languishing among the Turks.' His father's narrow circumstances necessitated his being sent, in 1823, when but ten years of age, to the mill as 'piecer,' where he was employed, with the exception of the intervals for breakfast and dinner, from six o'clock in the morning until eight at night. Despite these adverse circumstances, he managed to pick up a good knowledge of Latin; his general reading embraced books of travel and scientific works, classical religious works, and, more than all, the Bible. He had a habit of fixing upon the spinning-jenny the book he was reading, so that his eye could catch the sentences as he passed in his work. Though his work hours were from six in the morning till eight o'clock in the evening, yet he managed in his limited leisure, amongst other studies, to make himself thoroughly acquainted with the scenery, botany, and geology of his native district. Eighteen hours out of the twenty-four were thus very often given up to toil and self-improvement. At nineteen he was promoted to the more laborious toil of a cotton-spinner. The wages he now received enabled him to attend the medical and other classes in Glasgow University, walking to and from his father's house, a distance of about nine miles. When about sixteen years of age, under awakened religious feeling, he had been inspired with a strong desire to become a missionary in China. When he was at last admitted a member of the Faculty of Physicians, he wrote afterwards, It was with unfeigned delight I became a member of a profession which is pre-eminently devoted to practical benevolence, and which with unwearied energy pursues from age to age its endeavours to lessen human woe.' In 1840, after a preliminary examination and training, he was ordained as a Medical Missionary by the London Missionary Society. He sailed for the Cape, where, after a brief stay, he landed at Port Natal, and soon afterwards made personal acquaintance at Kuruman with the Rev. Robert Moffat, whose daughter he afterwards married. His subsequent triumphs are briefly chronicled at the conclusion of this volume. How great had been these triumphs nearly twenty years ago, is shown in the words. of Sir Roderick Murchison, spoken shortly after his return in 1856. He had travelled over no less than 11,000 miles of African territory. . . . By his astronomical observations he had determined the sites of numerous places, hills, rivers, and lakes, nearly all of which had been hitherto unknown, while he had seized upon every opportunity of describing the physical features, climatology, and geological structure of the countries which he had explored, and had pointed out many new sources of commerce as yet unknown to the scope and the enterprise of the British merchant.' Livingstone wished to make complete work of the exploration of the sources of the Nile, and death found him busy at his task. The details of his death are familiar to most readers, and so we give them in their briefest form. He was making for a mound to the west of Lake Bangweolo, from which rose four rivers, two of which, flowing north, formed the Lualaba. Soon after leaving Unanyembé, he began to suffer from a complaint which occasioned loss of blood, and weakened him much. Throughout the wearisome journey, up till the end of April, his strength rapidly declined, when he expired at Ilala, in a hut built by his faithful servants Susi and Chuma, on May 1, 1873. His body was brought with difficulty by his faithful followers to the coast, whence it was shipped to this country, where it arrived, at Southampton, on the 16th of April 1874. It was conveyed through the streets of Southampton in solemn procession, and taken by special train to London. On the 18th his remains were interred in the central nave of Westminster Abbey with all the distinction and honour which such an unselfish and heroic life demanded from his countrymen. A memorial tablet, with the following inscription, now marks the spot in Westminster Abbey where the remains. of Dr. Livingstone are deposited :- Brought by faithful hands over land and sea, here rests David Livingstone, missionary, traveller, philanthropist. Born March 19, 1813; died May 1, 1873, at Chitambo's village, Ulala. For thirty years his life was spent in an unwearied effort to evangelise the native races, to explore the undiscovered secrets, to abolish the desolating slave-trade of Central Africa, and where, with his last words, he wrote: —“All I can add in my solitude is, may Heaven's rich blessing come down on every one-American, English, or Turk-who will help to heal this open sore of the world."' On each side of the tablet are also the following inscriptions: Tantus amor veri, nihil est quod noscere malim, quam fluvii causas per sæcula tanta latentes ;' and 'Other sheep I have which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice.' CONTENTS. MANDEVILLE'S TRAVELS. The way out of England to Constantinople-Cross and Crown of our Lord Jesus Christ-The daughter of Ypocras transformed from a woman to a dragon, . PAGE Of the Dead Sea, and of the River Jordan-Of the province of Galilee-Of the age of our Lady-Of the City of Damascus-The way to Jerusalem by land, How the Sultan discoursed to me the author of this book-Of Mohammed-of Albania and of Libya-Of Noah's ship-Of the land of Job, and of his age-Of the array of men of Chaldea-Of the knowledge and virtues of the true Of the customs of Isles about India-Of the Judgments made by St. Thomas-Of the evil customs in the isle of Lamary-How the earth and the sea are of round How men know by an idol if the sick shall die or not-Of the great Chan of Cathay -Wherefore he is called the great Chan-Of the realm of Thairse and the lands and kingdoms towards the north parts, in coming down from the land of Cathay, Of the Emperor of Persia, and of the land of darkness, and of other kingdoms that belong to the great Chan of Cathay-Of the countries and islands beyond the land of Cathay-Of the devil's head in the perilous valley-Of the hills of gold that ants keep-Of the four streams that come from terrestrial Paradise, IX. Division of Abyssinia-Manners and Customs of the Inhabitants, . X. Made Governor of Ras el Feel-Skirmish between the army of Fasil and 386-574 575 |