the scottish explorer david livingstone reached this spot in africa where his statue stands today in of them but eight hundred fifty five he had already been traveling through southern africa for several years what he saw when those few november days made such an impression on him that he wrote about the experience again and again in his travel records livingston was both missionary and doctor and had been working in africa since eight hundred forty one but in eight hundred forty nine he decided to make his first big trip into the interior.