374. WOMAN IN SCIENCE 



ing this goal, which other explorers had in vain essayed to 

 reach, he was not alone. The companion of his triumph, 

 as of his trials and hardships, was Lady Baker, a woman 

 who, although delicately reared, was as brave in presence 

 of danger as she was resourceful in trials and difficulties. 

 More than once her husband owed his life to her intrepidity 

 and presence of mind, when confronted by the treacherous 

 savages of equatorial Africa; and, if he achieved success 

 where others failed, it was in no slight measure due to 

 her tact, her energy and perseverance in what seemed at 

 times a forlorn hope. "She had learned Arabic with him 

 in a year of necessary but wearisome delay; her mind 

 traveled with his mind as her feet had followed his foot- 

 steps." And, when after preliminary toils without num- 

 ber, after braving dangers from climate, disease and ruth- 

 less savages, they finally stood on the shore of that un- 

 known sea which was then first beheld by English eyes, she 

 could, in contemplating their achievements of which Albert 

 Nyanza was the crowning glory, exclaim with exaltation 

 and truth, "Quorum pars magna fui." 



When Livingstone lost, in the unexplored valley of the 

 Zambesi, the faithful wife who had been his inspiring com- 

 panion in his wanderings in darkest Africa, he lost com- 

 pletely that enthusiasm for deeds of high emprise that 

 before had been one of his leading characteristics. Writing 

 to his distinguished friend, Sir Roderick Murchison, he 

 mournfully declares: "I must confess this heavy stroke 

 quite takes the heart out of me. Everything that has hap- 

 pened only made me more determined to overcome all diffi- 

 culties; but after this sad stroke I feel crushed and void 

 of strength. ... I shall do my duty still, but it is with 

 a darkened horizon that I again set about it." 



The noted English naturalist, Frank Buckland, in speak- 

 ing of the aid afforded by his gifted mother to her dis- 

 tinguished husband, Dr. Buckland, writes as follows: 

 ''During the long period that Dr. Buckland was engaged 



