THE LATE GEORGE FREDERICK RUXTON. V 



edly at rest over their picket-fire, I would sit cross-legged, enjoy- 

 ing the genial warmth, and, pipe in mouth, watch the blue 

 smoke as it curled upward, building castles in its vapory 

 wreaths, and in the fantastic shapes it assumed, peopling the 

 solitude with figures of those far away. Scarcely, however, did 

 T ever wish to change such hours of freedom for all the luxuries 

 of civilized life ; and, unnatural and extraordinary as it may 

 appear, yet such is the fascination of the life of the mountain 

 hunter, that I believe not one instance could be adduced of even 

 the most polished and civilized of men, who had once tasted the 

 sweets of its attendant liberty, and freedom from every worldly 

 care, not regretting the moment when he exchanged it for the 

 monotonous life of the settlements, nor sighing and sighing again 

 once more to partake of its pleasures and allurements." 



On his return to Europe from the Far West, Mr. Ruxton, 

 animated with a spirit as enterprising and fearless as that of 

 Raleigh, planned a scheme for the exploration of Central Africa, 

 which was thus characterized by the president of the Royal 

 Geographical Society, in his anniversary address for 1845 :— 

 *' To my great surprise, I recently conversed with an ardent and 

 accomplished youth. Lieutenant Ruxton, late of the 89th regi- 

 ment, who had formed the daring project of traversing Africa in 

 the parallel of the southern tropic, and has actually started for 

 this purpose. Preparing himself by previous excursions on foot, 

 in North Africa and Algeria, he sailed from Liverpool early in 

 December last, in the Royalist, for Ichaboe. From that spot he 

 was to repair to Walvish Bay, where we have already mercan- 

 tile establishments. The intrepid traveler had received from 

 the agents of these establishments such favorable accounts of the 



