THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 339 



'who ever heard of such a thing? Why, if one started when a 

 mere boy to walk to the other end of the lake, he would be an 

 old, gray-headed man before he got there. I never heard of 

 such a thing being attempted.' 



This answer indicates how little the tribes of Central Africa 

 travel. The end of the lake was not more than one hundred 

 miles from the place where this ignorant native resided, and yet 

 neither he nor any of his companions had any idea of the dis- 

 tance, having lived and fished all their lives in one place. 



DEATH OF MRS. LIVINGSTONE. 



LIVINGSTONE'S exploration of the lake extended from Septem- 

 ber 2 to October 27, 1861, when, having expended or lost most 

 of his goods, it was necessary to go back to the ship. He did 

 not return again to the lake, but established several missions and 

 devoted himself to freeing slaves, being now in a country where 

 slavery appeared to be the principal occupation of the natives. 

 There was incessant war, one tribe preying upon another, cap- 

 turing and selling, massacreing and burning, until barbarity 

 could go no further. Fever broke out among the party on board 

 the vessel, and became extremely virulent and obstinate. About 

 the middle of April Mrs. Livingstone was prostrated by this 

 disease, and it was accompanied by obstinate vomiting. Nothing 

 is yet known that can allay this distressing symptom, which of 

 course renders medicine of no avail, as it is instantly rejected. 

 She received whatever medical aid could be rendered from Dr. 

 Kirk, but became unconscious, and her eyes were closed in the 

 sleep of death as the sun set on the evening of the Christian 

 Sabbath, the 27th of April, 1862. A coffin was made during 

 the night, a grave was dug next day under the branches of the 

 great baobab-tree, and with sympathizing hearts the little band 

 of his countrymen assisted the bereaved husband in burying his 

 dead. At his request, the Rev. James Stewart read the burial 

 service ; and the seamen kindly volunteered to mount guard for 

 some nights at the spot where her body rests in hope. Those 

 who are not aware how this brave, good English wife made a 

 delightful home at Kolobeng, a thousand miles inland from the 



