Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa including a Sketch of Sixteen Years’ Residence in the Interior of Africa

This absorbing narrative by the world famous explorer and Christian missionary, David Livingstone, (1813–1873) was first published in 1857 after the President of the Royal Geographical Society asked Livingstone to give a series of public lectures on his travels in Africa. The book was a great success, but Livingstone reportedly said 'I think I would rather cross the African continent again than undertake to write another book'. Livingstone's book describes in careful detail his travels and work in parts of southern and central Africa previously unknown to Europeans. It distils the experiences and observations of sixteen years during which Livingstone bravely faced the challenges of climate, terrain and tropical disease, travelling in a small group and adopting a non-confrontational approach to the local populations. The book makes fascinating reading for anyone interested in Africa's indigenous peoples, their customs and languages, animal and plant life, geology, and mineralogy.

Introduction; 1. Residence at Kuruman, Lepelole, and Kolobeng; 2. The Boers; 3. Crossing the desert; 4. Second and third journeys from Kolobeng; 5. Last journey from Cape Town; 6. Kuruman; 7. Diseases of animals; 8. Missionary labours; 9. Linyanti; 10. African fever; 11. Linyanti to Sesheke; 12. Ascent of the Leeambye; 13. Linyanti; 14. Ascent of the Leeambye continued; 15. Ascent of the Leeba; 16. Land journey to Shinte's town; 17. The Lonaje; 18. The Kasai; 19. Through Bashinje territory to Cassange; 20. The Makololo at Loanda; 21. Residence at Golungo Alto; 22. Tala Mungongo; 23. Detour southward; 24. The Lotembwa; 25. Naliele; 26. Descent of the Leeambye; 27. Natural history and geology; 28. Notices of the elephant; 29. Crossing the Loangwa; 30. Animals; 31. Notices of Tete and its vicinity; 32. Descent of the Zambesi; Appendix.

In this book, first published in 1857, David Livingstone describes his travels and work as a missionary and explorer in regions of Africa previously unknown to Europeans. The book makes fascinating reading for anyone interested in Africa's indigenous peoples, their customs and languages, animal and plant life, geology, and mineralogy.