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Expedition Africa: Stanley and Livingstone

Episode 8: The Final Chapter

As the team waits out the heavy rains, the explorers recognize that, above all else, they want to make it to Ujiji as a cohesive unit. They work together to bury and resolve their differences. Benedict and Pasquale canoe together down the Malagarasi toward Lake Tanganyika as a symbol of this cohesive spirit. Lake Tanganyika’s currents and waves offer a not-so-friendly greeting, and they switch from canoes to small sailboats. The explorers can feel Ujiji within their grasp. With little thought, they put up their sails quickly and dash for the horizon. Kevin and Benedict’s sail breaks, leaving them far behind and fearful they won’t find camp as the sun sets. At camp, all realize they cannot lose focus this close to the finish. Kevin and Benedict’s troubles continue the next day when boat issues cause them to fall far behind again, but this time, the team pledges to stick together. The explorers spot Ujiji, but the final stretch proves more daunting than they had imagined. Wading chest deep in swampy water and head-high razor grass, they are frightened of the snakes and crocodiles that may be lurking underneath them. Out of the swamp, filthy and exhausted, they decide to switch into fresh clothes – just as Stanley did before meeting Livingstone. Down the Mango Road, they walk down the same path as Stanley to Livingstone – four abreast for the first time, as they make their grand arrival at the Old Market for an epic celebration.

The Journey Ahead

Between Zanzibar and Ujiji, there are 970 miles of high seas, steep hillsides, scorching plains, fast-moving rivers and mud-filled swamps. Danger lurks around every corner, and any step could be their last.

View Their Progress
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Extras

Lake Tanganyika:
Deep History
The third largest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Tanganyika—shared by Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and Zambia—flows into the Congo River. It was in Ujiji, a town situated along the lake’s edge in modern-day Tanzania, that journalist Henry Stanley first encountered the object of his quest, Dr. David Livingstone, after an 8-month search. Nearly a century later, in 1965, Lake Tanganyika served as a training facility for troops led by famed revolutionary Che Guevara. It’s also the rumored home of “Gustave,” a man-eating crocodile.
Stanley’s Grave:
An Explorer’s Final Journey
Henry Morton Stanley died on May 10, 1904, of pleurisy, a type of lung infection. He was supposed to be laid to rest next to Dr. Livingstone, whom he searched for on his much-lauded expedition, but Westminster Abbey would not permit it. The inscription on his gravestone? “Bula Matari,” meaning “breaker of rocks.” Whether this phrase alludes to Stanley’s efforts to forge new settlements or his reputation for committing acts of violence upon the people in his caravan is still being debated.
The Weighting Game:
How to Hold Steady in a Canoe
Canoeing is a great way to experience the outdoors while avoiding the noise and environmental impact of motorized vehicles. In order to make sure you don’t wind up in the water, load your gear so that the weight is evenly distributed over the centerline. Avoid standing up, and be careful at the beginning and end of your water-bound adventure, as most people fall when they’re getting into the canoe or out of it. Having the right canoe also helps--curved bottom canoes are easiest to handle in rough waters.