INTRODUCTION 



WHILE there is an enormous number of books by 

 individual travellers, there does not appear to be any 

 collection of such stones as are here related stories of 

 the hairbreadth escapes of the big-game hunter, the 

 thrilling adventures of the explorer of unknown lands, 

 or the great risks faced by the climber in his attempt 

 to conquer some virgin peak. 



Again, in many of the books written by early ex- 

 plorers are valuable descriptions of native life and of 

 primitive customs, which have, through various causes, 

 either undergone great change or died out altogether. 

 Some of the volumes containing this important material 

 are out of print, and a selection of the most interesting 

 pages has been made. 



Owing to the very large number of books quoted 

 from, it is impossible to mention them separately here, 

 but the editor wishes to take this opportunity of 

 thanking the authors for their kind permission to 

 make extracts from their books, and also to express 

 his indebtedness to Mr. T. Fisher Unwin for so 

 generously placing his fine library of travel-books at 

 his disposal. 



Thanks are also due to The Century Company (New 

 York) for permission to quote from " Ranch Life and 



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