PUBLISHER’S N OJE.
In consequence o f the size to which the volumes
o f the original edition o f this work had expanded,
the London publishers found it necessary to omit
a large amount o f valuable matter already in
typ e , and, at least for the present, the Asher
Edition could not but follow their example.
This material consists o f chapters on the hydrography,
ethnology, and natural history o f Central
Africa, and o f “ Considerations” on the lakes,
lands, and peoples o f the Equatorial regions; as
well as chapters on the hydrography and physical
geo graph y o f the Western half o f Africa, with
special reference to the Livingstone Basin and
River, and the volcanic formation o f the defile
through which the Livingstone falls into the
Atlantic; with, also, calculations o f the volume
and v e lo city o f fifteen o f the greater affluents
o f the Livingstone.
This material, together with the account o f
Mr. Stanley’s exploration o f the Rufiji River
(promised for the Appendix, see page 69, Vol. I.),
will be gathered into one or two supplementary
volumes, and published during the autumn.
Ham b u r g , July 2, 1878.
THROUGH THE DARK CONTINENT.
EX P LAN A T IO N .— P a r t L
My new mission— The Daily Telegraph— “ Yes; Bennett ”—
The Lady Alice-—-My European staff—Disappointed applicants
and thoughtful friends— My departure for Afrika.
PART II. The sources of the Nile— Herodotus on the Nile
— Burton on the Nile basin— Lake Tanganika— Lake Victoria
Speke, Grant, and Canteron— The Livingstone River
— The work before me.
W h i l e returning to England in A p r il 1874 from
the Ashantee War, the news reached me that
Livingstone was dead — that his b od y was on
its w a y to England!
Livingstone had then fallen! . He was d ead!
He had died b y the shores o f L a k e Bemba, on
the threshold' o f the dark region he had wished
to explore! T h e w o rk he had promised me
to perform was only begun when death overto
o k him!
The effect which this news had upon me, after
the first shock had passed away, was to fire me
with a resolution to complete his w o rk , to be,
if God willed it, the next martyr to geographi-
THROtJGH THE DARK CONTINENT. VOL. I.