PREFACE. 



Many years ago, while barely in my " teens," I had tlie 

 good fortune to fall in with Waterton's Wanderings, then 

 newly placed in the school Kbrary. The book fascinated 

 me. Week after week I took it out of the library, and 

 really think that I could have repeated it verbatim from 

 beginning to end. It was a glimpse into an unknown 

 world, where I longed to follow the Wanderer, littk 

 thinking tliat I .ihould ever have the privilege of visiting 

 him in his wonderful Yorkshire home. I looked upon 

 Waterton much as the pagans of old regarded their 

 demi-gods, and not even Sinbad the Sailor was so in- 

 teresting a personage to me as Waterton the Wanderer. 



But there was one drawback to the full enjoyment 

 and comprehension of the book. It mentioned all kinds 

 of animals, birds, and trees, and I did not know what 

 they were, nor was there any one who could tell me. I 

 did not know what a Salempenta was, except that it 



