Pathway to Japanese Literature

I: Father of the Dark Continent One of the world’s oldest civilizations flourished in Egypt, a part of Africa’s northern coast. Furthermore, the cultures of Greece and Rome, which have become the sources of modern culture, cast their light across the northern coast of Africa. After that, the center of world culture appears to have shifted to Western Europe, yet Africa lies in close proximity to that very region.

Nevertheless, this African continent had only its coastal regions known to the world, while the greater part of its interior remained unexplored—appearing as blank spaces on maps, remaining shrouded in secrecy, and thus being called the Dark Continent. To bring this Dark Continent to light, especially since the nineteenth century, various explorations were conducted, but venturing into its interior was no easy task. There were various reasons for this.

Africa lay mostly within the tropics, and its intense heat tormented people. Then, beginning with the vast Sahara Desert in the north, there were deserts difficult for travel scattered here and there. Furthermore, many coastal regions and valleys were veritable breeding grounds for fever. Furthermore, wild beasts and poisonous insects thrived there, and in the deeper interior dwelled fierce and dangerous natives. Therefore, the exploration of this continent was truly a life-risking endeavor, and indeed, many explorers perished.

In this exploration, there existed one called the Father of the Dark Continent of Africa.

That was David Livingstone.

Livingstone was born in Scotland, Britain, in 1813. Because his family was poor, he worked at a factory while attending night school and also eagerly read various books. After that, he studied medicine, and next trained to become a missionary. For the sake of uncivilized peoples, it was his intention to devote his life to propagating Christianity. And finally, at the end of 1840, he departed for Africa, the Dark Continent, as a missionary.

From that point onward, his life could no longer be separated from Africa. His first task was to civilize the barbaric natives of Africa. Next was preventing the abominable practice of the slave trade that was flourishing in Africa at the time. Then thirdly, it was the investigation of the geography of Africa’s interior. It was due to these splendid achievements and his noble character that he came to be called the Father of Africa.

The most conspicuous of his achievements was, without doubt, his explorations, and it was through him that African exploration saw remarkable progress. He first went to the southern tip of Africa, then ventured into the interior. In 1849, he explored the great Kalahari Desert. In 1854, he succeeded in traveling from the upper reaches of the Zambezi River with native attendants to reach Loanda on the west coast. Then he turned back inland once more, this time descending the Zambezi River, passing the great waterfall he had named Victoria Falls, and continuing along the river until he reached Quelimane on the eastern coast in 1856. This was the first crossing of Africa by Europeans.

After that, he returned to Britain for a short time, but in 1858, he headed back to Africa, where he spent six years exploring various regions of eastern Africa’s interior while civilizing the natives and making numerous discoveries. And gradually, the interior of this Dark Continent came to be brought to light.

In 1866, he came to Zanzibar Port on the eastern coast of Africa for his third expedition. Despite being already fifty-three years old, he attempted to venture deep into lands inhabited by epidemics, wild beasts, and savages. And this time, he had also undertaken the special mission of investigating the source region of the Nile River. This Nile River is a famous great river that flows north from central Africa, passes through the Egyptian plains, and empties into the Mediterranean Sea. The ancient Egyptian civilization arose along this river’s banks, Egypt’s fertile plains were all nourished by this river, and the Egyptians worshipped this river as a father. And the source of this river had been investigated by various people since ancient times, but it had not yet been revealed. Several years prior, through Speke’s expedition, Lake Victoria had been roughly established as the Nile River’s source, but its definitive investigation had not yet been conducted.

Therefore, to investigate the state of the mountain ranges in this region, explore the source area of the Nile River, and study the flora and fauna among other tasks, Livingstone went to the estuary of the Rovuma River south of Zanzibar Port and proceeded inland by ascending the river. It was late March 1866, and he was leading a group of over thirty miscellaneous natives. However, from that point onward, all news of Livingstone ceased. Around the time when not only Britain but also people across Europe were gradually growing concerned, on a certain day in December, nine natives who had been part of Livingstone’s expedition suddenly appeared in Zanzibar and spread word that Livingstone and all members of his party had been killed by savages west of Lake Nyasa, while they themselves had fled into the jungle and barely survived.

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

After that, though intermittently, news of Livingstone began to reach the world again. 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 various other hardships, the exploration was continued. He proceeded from Lake Nyasa to Lake Tanganyika and explored as far as Lake Moero and Lake Bangweulu. However, due to the prolonged hardships, his body gradually weakened, and he had to return multiple times to Ujiji—a town on the northeastern shore of Lake Tanganyika where Arab caravans gathered.

After the letter sent from Ujiji on May 30, 1869, news of him once again abruptly ceased entirely. This second disappearance caused great unease. The rumor spread throughout Britain and all of Europe, drawing widespread attention. No matter how long they waited, they were unable to obtain any news.

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

II: Emotional Meeting

In October 1869, Bennett, the editor-in-chief of America's New York Herald, was staying in Paris, France, when he heard that Livingstone had gone missing and considered organizing a search party.

He had long admired Livingstone, and even as many were beginning to give up on him, he remained convinced that the explorer must still be alive.

However, this search was no easy task. After much consideration, Bennett decided to select an employee named Stanley.

This Henry Morton Stanley was born in 1841 in a rural village in Wales, England. After enduring a difficult childhood, he became a cabin boy on a steamship traveling to America and was later adopted by a merchant named Stanley in the United States. After that, he served in the Civil War, then became a sailor where he learned various things through practical experience while also studying independently, until finally becoming a journalist and joining the New York Herald. 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 he was staying in Madrid, Spain, he was summoned by telegram by Bennett, who was in Paris.

Bennett, upon seeing Stanley’s vigorous appearance, immediately began to speak.

“Actually, you must have heard about this for some time now, but it concerns Livingstone, who has gone missing again in Africa.” “In my opinion, Livingstone is still alive.” “Even if he is dead, we cannot simply leave the final moments of a man of such stature unattended.” “Therefore, I intend to dispatch a search party for Livingstone, but I want you to take on the role of its captain.” “I believe you’re the one who can do it.” “I’ll cover all expenses, so won’t you take on this task for me?”

Stanley thought for a while before responding.

“I shall accept.”

Thereupon, Bennett decided to entrust everything to Stanley.

Stanley resolved deeply. And secretly investigating everything about Africa’s interior while listening to accounts from those with African travel experience, he finally arrived at Zanzibar Port on Africa’s eastern coast in January 1871. Here he organized a search expedition through tremendous effort. The group included two white men, an interpreter, and five natives who had accompanied Speke’s expedition near the Nile’s source region. Essential provisions comprised: food; cooking utensils; tents; small boats; clothing; blankets. Gifts for native chieftains included: woolen cloth; calico; brass wire; glass beads for necklaces. Weapons consisted of: long and short rifles; swords; spears. Additionally: two riding horses; twenty-seven donkeys. At Bagamoyo Port across the bay, he hired natives for luggage transport.

Thus, this expedition—comprising 192 members in total—divided into five groups and proceeded in sequence toward the African interior.

However, he had absolutely no idea where Livingstone was or what condition he might be in. However, seeing that the last correspondence had come from Ujiji—and since going there might yield some clue—Stanley resolved to charge straight toward Ujiji.

This expedition was fraught with difficulties. As the rainy season had not yet ended, valley streams overflowed, creating marshes here and there. Poisonous ants, venomous wasps, and other insects plagued the party day and night. Those contracting malaria grew ever more numerous. Stanley too contracted the disease, his consciousness often growing hazy from raging fevers. Horses and donkeys began to perish. No matter how far they pressed through wilderness and swamp and dense forest, they encountered lions and crocodiles. The road made no headway whatsoever.

They had departed from the coast of Bagamoyo on March 21, but over the following months, deserters and those succumbing to illness appeared one after another, until their numbers had dwindled to a mere fifty-six. One of the white men had died of illness, while the other, too weakened to continue, was carried back by porters partway through the journey.

When they reached the village of Unyanembe at around seven-tenths of their journey, a fierce battle had broken out between Arabs and Black people ahead, making passage dangerous. Stanley left many of his supplies at that village and, taking a long detour, pressed forward through the dense jungle. In the daunting and arduous journey, even the most spirited members of the party gradually had their morale worn down.

However, the more the difficulties mounted, the firmer Stanley's resolve became. Searching for Livingstone was no longer the newspaper company’s task but had become his own heartfelt work—a mission he now bore alone. He firmly vowed to press onward to the very end. Fortunately, as if in answer to his resolve, a welcome clue was obtained from a caravan of Arab merchants. It was reported that there had been a white man in Ujiji.

That white man was undoubtedly none other than Livingstone. Stanley, feeling as if he had found light in the pitch-dark night, pressed onward while encouraging his companions. On November 10th, as they descended along the river and emerged atop a hill, the waters of a lake came into view before them. It was Lake Tanganyika. As they pressed onward, the town of Ujiji suddenly came into view right below them. The party raised a cheer. Stanley celebrated their arrival by having blank shots fired from rifles.

As the party entered the town, natives startled by the gunfire came gathering in a commotion. One of them approached Stanley and said in English, “Good day.” Stanley, both astonished and delighted, made careful inquiries and found that this man was none other than Susi—a loyal servant who had long attended to Livingstone. Susi ran off like a madman. Stanley chased after him. Before long, the figure of a white man came into view there.

The man was tall and thin, and he appeared tired. He wore a hat adorned with gold braid, beneath which his white hair was visible, a red coat, and gray trousers. It was undoubtedly Livingstone.

Stanley made to rush forward but hesitated slightly at the sight of the numerous natives standing in rows, and, thinking he must not act rudely, quietly advanced and removed his hat. “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”

His voice trembled with emotion.

The man faintly smiled, placed a hand on his hat, and replied. “Yes.” Stanley put on his hat, waited for the man to remove his hand from his hat, then firmly grasped that hand and exclaimed. “I thank God that I was able to meet you.” Livingstone responded to that. “I too am deeply grateful that I have been able to welcome you here.”

That was a modest yet valiant meeting, imbued with a depth of emotion surpassing any gesture or shout.

III: Blessed Lake Waters

Ujiji was a town that developed early even in Central Africa, with Arabs living on one side and natives on the other. Various goods gathered from the surrounding areas, and the trade there was bustling. Along the shores of Lake Tanganyika, numerous native dugout canoes were moored.

In this cramped house, Livingstone and Stanley engaged in heartfelt conversation with one another at length. Stanley first recounted the circumstances of his search journey, and Livingstone related the various events of his long expedition.

The hardships Livingstone endured defied description. After surveying Lake Nyasa's terrain and before reaching Lake Tanganyika's southern shore, there were days of near-starvation and occasions when nearly his entire party fell ill in ceaseless rains. What troubled him most was a disloyal attendant absconding with the medicine chest. Yet he pressed onward with his explorations, investigating regions around lakes Moero and Bangweulu. He contracted a lung disease that brought him to cough blood. Aided by Arab merchants, he advanced by being carried on men's backs or borne upon stretchers. When he came to Ujiji to recuperate, he found most supplies sent from Zanzibar had been pilfered. Upon partial recovery, he embarked again to survey the Nile's headwaters firsthand, only to be stricken anew by illness that left him gravely weakened. Moreover, fierce savages assailed him repeatedly—their thrown spears once grazing his neck. When at last he returned to Ujiji, the Arab entrusted with his baggage, deeming him dead, had sold off nearly all his possessions. Still he clung to indomitable resolve, subsisting on scant provisions while awaiting Zanzibar's third shipment, determined to resume exploration.

The reason Livingstone's communications had ceased was later discovered to be that the Arab entrusted with the letters had discarded all of them en route. While listening to Livingstone’s heartrending tale, Stanley was struck by an emotion he had never before experienced and found himself utterly awed by the explorer’s extraordinary character. And Stanley, now bound to Livingstone from the depths of his heart, set out after just a few days of rest to assist him in exploring the northern end of Lake Tanganyika.

The two men borrowed a large dugout canoe from a native chieftain. Then, loading sixteen rowers, two cooks, two guides, and ample necessary supplies aboard, they set out northward from the shore of Ujiji.

This great lake, stretching long and narrow from north to south through the deep interior of central Africa, was of immense geographical interest, while its scenic beauty was equally extraordinary. Mountains covered with huge trees and dark green grass spread their skirts to the lakeshore, sheer cliffs rose abruptly, capes jutted out, and a dreamlike beautiful landscape unfolded one after another. The luxuriant flowers of the tropics dyed the forest in five colors, and their fragrance drifted all the way to the lake’s surface. In the vicinity, various birds flew about. It was just like paradise.

Stanley had never before witnessed such resplendent scenery. Even Livingstone, though intimately acquainted with Africa's wilderness through thirty years of exploration, repeatedly exclaimed in wonder. The lake teemed with fish so abundantly that the natives relied on fishing for their livelihood. Fruit trees stood planted across the lakeshore plains, where corn, peanuts, and sweet potatoes were grown. Wild trees yielded oil and fruit, while those towering along valley slopes became timber for dugout canoes. Yet this land blessed with beauty and bounty suffered frequent plunder by Arabs serving slave traders. Stanley, standing alongside Livingstone who had long battled this trade, felt deep resentment toward them.

As they advanced northward day by day, the natives along the lakeshore gradually became more cunning and violent. Ten rounds of bullets were distributed to each member of the party. In Africa’s interior, travelers were typically required to present gifts as a form of toll in most villages and compelled to engage in barter. Money proved utterly useless. Therefore, provisions and other items became travelers’ most vital resources; their usage had to be meticulously planned according to personnel numbers and itineraries, for any deviation could plunge them into dire straits.

However, the natives were cunning and skilled at bargaining, and moreover had no concept of time; whether it involved gifts or barter, their negotiations dragged on sluggishly and were not easily concluded. In such situations, Livingstone would remain utterly composed, never showing the slightest irritation, and skillfully bring matters to a favorable conclusion without resorting to force. Stanley initially grew restless, but later found himself intrigued by Livingstone’s negotiation methods and learned much from them.

When they arrived at the village called Mukungu, the natives demanded cotton cloth as tribute, but the amount of this offering was not settled until after sunset. Then the natives tried to evade giving reciprocal gifts by claiming darkness had fallen. Livingstone asked with a cheerful smile, "Won't you provide us with a sheep?" At last they secured a single lamb and received a jug of palm wine in exchange.

The fresh lamb meat was a long-awaited feast. The entire group found themselves in the mood for revelry and heartily drank the sweet yet intensely strong palm wine.

That night, Susi, Livingstone’s loyal servant, and Bombay, Stanley’s attendant, were supposed to keep watch over the dugout canoe, but both became thoroughly drunk on palm wine and fell fast asleep. When morning came, they found the inside of the dugout canoe had been thoroughly ransacked. Upon examining the stolen items, they discovered crucial supplies missing: a sounding line, an ammunition case containing about five hundred rounds, approximately ninety rifle bullets, a bag of wheat flour, and a straw sack of sugar. They suffered tremendous losses due to the palm wine offered as a reward.

Stanley was furious about this theft, but Livingstone remained composed. The party’s dugout canoe pressed northward, ever northward. They discovered that fearsome crocodiles dwelled only near the mouths of large rivers. At times clusters of native dugout canoes floated leisurely. Along the lakeshore were fishermen angling with rods and casting nets. There were mothers too, smiling as they watched from palm tree shade at children playing in the water.

The natives of the village called Bikari had a reputation for greed and cruelty, but when they passed offshore in the evening, sure enough, the natives came out to the bank, shouting "Bring your canoe ashore!" and hurling stones. Stanley thought to fire his rifle and observed 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 prepared coffee, several natives stealthily approached at dusk, mumbling to the party's guides while gauging the situation before departing. After a while, several more natives came, then yet a third group arrived, did the same thing, and left.

It was all very suspicious. According to native custom, visiting as dusk approached was unheard of, and prowling around others’ huts at night was deemed to harbor malicious intent. Therefore, these three visits were undoubtedly reconnaissance preceding an attack.

Then yet again, a fourth group arrived and repeated the same actions.

There was no more time to delay. Since they had just finished their evening meal**,** **the entire party** hurriedly boarded the dugout canoes and rowed out into 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 and came to plunder. They hurled a cacophony of shouts at the canoes receding into open water. Stanley thought to return fire at them and observed Livingstone’s countenance, but even then perceived within him those noble sentiments of peace and love. The natives of the next village called Magara were remarkably gentle, as if harmonizing with Livingstone’s sentiments.

The party set up tents near the village and rested. Eventually, many natives gathered around, looked on curiously, and left; however, one among them returned in the afternoon, splendidly dressed and accompanied by many attendants. This was the chieftain, who came in full ceremonial attire for an official visit. He was adorned with numerous ivory ornaments, wore a brass chest ring, and had iron bands fastened around his legs. His face was more beautifully distinguished than others', and each time he smiled, his crystal-like teeth glistened.

Here, the exchange of goods was conducted with proper decorum.

In the next village beyond, a war was being waged against a neighboring village. It was truly a sluggish war. When one side would launch a surprise attack, plunder several head of livestock, kill a person or two, and withdraw, the other side would then seize an opportunity several days or tens of days later to launch a counter-surprise attack, do largely the same things, and withdraw. And this cycle continued to repeat itself. Such was the ordinary warfare among African natives, while launching grand assaults and engaging in fierce battles was exceedingly rare.

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

At that time, Stanley had contracted fever and was in a state of splitting headaches and unrelenting bodily lethargy, his consciousness growing hazy; yet he could constantly see Livingstone’s figure nearby and feel his hands touching his burning forehead and limbs. Stanley was moved to tears of gratitude for this fatherly gentle comfort and nursing.

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

The chieftain of that village, Ruhinga, was an elderly 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 group various things. In Livingstone’s view, it was considered that the Rusizi River—which extended from Lake Tanganyika’s northern extremity—might form part of the Nile’s upper reaches. If that were the case, the source of the Nile River would have been Lake Tanganyika, lying even further south than Lake Victoria. However, the area where this Rusizi River connected to the lake waters was a convergence of countless small streams branching out in all directions, making it utterly impossible to discern whether the river as a whole flowed out from the lake or poured into it.

According to Chieftain Ruhinga’s account, the Rusizi River flowed into Lake Tanganyika, and its source was said to be a small lake called Kivu. Livingstone and Stanley conducted an on-site investigation of it. They confirmed that Chieftain Ruhinga’s account had been accurate. The Rusizi River truly flowed into Lake Tanganyika, and therefore, it was not the source of the Nile River.

Livingstone’s prediction was incorrect. However, the objective of this expedition was fully achieved. Moreover, the rowing excursions on the beautiful Lake Tanganyika were, overall, a delightful experience rare in the African interior.

On December 11th, the party safely returned to Ujiji.

IV: Parting and Mission

In Ujiji, many letters and telegrams awaited Stanley. They had been forwarded from the American Consul in Zanzibar. Now that Stanley had achieved his objective of finding Livingstone, he first had to return to Europe.

Now, what was to become of Livingstone? Stanley had consulted Livingstone about future plans shortly after their meeting. Livingstone now retained only a few attendants and had meager supplies remaining. Even were these deficiencies supplemented through Stanley’s means, Livingstone’s own health could no longer sustain continued exploration. Stanley therefore urgently advised him to temporarily return home for convalescence and resume his endeavors only after fully regaining health.

However, Livingstone would not agree. He demonstrated unwavering resolve that he would not return home until he had definitively explored the Nile River's source—even if it meant dying in the attempt. It was then that Stanley proposed his next plan. It was to escort Livingstone to the village of Unyanyembe. There, Stanley had left behind various goods, firearms, canoes, and tents during his journey to Ujiji. Stanley would provide all of these to Livingstone, then hurry to the coast to hire fifty or sixty attendants and have them bring food and other necessities. Moreover, the village of Unyanyembe was more culturally developed than Ujiji and must undoubtedly be convenient for convalescence.

Livingstone also gladly agreed to this plan. The expedition to the northern extremity of Lake Tanganyika was, so to speak, a commemorative journey for the two men. The plans had been settled. After resting in Ujiji for several days, Stanley departed on December 17th while escorting Livingstone, traversing the same arduous route they had taken coming in, and arrived at the village of Unyanyembe after over fifty days. Unfortunately, most of the luggage Stanley had entrusted had been stolen.

But even more sorrowful was how swiftly time passed, until Stanley now had to part with Livingstone. The bond between the two was not so much friendship as it was an affection akin to that between master and disciple. Stanley was thirty-one years old at this time, and Livingstone was fifty-nine. And the noble character of this elderly explorer had profoundly influenced this young journalist.

On March 14th, Stanley was scheduled to depart. Even by the evening before, Livingstone seemed reluctant to let him go. Stanley too wished he could stay longer, but contemplated the vital mission of reaching the coast to organize Livingstone's expedition. Exploration could always be undertaken again, but human strength and life are finite. Did Livingstone's refusal to consider even a temporary homecoming stem from having weighed this truth? Through anguished reflections, the sleepless night began to break. Luggage already stood piled outdoors as departure preparations were being made. At breakfast table too, Stanley found his heart too full to eat. Livingstone appeared equally listless.

The scheduled departure was at five o'clock, but as they lingered with reluctance, it had already become eight. When Stanley steeled himself and stood up, Livingstone also rose. “Let me see you off a little way.” “Thank you.” “Alright everyone, let’s depart.”

The entire party departed with the flag at the head. When they looked back after a while, the house where they had lived until now—and where Livingstone would remain—stood forlornly within the woods. It soon grew smaller and disappeared from view. The surrounding hills were all steeped in memories. The attendants began to sing. Stanley walked slowly alongside Livingstone and said: “I do not fully comprehend your grand plans, but you intend not to return home until you have definitively explored the source of the Nile River. However, when you have achieved satisfaction, please return to your homeland and bring joy to everyone.”

“That is precisely correct.” And Livingstone spoke of various plans for exploration.

“Well, it should take about a year and a half.” “Then to allow for any disruptions to the schedule, I shall hire the porters for two years from their arrival date here.” “That would be most satisfactory.” “Then let us bid farewell here.” “Just as God has ever assisted you until now, He will surely continue to aid you and safely guide you back to your homeland.” “You too—God will surely see you safely home.” “Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.” The two men exchanged a firm handshake. Stanley sought to part ways before his taut resolve could falter—but when Livingstone’s loyal servants Susi and Chuma repeatedly shook hands and clung to him in farewell, he found it unbearable; deliberately raising his voice in a final goodbye, he urged his attendants onward. It was no longer the time for effeminate behavior—he must simply press onward.

And Stanley, leaving the village of Unyanyembe behind and encouraging his party along the arduous path, arrived at the coastal town of Bagamoyo on May 6th.

In Bagamoyo, the search party dispatched by the British Geographical Society was in the midst of preparing to depart. However, they had only heard news of Livingstone from Stanley and, perhaps fearing the hardships of the journey, abandoned their advance into the interior.

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 and returned to Europe.

The story he told astonished the world, and at first, there were so many people who did not believe it.

V. Loyal Servants to a Great Man

David Livingstone remained in the village of Unyanyembe and devoted himself wholeheartedly to preparations for his next expedition. During that time, he also investigated the geography and flora and fauna of the surrounding area. He also endeavored to civilize the natives. Then, he wrote a major treatise forcefully advocating for the abolition of slavery to the people of the world and sent it to the New York Herald.

In time, the party that Stanley had organized from Bagamoyo arrived on August 14th. The plan for the grand expedition had already been established. After making their final preparations, they finally departed on August 25th. The purpose was the investigation of the source of the Nile River. For that purpose, it was first planned to advance their exploration to the vicinity of Lake Bangweolo. Livingstone’s health had already recovered, and the preparations were fully complete. However, the journey was fraught with extreme hardships. When they entered a parched, blazing hot dense jungle and advanced through it for ten days, Livingstone and many in the party contracted fever.

Nevertheless, on October 8th, they reached Lake Tanganyika. And they proceeded south along the eastern shore, but their hardships grew ever more severe. The lone donkey they had led for years perished after being assailed by venomous bees. Whenever they hired guides, those men would spitefully lead them into regions devoid of provisions. When December came, the rainy season had already begun; day and night the rains fell without cease, turning every path into a morass. Owing to these deluges, they could no longer perform astronomical observations or survey the terrain.

By the banks of the Chambeshi River flowing into Lake Bangweolo, they came across a profusion of rare flowers blooming in the forest. The profusion of colors and fragrances offered considerable solace to the expedition.

However, in this region, the natives were extremely cunning. In one tribe, though they had agreed to trade goods and provisions, they delayed implementing it, letting negotiations drag on for three weeks. When they tried to cross to the river's opposite bank—after having taken ample trade goods—the natives provided only one small boat. At that moment, even Livingstone lost his temper; he and his men rained rifle fire upon the village all at once to drive off the natives, commandeered three canoes, and crossed to the far shore.

The journey made little progress. By April of the following year, David Livingstone’s health had deteriorated gravely; stricken with intestinal hemorrhaging, he could no longer ride a donkey and advanced instead upon a stretcher. At times when his strength partially returned, he would attempt to mount the donkey again, only to fall from it and lose consciousness. Yet he never neglected his explorations, questioning natives about the local geography and scrutinizing their routes. On April 26th he managed only a brief diary entry—by the next day, he lacked even the strength to grasp a pen.

On the evening of April 29th, the party arrived at a village called 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 chieftain came to visit, but Livingstone could no longer speak. He spent the entire day lying down, had them bring a clock nearby, and then seemed eager to learn about the local geography. Around midnight that night, he called his loyal servant Susi, ordered him to bring water, a medicine chest, and candles, and had him fill two cups with water. “Very well. Go over there,” he said.

Around four o'clock, nearing dawn, the child attendant who had been serving by his side informed Susi.

“Please come.” “He seems to have passed away.”

Susi and several others hurriedly entered the room. The candle flame was still burning. David Livingstone was not lying on the bed but kneeling beside it, his hands clasped over his head, forehead pressed into the blanket, as if in prayer. They stood there in silence, but as he remained utterly still, they quietly drew near and laid a hand on him—only to find his forehead cold, his cheeks likewise turned cold. He was no longer of this world.

The group stood in silence, sensing something amiss in their hearts. And the faint light of dawn on May 1, 1873, began to break.

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

They resolved to send Livingstone’s remains back to his homeland. Before all present, they inventoried his possessions item by item. Then they constructed a new altar to lay his body in state, interred his viscera at the foot of a great tree, carved into its trunk through an English-literate attendant Livingstone’s full name alongside his birth and death dates. Subsequently, they conducted an elaborate funeral with the village chieftain and numerous attendees, exposing the corpse to sunlight for over ten days before stuffing it with spices, swathing it in cloth, sheathing it in moyonga bark, encasing it in canvas, and binding it lengthwise from end to end.

The party set out toward the distant eastern coast, escorting the body. Through that arduous journey, they continued with extraordinary endurance.

Prior to this, the news of Livingstone’s whereabouts—reported in various ways by Stanley—had once again been cut off. Therefore, Britain dispatched search parties from both the eastern and western coasts. The eastern contingent was Cameron’s team from the Geographical Society, who encountered Susi’s group while stationed at Unyanyembe village. Cameron tried to claim custody of the remains there, but Susi and his companions refused. They persisted in guarding their master’s corpse and belongings through a grueling nine-month journey from Chitambo to the coastal town of Bagamoyo. Furthermore, they even escorted them all the way to Britain itself. The faithful and noble deeds of Susi, Chuma, and their fellow Africans stood as a testament to the virtue of David Livingstone, the Father of Africa.

David Livingstone's remains 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 read the eulogy.

VI. Source of the Nile River

Stanley read the eulogy before Livingstone’s remains, vividly recalling their life in Africa and imagining the emotions of Livingstone who had fallen in those savage lands, choked by silent tears of grief. What truly consoles his spirit could be nothing other than completing his work—neither a grand funeral nor an splendid gravestone. Stanley resolved to devote himself entirely to developing Dark Africa.

The final undertaking David Livingstone had embarked upon was an on-site survey of the Nile River’s source. The question of this water source had long been debated, and in 1858, Speke’s exploration of Lake Victoria had brought about a general resolution; however, matters beyond that remained shrouded in secrecy.

Stanley first sought to expose this secret. As preparation, he combed through every document concerning Africa and devised a comprehensive plan. The plan grew in ambition; not only would they investigate the Nile's source itself, but they would also conduct detailed surveys of the entire continent's topography, climate, flora and fauna, races, and customs. Moreover, taking up Livingstone's mission, they resolved to dedicate their efforts to civilizing the natives and suppressing the slave trade. This endeavor obtained full sponsorship from Britain's *The Daily Telegraph* and America's *The New York Herald*. Though countless applicants came forward, Stanley chose only three from among them as companions.

On November 13, 1874, he organized a large expedition of 556 people at Zanzibar Port and set out from Bagamoyo into the African interior. At first, the journey progressed smoothly, but soon the rains grew frequent, the paths became arduous, and sick members and stragglers began to appear one after another—until finally, one of their white companions perished. And during this time, they had to battle ferocious native tribes as well, making this journey far from easy.

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 Chieftain Kazuma. Stanley also held an extravagant drinking feast to show appreciation to the members of the party. Furthermore, upon hearing of the arrival of this large contingent, people from various villages gathered for trade goods, and the village swiftly transformed into a bustling market.

However, when it came to circumnavigating the lake, everyone hesitated. Chieftain Kazuma did nothing but drink; though he had promised to accompany them, once sober, he blithely failed to provide any guides for the lake. The natives were reluctant to go, and the party’s porters lacked courage for the water.

According to the natives, circumnavigating the lake would take a year. Moreover, along the lakeshore there were terrifying savages with tails, natives who kept many man-killing fierce dogs, and a race said to devour humans like cattle or sheep.

Stanley had no choice but to proceed with this undertaking using a small group. He had prepared a collapsible iron boat; boarding it, he selected eleven men from his attendants to accompany him. On March 8, he departed from Kagehi.

It took them approximately one month to circumnavigate the eastern and northern shores of the lake. There were days of storms and rain, and there were beautifully clear days. There were also times when they were attacked by savage natives. The scenery was viewed with great interest due to its constantly changing nature. Islands lush with tropical vegetation dotted the waters, while on land rugged cliffs towered and hills covered in beautiful trees rose up. In some places, the shore was strewn with rocks; in others, forests dipped into the water. Natives wearing strange clothing were also seen. There were also seven-foot-long lizards. In the water, fish swam about, crocodiles appeared and disappeared, and there was a large herd of hippopotamuses. There were also villages where the natives lived completely naked.

When they took shelter from the wind in the lee of an island, about forty natives in a large dugout canoe approached Stanley’s iron boat. The natives brandished their spears and shields to intimidate them. Stanley kept his party quiet and remained composed, even smiling. The natives all appeared intoxicated. They sang and jumped about. In the end, they fiddled curiously with the party’s belongings, ran their hands over the sailors’ bodies, and slapped their heads. Even as the party remained perfectly still and patient, one of the natives took up a sling and demonstrated hurling a stone an extraordinary distance. One who was severely intoxicated took aim at Stanley and threw a stone. The stone flew just above Stanley’s head.

No matter how quietly they behaved, there was no end to it, so Stanley took out his pistol and fired several shots. Then, the natives jumped into the water like frogs, abandoned their dugout canoe, and swam toward the shore. The whole party laughed while waving their hands and pushing the dugout canoe away. Before long, the natives returned smiling broadly, imitating the pistol shots, chattering noisily, and gave Stanley a bunch of bananas.

When they arrived at the port of the Uganda Kingdom on the northwestern shore, they were greeted by a crowd splendidly attired in red, black, and white garments. Flags fluttered, drums resounded, and hundreds of ceremonial gunshots reverberated. Then an envoy from King Mutesa arrived, and under his guidance, Stanley was granted an official audience as an honored guest.

King Mutesa was a monarch of considerable influence who commanded an army of three thousand men and administered this territory through codified edicts. He did not reject foreigners and showed eagerness to adopt various cultures. 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, and the natives there were violent. When they landed on a certain island, the natives welcomed the party with apparent friendliness, only to suddenly drag their boat ashore. Then hundreds of men emerged from hiding, brandishing spears, bows, and clubs, and charged forward with raised war cries. Stanley’s party met them with a calm demeanor. They seemed somewhat disconcerted and began discussing something; taking advantage of this lull, the entire group pushed their boat into the water and made their escape.

In this way, the fact that the natives’ attitudes varied so widely from place to place was a distinctive feature of Africa’s interior—for travelers, this proved both fascinating and perilous.

On May 6, after nearly fifty days spent completing the circumnavigation of the lake, the party returned to the village of Kagehi. Among those who had remained behind, one white man and six porters had died from the diseases of this savage land. Stanley thus completed his exploration of Lake Victoria. They also came to understand the lake's topography and expanse. They came to understand the many rivers flowing into the lake, and it became clear that precisely the large Kagera River flowing from the west was indeed the uppermost reaches of the Nile River.

Stanley continued his exploration of the surrounding areas, requested King Mutesa of Uganda to provide him with numerous guardsmen, investigated Lake Albert Edward to the west, and surveyed the features of the nearby mountain ranges.

This expedition took about a year, and on May 27, 1876, the exhausted party finally arrived at Ujiji on the shores of Lake Tanganyika.

Ujiji was where Stanley had first encountered Livingstone in November five years earlier, and Stanley felt inexpressible emotions. 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, expanse, and depth, and meticulously investigated the rivers flowing into and out of the lake.

Thus, the problem of the Nile River’s source had been resolved, and the vicinity of the source area had been thoroughly investigated on-site.

However, Stanley’s exploratory travels—having taken up Livingstone’s grand ambition—would grow increasingly grand in scale from this point onward. At the end of that year, he reached Nyangwe in the west, where he organized an expedition comprising 152 main members and 400 reinforcements. Resolved to become a single torch illuminating the western half of the Dark Continent, he charged into the secret western frontiers and undertook the heroic grand adventure of descending the Congo River. After this crossing journey, he went on to frequently command additional expeditions and military campaigns, continuing to strive in the development of the African continent until 1890.