Page:The lives of celebrated travellers (Volume 2).djvu/9

Skamakia—Tabriz—Koom—Kashan—Scorpions—Ispahan—Returns
to Petersburg—Departs for China—Arrives at Kazan—Beehives—Fogs
and frosts of Siberia—Asbestos—Tobolsk—Swedish prisoners—Game—Singular
manuscripts—Ancient tombs or barrows—Curious antiquities—White
hares—Sable-hunters—The Baikal Lake—Mongolia—Great
wall of China—Pekin—Character of the Chinese—Fine arts—Population—Imperial
hunt—Departs from China—Returns to Petersburg—Journey
to Derbend—And to Constantinople—Returns to
Scotland—Dies 125


JOHN LEDYARD.

Born 1751.—Died 1788.

Born at Groton in North America—Early studies—Intends becoming a
missionary—Escapes from college to the woods—Returns—Again
leaves college—Sails down the Connecticut alone in a canoe—Studies
theology—Becomes a common sailor—Sails for Gibraltar—Enlists as
a soldier—Is released—Returns to America—Sails for England—Arrives
at Plymouth—Begs his way to London—Enters into the marine
corps, and accompanies Captain Cook on his last voyage—The Cape—New-Holland—New-Zealand—Love
adventure—Watteeoo—Tongataboo—Simple
manners—Quarrels with the natives—Tahiti—Discovery
of the Sandwich Islands—Nootka Sound—Behring's Straits—Adventure
on Onalaska—Return to the Sandwich Islands—Death of
Cook—Returns to England—Sails for America—Leaves the English
service—Sails for France—Stay at Paris—Proceeds to London—Disappointments—Undertakes
a journey across Siberia—Sweden—Travels
round the Gulf of Finland—Petersburg—Sets out for Siberia—Tobolsk—Irkutsk—Yakutsk—Is
arrested—Returns to Europe—Engages
to travel for the African Association—Sails to Egypt—Dies 163


GEORGE FORSTER.

Born 1750.—Died 1791.

Birth and parentage not exactly known—Enters the civil service of the
East India Company—Madras—Calcutta—Benares—Mythology of the
Hindoos—Assumes the Mohammedan character—Sails up the Ganges—Crosses
the southern ridge of the Himalaya—Arrives in Kashmere—Richness
and beauty of the landscape—Lake—Gardens of the Shalimar
Rose of Kashmere—Shawl manufacture—Imitations—Wool—Number
manufactured—Departs from Kashmere—Crosses the Indus—Sleeps
in a mosque, where the moollah endeavours to rob him—Afghan
cavalry—Arrives at Pashawer—Intense heat—Joins a kafilah—Travels
by night—Mountain torrent—Drowning of a lady—Kabul—Is
seized by a fever—Recovers—Reassumes his character of Christian—Quickly
repents this step—Insults and difficulties—Ghizni—Mahmoud—Kandahar—Proceeds
to Herat—Once more assumes the
Mohammedan character—Joins a caravan—Enters Khorasan—Tremendous
cold—Poetry supplies the place of food—A conjurer—Host
of pilgrims—Descendant of Mohammed—Anecdote—Mazenderan—Caspian
Sea—Baku—Astrakhan—Petersburg—Arrives in England—Returns
to India—Dies 198