Narrative of an Expedition to the Zambesi and its Tributaries
And of the Discovery of the Lakes Shirwa and Nyassa: 1858–64

This 1865 publication describes the many difficulties encountered by Livingstone's unsuccessful expedition up the Zambesi River in 1858–1864.

David Livingstone (Author), Charles Livingstone (Author)

9781108031219, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 19 May 2011

666 pages, 34 b/w illus. 1 map
21.6 x 14 x 3.7 cm, 0.84 kg

The success of the Victorian explorer and missionary David Livingstone's first book, Missionary Travels (1857), led to his receiving government funding in 1858 for an expedition up the Zambezi River. The trip was expected to last two years, and was intended to further commercial and scientific as well as missionary aims. However, owing to internal disagreements, illness (including the death of Livingstone's wife), drought and tribal warfare, the explorers' mission took six and a half years and achieved little apart from collecting plant and geological specimens. The upper reaches of the Zambesi proved unnavigable owing to rapids and waterfalls, and the expedition was recalled. This account, published in 1865 by Livingstone (1813–1873) and his younger brother Charles, who had accompanied him, was in part an attempt to excuse the problems which had beset the expedition, and restore Livingstone's reputation in order to gain backing for further ventures.

Preface
Introduction
1. Concealment of mouths of Zambesi by Portuguese
2. Meet Makololo
3. Native musicians
4. Third trip up the Shire
5. Manganja highlands
6. Return to vessel
7. Start to take Makololo home
8. Chicova
9. Tette grey sandstone and coal
10. Zumbo
11. Mission to Moselekatse
12. Mosi-oa-tunya
13. Servitude of interior
14. The Makololo
15. Departure from Sesheke
16. Moemba
17. Down to Kongone
18. The 'Pioneer'
19. Start again for Nyassa
20. Napoleon III
21. Connivance of Governor-General in slave-trade
22. Quillimane
23. Start for upper cataracts of Shire
24. Our English sailors
25. Kota-kota Bay
26. Reasons for returning
27. Resemblance of African hunters to Egyptian figures
28. Rest of tropical trees
29. Results of expedition.

Subject Areas: African history [HBJH]