MISSALE ROMANUM Ex Decreto Sacro-Sancti Cconcilii 1684 Leather HB

M I S S A L E

 R O M A N U M  

 Ex Decreto Sacro - Sancti Concilii

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BACKGROUND BEHIND THE BOOK

In March 1858, after fifteen months in Britain, Livingstone set sail for Africa. 

While home, he had relentlessly emphasised the commercial possibilities of the continent and the potential for “legitimate commerce” to combat slavery 

Now a celebrated national hero, Livingstone received substantial support for his plans. Financial backing for his next expedition was soon raised by public subscription and he was also awarded a sum of £5000 from the British government.

Livingstone returned to Africa as a British consul, having now parted ways with the London Missionary Society, leading a team of six Europeans with a mandate to evaluate the possibilities for British trade on the Zambezi 

The original plan was to reach the Zambezi delta, travel to the Batoka highlands, and from there explore the area and catalogue its natural resources.

The expedition, however, faced difficulties from the start. Relations among the group were strained, in part due to Livingstone’s shortcomings as a leader: several members either resigned from the expedition or found themselves dismissed. After investing such hopes in the Zambezi, there was considerable disappointment when further investigation of the Cabora Bassa rapids proved them to be impassable.

The whole expedition had rested on the navigability of the river, and so Livingstone was forced to consider other areas in the search for his highway to the interior. Now, his attention would fall on the Shire River, Lake Nyassa, and the Rovuma. Even though the original plans had proven unworkable, the government permitted the expedition to be extended beyond the original two years that had originally been approved.

Throughout the expedition, navigation was never easy. The water was often too low to permit passage, and Livingstone felt that his problems stemmed from steamboats that were poorly designed. 

The expedition also faced difficulties from other quarters. The encroachment of slave raiders into the Shire highlands and inter-tribal conflict created an increasingly unstable environment. While Livingstone managed to explore a considerable portion of Lake Nyassa, which he called the “lake of stars”, these conditions prevented him from ever reaching its northern end. The failure to circumnavigate and fully survey the lake was a major disappointment to British geographers. 

At the same time, Livingstone’s hopes for a mission in central Africa were frustrated. Inspired by the emotive lectures that he gave in Britain, the Universities’ Mission to Central Africa (UMCA) had sent a party to establish a mission in 1861. While not directly connected to the expedition, they looked to Livingstone for support and advice. They eventually settled in Magomero, a Manganja village in the Shire highlands.However, the mission became embroiled in tumultuous local politics. 

Many of the members also suffered from illness and died of fever. Following the death of the mission’s leader, Bishop Charles Mackenzie, the mission was withdrawn much to Livingstone’s disappointment. Likewise, a mission to the Makololo sent out by the LMS at Livingstone’s encouragement also ended in disaster and the deaths of almost the entire party.

The tragedy during the expedition, moreover, was personal for Livingstone. His wife, Mary, had come out to join him in 1862, but died shortly afterwards at Shupanga. In July 1863, the expedition was recalled to Britain. After a short excursion to the area west of Lake Nyassa, Livingstone began to return home. In a daring journey, he sailed his boat, the Lady Nyassa, across the Indian Ocean to Bombay, before boarding a ship to Britain.

In light of the many difficulties, it is no surprise that the Zambezi Expedition has often been deemed a failure: it certainly failed to meet the tremendous expectations of many supporters at home. Yet this reputation has obscured the fact as a scientific expedition – understood as “an aggregate of projects” with a range of objectives and aspirations – it had some profitable results and various important botanical and zoological specimens were returned to Kew Gardens and the Natural History Museum

This volume was written by Stanley with his brother Charles.  Does it reflect the real Background?

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