who had fallen in the wilds, choking back silent tears. What truly consoles his spirit was neither a grand funeral nor a splendid tombstone—it could only be the completion of his life’s work. Stanley resolved to devote himself entirely to the development of Dark Africa.

The final undertaking Livingstone had attempted was an on-site survey of the Nile River's source. This water source problem had long been debated until Speke's exploration of Lake Victoria in 1858 brought a general resolution, though matters beyond this remained shrouded in secrecy. Stanley first sought to uncover this secret. As preparation, he gathered all documents concerning Africa and formulated a thorough plan. The plan expanded greatly: not only would he investigate in detail the Nile's source itself but also examine the entire continent's topography, climate, flora and fauna, races, and customs; moreover, inheriting Livingstone's aspirations, he indeed strove to civilize the natives and prevent the slave trade.

His endeavor received ample support from Britain’s Daily Telegraph and America’s New York Herald newspapers. And while there were countless applicants, Stanley selected only three individuals as his companions.

On November 13, 1874, he organized a large expedition of 556 members at Zanzibar Port and ventured into Africa’s interior from Bagamoyo. At first, the journey progressed smoothly, but as rains intensified and paths grew arduous, sick members and stragglers began emerging one after another, until finally one of their white companions perished. Throughout this period, they also had to battle hostile natives, rendering this journey anything but straightforward.

Thus, on February 27 of the following year, the party reached the southern shore of Lake Victoria. At the village of Kagehi there, they received a lively reception from Chief Kazuma. Stanley also threw a lavish banquet and rewarded the party members. Upon hearing of the arrival of this large contingent, people from various villages gathered for trade, and the settlement swiftly transformed into a flourishing marketplace.

However, when it came to circumnavigating the lake, everyone hesitated. Chief Kazuma did nothing but drink liquor; though he had promised to accompany them, once sobered, he nonchalantly refused to provide guides to the lake. The natives were reluctant to go, and even the party’s porters lacked mettle when facing the water. According to what the natives told them, circumnavigating the lake would supposedly take an entire year. Moreover—so they claimed—along those shores dwelled terrifying savages with tails, tribesmen who kept packs of hounds trained to maul men to death, and races that devoured human flesh like cattle or sheep.

Stanley reluctantly decided to carry this out with a small party. He had prepared a collapsible iron boat, boarded it, and selected eleven attendants from among the servants to accompany him. And on March 8th, they departed from Kagehi. It took them approximately one month to circumnavigate the eastern and northern shores of the lake. There were days of stormy weather and days of beautiful clarity. There were times when they were attacked by violent natives. The scenery was ever-changing and fascinating to behold. Islands where tropical plants grew in lush profusion could be found everywhere, while on land there towered rugged crags and rose hills mantled with beautiful trees. There were shores strewn with rocks and forests submerged in water. Natives dressed in strange clothing could also be seen. There were also lizards seven feet long. In the water, fish darted about, crocodiles lurked, and a massive herd of hippopotamuses resided. There were also villages of natives living completely naked.

When they had taken shelter from the wind in the lee of an island, about forty natives approached Stanley’s party’s iron boat in a large dugout canoe. The natives brandished their spears and shields in intimidation. Stanley kept his party quiet while maintaining perfect composure, even letting a smile form. The natives all appeared intoxicated. They sang songs while jumping and leaping about. Eventually they began curiously handling the party’s belongings, stroking the sailors’ bodies and patting their heads. Even as everyone remained motionless, one native picked up a sling and demonstrated hurling a stone an extraordinary distance. One particularly drunk native threw a stone targeting Stanley. The stone grazed past just above Stanley’s head.

No matter how quietly they remained, there was no end to it, so Stanley took out a pistol and fired several shots. Then the natives jumped into the water like frogs and, abandoning their dugout canoe, swam toward the shore. The entire party laughed while beckoning and pushing the dugout canoe away. Before long, the natives returned grinning, imitated the pistol shots, chattered noisily, and gave Stanley a bunch of bananas.

When they arrived at the port of the Kingdom of Uganda on the northwestern shore, they were welcomed by a crowd dressed in beautiful garments of red, black, and white. Flags fluttered, drums beat, and hundreds of ceremonial gun salutes resounded. Then a messenger came from King Mutesa, and Stanley, guided by him, was granted a formal audience as an honored guest. Mutesa was a king of great power who commanded an army of three thousand men and governed this region through well-established laws. He did not exclude foreigners and was eager to adopt various cultural elements. Stanley met with this king, preached Christianity, and established the foundation for missionary work in this region.

The western shore of the lake was a dangerous place inhabited by violent natives. When they landed on one island, the natives initially welcomed the party with apparent friendliness before abruptly dragging their boat ashore, whereupon hundreds emerged from concealment brandishing spears, bows, and clubs while raising battle cries to attack. Stanley’s party confronted this assault with composed resolve. The attackers appeared momentarily nonplussed by this reaction and began conferring among themselves—a hesitation the entire expedition exploited to shove their vessel back into the water and make their escape.

This variation in the natives' attitudes from place to place constituted a distinctive characteristic of Africa's interior, presenting travelers with both fascination and peril.

On May 6th, after nearly fifty days completing the lake’s circumnavigation, the party returned to Kagehi village. Among those who had remained behind, one white man and six porters had perished from the maladies of this untamed region. Stanley thereby concluded his survey of Lake Victoria. They ascertained the lake’s topography and dimensions. They mapped the multiple rivers flowing into its waters, with particular clarity emerging about the Kagera River’s western course—now confirmed as the Nile’s foremost headstream.

Stanley continued his exploration of the vicinity, requested numerous guards from King Mutesa of Uganda, explored Lake Albert Edward to the west, and surveyed the features of the nearby mountain ranges. This expedition took about a year, and the exhausted party arrived at Ujiji on Lake Tanganyika on May 27, 1876.

Ujiji was where Stanley had first encountered Livingstone five years prior in November, and Stanley was overwhelmed with indescribable emotion. He felt as though Livingstone’s spirit still lingered upon African soil, and to that spirit, he repeated prayers and vows.

And Stanley explored all of Lake Tanganyika, measured its topography, extent, and depth, and meticulously investigated both the rivers flowing into the lake and those flowing out from it. With this, the problem of the Nile River’s source was resolved, and the vicinity of its source had been thoroughly surveyed on-site. However, Stanley’s exploration expeditions, which had inherited Livingstone’s grand ambition, would from this point onward grow increasingly large-scale in scope. At the end of that year, he arrived at Niyangwe in the west, where he organized an expedition consisting of a main force of 152 men and a support unit of 400 men. Resolved to become a torch illuminating the western half of the Dark Continent, he plunged into the secret regions of the west and undertook the heroic great adventure of descending the Congo River. After this transcontinental journey, he continued striving tirelessly in the development of the African continent until 1890, commanding numerous expeditions and military campaigns.