LIVINGSTONE

Thème.

David Livingstone was born in Scotland. He had, in his youth, a great craving for éducation. Ity dint of persévérance and without a teacher, he learned Latin, Greek, botany, and geology ; and at the âge of twenty-seven he received the degree of doctor of medicine. One day, while studying the map of Africa, he noticed that the centre of this vast continent had been left without geographical indications. From that day he became desirous of exploring that unknown country in order to give those unhappy barbarians religion and civilization. He sailed to the Cape of Good Hope, and thence went to live with the chief of a savage tribe to become acquainted with the language and habits of that country.

Soon afterwards he discovered the lake Ngami and the Zambeze river, only the mouth of which was known to Europeans. Finally he reached Saint Paul de Loanda, where he rested for five months.

Then, instead of returning by sea to Cape colony, he went across the whole continent, travelling from west to east. Neither fatal fevers nor wild animais could deter him from his project, and after having viewed the falls of the Zambeze river, he reached Quilimane on the Indian Océan. He had thus succeeded in traversing the very centre of Africa, a country which Europeans had never trodden before.

He then went back to England, which he had left sixteen years before.

Exercices de Traduction. 227

LIVINGSTONE (fin).

Thème.

Stanley left Zanzibar in the first part of Eebruary, 1871. He was accompanied by a large number of negroes, who carried ail that was necessary for such a long jonrney. They marched in a westerly direction, trying ail the while to gather information abont Livingstone. After travelling for several months, Stanley heard that the famous explorer was resting in a small village called Oudjiji on the banks of Lake Tanganyika. He hastened to that place, and had the good fortune to meet Livingstone there.

After staying with him for a few days, Stanley urged him to return with him to Europe, but the doctor flatly refused, being desirous of exploring the country west of Lake Tanganyika. Stanley then went back alone to Europe, bringing with him letters from Livingstone to his relatives, and the diary in which he had written his observations on the country through which he had journeyed.

Stanley received in Erance an enthusiastic welcome, while he was coldly received on the other side of the Channel. Livingstone, according to what he had said to Stanley, resumed his explorations, but near Lake Banguelo he fell a victim to malarial fever ; his strength rapidly f ailed, and on the lst of May, 1873, his faithful servants found him dead in his cabin.

They would not abandon the remains of their master, but embalmed his body as well as they could, and took it to Zanzibar, where they arrived in Eebruary, 1874.

The remains of the great explorer are now resting in Westminister Abbey.