David Livingstone's Animal Observations

David Livingstone was born at Blantyre , Glasgow in 1813. Blantyre is close by the Glasgow Zoopark situated at Calderpark. From the age of ten he worked in the cotton mill and attended school in the evening. He studied medicine at Anderson College in Glasgow (now the Strathclyde University ) and then joined the London Missionary Society. He left for Africa as a medical missionary in 1840. Livingstone made numerous journeys of exploration. His most famous discovery, the Victoria Falls, was made on his trans-continental journal in 1855. He died in Africa in 1873, aged 60, while investigating the mystery of the source of the Nile.

While in Africa, David Livingstone wrote both journals (diaries), and books about his work. These include tales of the flora and fauna he encountered on his travels, and being a close neighbour of the Glasgow Zoopark we feel it appropriate to include extracts relevant to such flora and fauna.

Extracts from " Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa "

...The Bakatla of the village Mabotsa were troubled by lions, which leaped into the cattle-pens by night and destroyed their cows. They even attacked the herds in open day. This was so unusual an occurrence that the people believed themselves bewitched -- " given, " as they said, " into the power of the lions by a neighbouring tribe. " They went once to attack the animals, but, being rather cowardly in comparison with the Bechuanus in general, they returned without slaying any. It is well known that if one in a troop of lions is killed the remainder leave that part of the country.

The next time, therefore, the herds were attacked, I went with the people to encourage them to rid themselves of the annoyance by destroying one of the marauders. We found the animals on a small hill covered with trees. The men formed round it in a circle, and gradually closed up as they advanced. Being below on the plain with a native schoolmaster named Mebalwe , I saw one of the lions sitting on a piece of rock within the ring. Medalwe fired at him, and the ball hit the rock on which the animal was sitting. He bit at the spot struck, as a dog does at a stick or stone thrown at him; and then leaping away, broke through the circle and escaped unhurt. If the Bakatla had acted according to the custom of the country, they would have speared him in his attempt to get out, but they were afraid to attack him. When the circle was reformed, we saw two other lions in it; but dared not fire lest we should shoot some of the people.. The beasts burst through the line, and, as it was evident the men could not be prevailed on to face their foes, we bent our footsteps towards the village. In going round the end of the hill I saw a lion sitting on a piece of rock, about thirty yards off, with a little bush in front of him. I took a good aim at him through the bush, and fired both barrels into it.

The men called out, " He is shot, he is shot! " Others cried, " He has been shot by another man too; let us go to him! " I saw the lion's tail erected in anger, and, turning to the people, said, " Stop a little till I load again. " When in the act of ramming down the bullets I heard a shout, and, looking half round, I saw the lion in the act of springing upon me. He caught me by the shoulder, and we both came to the ground together. Growling horribly he shook me as a terrier dog does a rat. The shock produced a stupor similar to that which seems to be felt by a mouse after the first gripe of the cat. It caused a sort of dreaminess, in which there was no sense of pain nor feeling of terror, though I was quite conscious of all that was happening. It was like what patients partially under the influence of chloroform describe; they see the operation, but do not feel the knife. This placidity is probably produced in all animals killed by the carnivora; and if so, is a merciful provision of the Creator for lessening the pain of death. As he had one paw on the back of my head, I turned round to relieve myself of the weight, and saw his eyes directed to Mebalwe , who was aiming at him from a distance of ten or fifteen yards. His gun, which was a flint one, missed fire in both barrels. The animal immediately left me to attack him, and bit his thigh. Another man, whose life I had saved after he had been tossed by a buffalo, attempted to spear the lion, upon which he turned from Mebalwe and seized this fresh foe by the shoulder. At that moment the bullets the beast had received took effect, and he fell down dead. The whole was the work of a few moments, and must have been his paroxysm of dying rage.

In order to take out the charm from him, the Bakatla on the following day made a huge bonfire over the carcase, which was declared to be the largest ever seen. Beside crunching the bone into splinters, eleven of his teeth had penetrated the upper part of my arm. The bite of a lion resembles a gun-shot wound. It is generally followed by a great deal of sloughing and discharge, and ever afterwards pains are felt periodically in the part. I had on a tartan jacket, which I believe wiped off the virus from the teeth that pierced the flesh, for my two companions in the affray have both suffered from the usual pains, while I have escaped with only the inconvenience of a false joint in my limb. The wound of the man who was bit in the shoulder actually burst forth afresh on the same month of the following year. This curious point deserves the attention of inquirers.

The Hopo

...The children scoured the country in search of the numerous bulbs and roots which can sustain life, and the men engaged in hunting. Great numbers of buffaloes, zebras, giraffes, tsessebes, kamas, or hartebeests, kokongs or gnus, pallas, rhinoceroses, etc., congregated at some fountains near Kolobeng, and the trap called " hopo " was constructed for their destruction. The hopo consists of two hedges in the form of the letter V . They are made very high and thick near the angle, where they do not however touch, and at the extremity is a pit six or eight feet deep, and twelve or fifteen in breadth and length.

Trunks of trees are laid across the margins of the pit, and form an overlapping border, so as to render it almost impossible for the animal to leap out. The whole is carefully decked with short green rushes. As the hedges are frequently about a mile long, and about as much apart at the opening, a tribe which makes a circle round the country adjacent, and gradually closes up, is almost sure to sweep before it a large body of game. It is driven up with shouts to the narrow part of the hopo , where men are secreted who throw javelins into the affrighted herds.

The animals rush to the narrow opening presented at the converging hedges, and fall into the pit. Some escape by running over the others, as a Smithfield market dog runs over the backs of the sheep. It is a frightful scene. The men, wild with excitement, spear the lovely animals with mad delight: others, borne down by the weight of their dead and dying companions, will every now and then make the whole mass heave by their struggles.

The Bakwains often killed between sixty and seventy head of large game at the different hopos in a single week.

Locusts, frogs, used as Food

...We were sometimes fain to accept a dish of locusts. They have a strong vegetable taste, which varies with the plants on which they feed. There is a physiological reason why locusts and honey should be eaten together: the laxative properties of the last correct the astringent qualities of the first. Locusts are often roasted and pounded into meal, when they will keep for months. Boiled they are disagreeable; but when roasted I much prefer them to shrimps, though I would avoid both if possible. The scarcity of meat was felt more especially by my children; and the natives, to show their sympathy, often gave them a large kind of caterpillar, which they seemed to relish. These insects could not be unwholsome, for the natives devoured them in large quantities themselves.

Another dainty of which our children partook with eagerness was the enormous frog called " Matlametlo. " When cooked it looks like a chicken. These creatures are supposed by the natives to fall down from thunder-clouds, because, after heavy storms, the pools, being filled with water which is retained a few days, become instantly alive with this loud-croaking game. As they rush forth into the hollows into which the rain is falling, and the Bechuanas are cowering under their skin garments, the sudden chorus struck up from all sides seem to indicate a descent from the heavens. The phenomenon takes place in the driest parts of the desert, where to an ordinary observer there is not a sign of life. I afterwards learned from the Bushmen that the matlametlo makes a hole at the root of certain bushes, and there ensconces himself during the months of drought. As he seldom emerges, a large variety of spider takes advantage of the hole, and makes its web across the orifice. No one but a Bushman would think of searching beneath a spider's web for a frog.

A Suggestion for Introductions to the UK

It is remarkable that more attempts have not been made to domesticate some of the African animals in England. The eland, the most magnificent of antelopes, would grace the parks of our nobility, and its excellent flesh be a delicacy at their tables. The noble esculent frog might prove a welcome addition to the eatables of France.

Scavanger Beetle's work

The scavenger beetle is one of the most useful of insects, for it effectually answers the object indicated by the name. Where they abound, as at Kuruman, the villages are clean. No sooner are animal excretions dropped than, attracted by the scent, the scavengers are heard coming booming up the wind. They roll away the droppings of cattle in round pieces often as large as billiard-balls till they reach a place proper by its softness for excavating. They then dig the soil out from beneath the ball, and, when it is let down into the ground and covered, they lay their eggs within the mass. The larvae devour the inside of their little globe before coming up to the surface to begin life for themselves. The beetles with their gigantic balls look like Atlas with the world on his shoulders. Their progression, however, is backwards, and, keeping their heads down, they push with the hind legs, as if a boy should roll a snowball with his feet, while standing on his crown.

David Livingstone's birth place is now

Why not have a visit to that Centre as well as Glasgow Zoopark!