36 Cincinnati Society of Natural History. 



"A CINCINNATI BOY IN THE TROPICS." 



HV CHAKLKS DUKV. 



[Read April 7th, 1S91.] 



TRAVELS OF WM. D0HI-:KTV. 



In the Spring of 1S73 there came to mj- work shop in Avon- 

 dale, a small, pallid, feeble looking boy, whose head seemed to 

 be too large for his body. His well chosen language and sage re- 

 marks indicated an "old head on young shoulders." I never 

 saw any one so completely infatuated with natural history. He 

 wished to accompany me on expeditions after birds and in- 

 .sects. On the first day's trip he became sick, and I was 

 obliged to leave him exhausted on a log. But his determina- 

 tion was strong and he tried it again, the long tramps de- 

 veloped and strengthened him. In March, 187S, William 

 Doherty being then twenty years old, sought and obtained an 

 appointment as an assistant of the " Smithsonian Institution " 

 to the Paris Exposition, in charge of the United States ex- 

 hibit. After filling, in a creditable manner, his duties, he 

 received his discharge, and started off to see Europe on foot, 

 leaving Paris late in July, and going to Holland, Germany, 

 and Italy, diligently studying French and German, arriving at 

 Venice in October. From there he went to Turkey, arriving 

 at Constantinople November i6th. From there he pushed on 

 to Greece, traveling all through that country on foot, living 

 cheaply in monasteries. The people were most delightful, 

 and treated him with the greatest hospitality. The language 

 spoken was the ancient Greek, in its greatest purity, even by 

 the common people. He located near Athens, and devoted a 

 year to the study of language. During iSSo he tramped over 

 the Holy Land, living with tlie missionaries, one of whom, 

 Rev. Mr. Iviton, said he had a phenomenal talent for lan- 

 guage. During his tramp over Egypt lie corresponded for 

 the New York Tribune. He then went to Erzerum, arriving 

 November 22, 1880. Here he bought an Arab horse he 



