Letter from Livingston to Murray3, 1858

Author(s): Livingstone, David

Kongone harbour

5th October 1858

My dear Mr Murray


Two Dutch clergymen
at the Cape were once lighted
on comfortably lodged in
the house of a rebel who had
a few days before had been
actively engaged in the
murder of the Honble Captain
Murray and a number of
soldiers at Boomplaats
I did not want to see them
but there they were. and
they not only circulated a
tale of scandal to the effect
that a black metal pot I once
lent to a chief was a common



the consequence was I was
refused a supply of gunpowder
at the Cape when departing
on my great journey
They cannot forgive me for
seeing them as they were
stultifying the Government
by apparently fraternizing
with the rebels. They said
nothing while I had an
ovation & £800 in Cape
Town but when I am
some hundreds of miles
off make an attack not
on the text but on
a footnote in which
I mention their way of
getting land for the church
in a commendatory style



they evidently feel that if they
can prove a single point
erroneous they are safe — and
one a Scotchman Dr Robertson
has written to me and threatens
to write to you too — he makes
an assertion that the stipend
is so much but leaves
out of view the etceteras
which make it much
more — I answer him
and think he will scarcely
publish my answer
as I refer pointedly to
our former meeting
in the rebel's house &
the onus of publication
rests with him — If
he likes to publish his
own. Shame he may



[I] write this in great haste
We have got no end of the
finest coal — It is like the Welsh
I burned a ton and a half
in coming down from Tette
My men recieved me in
transports of joy. Thirty of
them died of small
pox and six were killed
by a rebel chief. Sekwebus'
principal servant is now
with me. I leave tomorrow
morning again for Tette —
Party all well. Kind
regards to Cook & Mrs M.
Mrs L is off for Kuruman
with her father and mother

I am [&c]

David Livingstone

Oct 5 — 1858
Livingstone, Revd Dr

Letter from Livingston to Murray3, 1858

Document Information

Document ID	194
Title	Letter from Livingston to Murray3, 1858
Year group	1850-1900
Genre	Personal writing
Year of publication	1858
Place of publication	Africa
Wordcount	370

Author information: Livingstone, David

Author ID	36
Forenames	David
Surname	Livingstone
Gender	Male
Year of birth	1813
Place of birth	Blantyre, Scotland
Occupation	Missionary, explorer, mill worker
Education	University
Locations where resident	Blantyre, Glasgow
Other languages spoken	Latin
Religious affiliation	Protestant, Congregational Church