The R. M. Ballantyne Library

R. M. Ballantyne

Hoist sail, shoulder your pack, and set forth upon a world of peril, discovery, and high adventure. The R. M. Ballantyne Library brings the stirring tales of R. M. Ballantyne to life in full. Journeys across coral seas, frozen wastes, untamed forests, and distant frontiers, where courage is tested and friendship proves its worth.

For those who delight in shipwrecks, exploration, narrow escapes, and the grand adventure stories of the Victorian age, here is an invitation to travel once more into Ballantyne’s remarkable world.

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77 episodes
daily
Avg 22 min
English

Episodes 77

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S3 · E25
Yesterday · 16 min
Black Ivory Chapter 25
In which our observant and compassionate hero reveals the depths of his acquaintance with the slave-girl Azinté and her husband Kambira, embarking upon a bold plan to bring them to freedom and a better life at the Cape of Good Hope, amidst the...
S3 · E24
Wednesday · 18 min
Black Ivory Chapter 24
In which Harold Seadrift and his companions witness the brutal punishment of a slave and navigate the uneasy politics of Governor Letotti’s town, leading to a poignant farewell with Senhorina Maraquita amid the somber realities of slavery’s toll....
S3 · E23
Wednesday · 7 min
Black Ivory Chapter 23
In which the author solemnly addresses the urgent necessity of halting the slave-trade through its principal African channels while urging continuous vigilance and concerted international effort to uphold treaty obligations and enforce abolition. He...
S3 · E22
Tuesday · 25 min
Black Ivory Chapter 22
In which we are led through the grim and harrowing voyage of a slave gang forced along a fearful route to the coast and then packed like cargo on dhows bound for distant markets, their bodies and spirits broken by cruelty, disease, and despair. The...
S3 · E21
Tuesday · 17 min
Black Ivory Chapter 21
In which Harold and Disco traverse a grim and wearisome itinerary through a vast swamp, witnessing unspeakable cruelties inflicted on a slave procession that tests their strength and spirit, whilst tending to a dying captive with gentle compassion...
S3 · E19
Monday · 24 min
Black Ivory Chapter 19
In which Harold Seadrift and Disco Lillihammer, weakened by illness and captivity, find themselves under the protection of the thoughtful and hospitable chief Yambo after a violent encounter with enraged natives displaced by slavers. Amid the trials...
S3 · E20
Monday · 22 min
Black Ivory Chapter 20
In which a close friendship blossoms between two unlikely companions through shared stories and reflections on faith, even as a ruthless slave-trader devastates a village and pursues them with ominous intent. The tale sets a sombre scene as the men...
S3 · E17
Sunday · 8 min
Black Ivory Chapter 17
In which Lieutenant Lindsay, perplexed by the silence of his interpreter regarding the enigmatic Marizano, resorts to drastic measures to uncover vital information about the slaver’s movements along the coast. The narrative then follows the capture of...
S3 · E18
Sunday · 24 min
Black Ivory Chapter 18
In which we are introduced to the slave-dealer Yoosoof and an English ship captain engaged in a heated discourse over the wickedness and consequences of the Zanzibar slave-trade, before Yoosoof undertakes a journey into the interior with a caravan of...
S3 · E16
Saturday · 26 min
Black Ivory Chapter 16
In which the sorrowful Senhorina Maraquita laments the secret sale of her beloved slave Azinté by her father to a notorious trader, whilst Lieutenant Lindsay sets forth on a secretive and perilous cruise to track down the slavers along the East...
S3 · E15
Saturday · 22 min
Black Ivory Chapter 15
In which two Englishmen encounter a harrowing procession of chained slaves and, moved by compassion and outrage, courageously intervene to free them, only to discover the grim realities behind their captivity and the ruthless men who enforce it. Their...
S3 · E14
October 16 · 27 min
Black Ivory Chapter 14
In which the travellers encamp beneath a vast baobab and share tales and songs around the campfire, whilst encountering the wild creatures of the African night, including a most formidable lion whose roar commands respect and caution. Their journey...
S3 · E13
October 16 · 21 min
Black Ivory Chapter 13
In which the travellers observe the lively nocturnal customs of the native camp, partake in spirited debates and dances, and witness the chief Kambira’s deep distress over his lost wife Azinté, leading to an urgent departure for the coast under...
S3 · E12
October 15 · 30 min
Black Ivory Chapter 12
In which the intrepid hunters pitch their camp by a lake rich with wildlife and embark upon a spirited pursuit of diverse game, from zebras and buffaloes to wary elephants, amidst the untamed splendour of the African wilderness. The day's adventure...
S3 · E11
October 15 · 19 min
Black Ivory Chapter 11
In which our travellers pause at Kambira’s village, engaging in thoughtful discourse about the customs of the native inhabitants, and find amusement in the peculiar fashions and lively characters they encounter. The party then prepares for a hunting...
S3 · E10
October 14 · 25 min
Black Ivory Chapter 10
In which the noble Kambira returns to his flourishing village nestled among fertile hills, where the industrious Manganja people live in harmony, cultivating their land and engaging in joyous communal pastimes, their lives enriched by simple yet...
S3 · E9
October 14 · 10 min
Black Ivory Chapter 9
In which we observe, with a mixture of curiosity and respect, a Central African chief engaged in the artful and resourceful practice of hunting hippopotami by means of a cleverly devised trap. This episode gently elucidates the dignity and wisdom...
S3 · E8
October 13 · 32 min
Black Ivory Chapter 8
In which the travellers enter the vast and life-filled swamp of the Shire River, witnessing both its natural wonders and the darker realities of cruelty and famine inflicted upon its people by slave-dealers and local tyrants. Amidst scenes of wild...
S3 · E7
October 13 · 18 min
Black Ivory Chapter 7
In which our intrepid English travellers, amidst the wilds of Africa, encounter hostile savages yet manage to turn foes into friends through calmness and the plight of a rescued slave; and where their journey brings them face to face with the harsh...
S3 · E6
October 12 · 31 min
Black Ivory Chapter 6
In which our intrepid travellers, newly immersed in the lush and teeming wilderness of equatorial Africa, encounter a vivid tapestry of exotic flora and fauna, and witness the grim realities of the slave trade along the Zambesi. Their compassion stirs...

Showing 1–20 of 77 episodes