CHAPTER XII 



" ART OF TRAVEL " 



Compilation of the Art of Travel Lectures at Aldershot 

 Heliostat Rifle screen Reader newspaper 



I WAS rather unsettled during a few years, wish- 

 ing to undertake a fresh bit of geographical 

 exploration, or even to establish myself in some 

 colony ; but I mistrusted my powers, for the health 

 that had been much tried had not wholly recovered. 

 On the other hand, there was abundance of useful 

 work at home. Geographical exploration had become 

 a topic of general interest. Burton had penetrated to 

 Mecca. Japan was opened, and Laurence Oliphant 

 had returned thence. Dr. Barth had come back at 

 last from his long exploration of North Africa, includ- 

 ing districts which are now under British and French 

 rule and well mapped, but at that time were either 

 partially or quite unknown. It is very different 

 now ; a letter can be sent for a penny to Kano, and 

 Timbuctoo has become a French military station. 

 Arctic expeditions by land and sea were then much 

 to the fore; Dr. Rae ( 1 8 131893) had performed 

 his great journeys in Arctic North America, with 

 a wonderfully small and inexpensive equipment. 

 Lesseps was engaged in obtaining support for making 

 the Suez Canal, and I must say that the British 



