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On this Day: “Dr. Livingstone, I Presume?”
November 10, 2008 06:30 AM
by
Caleb March
On Nov. 10, 1871, reporter Henry Stanley located missing British explorer David Livingstone in a small Tanzanian village, and uttered the now-famous line.
Livingstone Found in Tanzania
British explorer and Christian missionary David Livingstone began travelling in Africa in 1841, spreading Christianity and commerce throughout areas of the African interior previously unexplored by Europeans. In 1864, Livingstone embarked on what would be his last expedition: to find the source of the Nile River and continue to document the horrors of slavery in Africa. As time went on, Livingstone’s correspondence became more and more infrequent, which sparked speculation that he had been kidnapped or killed somewhere in Africa. When news of Livingstone’s disappearance reached the United States, George Bennett, editor of the New York Herald, took an interest. In 1871, Bennett commissioned reporter Henry Stanley to go to Africa and find Livingstone.
After eight months of trekking through Africa, Stanley and his expedition party found Livingstone on Nov. 10, 1871 in the small village of Ujiji, Tanzania. Stanley describes his meeting with Livingstone and the famous words with which he introduced himself: “I would have run to him, only I was a coward in the presence of such a mob,—would have embraced him, only, he being an Englishman, I did not know how he would receive me; so I did what cowardice and false pride suggested was the best thing,—walked deliberately to him, took off my hat, and said, ‘Dr. Livingstone, I presume?’”
Stanley had lost more than half of his party to disease and desertion on the 700-mile journey from the east coast of Africa to Livingstone’s camp at Ujiji. Although in poor health, Livingstone took the new supplies brought by Stanley and went on exploring Africa until his death in Zambia two years later, on May 1, 1873. After Livingstone’s death, Stanley decided to continue Livingstone’s mission, and spent the next four years exploring the lengths of the Lualaba and Congo Rivers.
After eight months of trekking through Africa, Stanley and his expedition party found Livingstone on Nov. 10, 1871 in the small village of Ujiji, Tanzania. Stanley describes his meeting with Livingstone and the famous words with which he introduced himself: “I would have run to him, only I was a coward in the presence of such a mob,—would have embraced him, only, he being an Englishman, I did not know how he would receive me; so I did what cowardice and false pride suggested was the best thing,—walked deliberately to him, took off my hat, and said, ‘Dr. Livingstone, I presume?’”
Stanley had lost more than half of his party to disease and desertion on the 700-mile journey from the east coast of Africa to Livingstone’s camp at Ujiji. Although in poor health, Livingstone took the new supplies brought by Stanley and went on exploring Africa until his death in Zambia two years later, on May 1, 1873. After Livingstone’s death, Stanley decided to continue Livingstone’s mission, and spent the next four years exploring the lengths of the Lualaba and Congo Rivers.
Key Players: David Livingstone, Henry Stanley
David Livingstone
David Livingstone was born south of Glasgow, Scotland on March 19, 1813. He studied medicine and theology in university and in 1841, he accepted a missionary post near the Kalahari Desert. Livingstone’s experiences convinced him of the evils of slavery and the importance of spreading Christianity throughout Africa. These beliefs inspired him to set out on numerous expeditions that covered unexplored areas of the Kalahari Desert and the Zambezi River. In 1855, Livingstone discovered and named Victoria Falls on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. During the 1850s, the British government sponsored Livingstone on further expeditions to explore regions in central and eastern Africa. After his government funding was cut off in 1864, the explorer found private sponsors and embarked on his final mission. Livingstone was regarded in Britain as a hero. He published several successful books, including “Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa” (1857) and “Narrative of an Expedition to the Zambesi and Its Tributaries” (1865).
Henry Stanley
Sir Henry Morton Stanley was born John Rowlands in Denbigh, Wales on Jan. 28, 1841. After a difficult childhood, he changed his name and ran away to New Orleans when he was 17 years old. In 1861, Stanley fought in the Civil War in the Confederate Army before changing his mind and re-enlisting to fight with the Union Army. After the war, Stanley traveled the United States, earning money as a freelance journalist, eventually landing a position at the New York Herald. Continuing David Livingstone’s exploration mission after the latter’s death, he led an expedition into central Africa.
King Leopold II of Belgium employed Stanley to explore the economic prospects of the Congo region, which unfortunately led to the king establishing a brutal colonial regime there. Throughout the 1880s and 1890s, Stanley spent most of his time giving lectures and participating in politics. He served in British Parliament from 1895 to 1900, and in 1899, he was knighted. Stanley also wrote several books, including “How I Found Livingstone” (1872), “Through the Dark Continent” (1878) and “In Darkest Africa” (1890). Stanley died in London on May 10, 1904.
David Livingstone was born south of Glasgow, Scotland on March 19, 1813. He studied medicine and theology in university and in 1841, he accepted a missionary post near the Kalahari Desert. Livingstone’s experiences convinced him of the evils of slavery and the importance of spreading Christianity throughout Africa. These beliefs inspired him to set out on numerous expeditions that covered unexplored areas of the Kalahari Desert and the Zambezi River. In 1855, Livingstone discovered and named Victoria Falls on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. During the 1850s, the British government sponsored Livingstone on further expeditions to explore regions in central and eastern Africa. After his government funding was cut off in 1864, the explorer found private sponsors and embarked on his final mission. Livingstone was regarded in Britain as a hero. He published several successful books, including “Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa” (1857) and “Narrative of an Expedition to the Zambesi and Its Tributaries” (1865).
Henry Stanley
Sir Henry Morton Stanley was born John Rowlands in Denbigh, Wales on Jan. 28, 1841. After a difficult childhood, he changed his name and ran away to New Orleans when he was 17 years old. In 1861, Stanley fought in the Civil War in the Confederate Army before changing his mind and re-enlisting to fight with the Union Army. After the war, Stanley traveled the United States, earning money as a freelance journalist, eventually landing a position at the New York Herald. Continuing David Livingstone’s exploration mission after the latter’s death, he led an expedition into central Africa.
King Leopold II of Belgium employed Stanley to explore the economic prospects of the Congo region, which unfortunately led to the king establishing a brutal colonial regime there. Throughout the 1880s and 1890s, Stanley spent most of his time giving lectures and participating in politics. He served in British Parliament from 1895 to 1900, and in 1899, he was knighted. Stanley also wrote several books, including “How I Found Livingstone” (1872), “Through the Dark Continent” (1878) and “In Darkest Africa” (1890). Stanley died in London on May 10, 1904.
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