years after.

greyhounds sprang upon him. A Her death put an end to the exyoung man who had been recom- pedition. It was believed that mended to her had been made keeper had she travelled in a simpler of the greyhounds, but one of them manner she would bave had a bethaving died, he was dismissed be- ter chance of passing unmolested cause she could not bear to be re- through the country. Her murder minded of the death of the dog by took place in August 1869, when the presence of his keeper. Her she was but thirty years of age. compassion was not limited to It is painful to think of so much animals: a missionary related of zeal, courage, and humanity being her that many a time she would expended on an enterprise that led dismount to allow a wounded slave to so little result. But her labours to ride, while she herself waded were not wholly fruitless. Sir for hours through the deepest Samuel Baker, in the map accommarshes.

panying the narrative of his disFor some time she lived at covery of the Albert Nyanza, has Cairo in this state of oriental mag- placed her name on that part of the nificence, and it was her desire to map which

she helped to explore, build a palace for herself; but and which Schweinfurth more fully obstacles were thrown in her way, investigated some and she failed to get an appro- Baker, Speke, Grant, and Pethepriate site. This set her travelling rick, all speak of her with respect. again. After visiting many places Dr Livingstone, in a letter to Sir on the African shores of the Medi- Thomas M'Lean, Royal Astronterranean, and a few on the Euro

omer at the Cape, written from pean side likewise, she meditated Manyuema the month after her another journey to the Nile, not death (September 1869), of which, being in good health, and thinking of course, he could not have that living in tents would tend heard, speaks of her with great to the recovery of her strength. admiration :On her way, between Mourzouk and Ghat, she was attacked by

“A Dutch lady whom I never saw, some Tuaregs, a tribe proverbially and of whom I know nothing save savage. While she was trying

from scraps in the newspapers, moves to settle a quarrel between two my sympathy more than any other of her camel - drivers, a javelin providing a steamer and pushing on

[traveller). By her wise foresight in was thrust at her from behind up the river after the severest domeswith fatal effect. After she fell, tic affliction--the loss by fever of her the purpose of the attack became two aunts [her mother and her aunt] apparent. The rapacity of the

-till after she was assured by Speke savages was excited by the splen- and Grant that they had already disdour of her establishment gen- she sought, she proved herself a gen.

covered in Victoria Nyanza the sources erally, but especially by her iron uine explorer, and then by trying to water-chests, which the savages go S.W. on "land. Had they not, thought must be full of treasure. honestly enough of course, given her

:

1 Two volumes of scientific contributions were the results of this journey : Reise in das Gebiet des Weissen Nil und seiner westlichen Zuflüssen, 1862-64, von M. Th. von Heuglin’; and, 'Plantes Tinnéenes, ou descriptions de quelques unes des plantes recueillies par l'expédition tinnéenne sur les bords du Bahr-el-Ghazal et de ses affluents : composé par MM. Kotschy et Jean Peyritsch, publié aux frais d'Alexandrine P. F. Tinne et John A. Tinne.'

:

their mistaken views, she must in- situation for a woman's presence, I evitably, by boat or on land, have must beseech my fair readers to rereached the head-waters of the Nile. flect that the pilgrim's wife followed I cannot conceive of her stopping him, weary and footsore, through all short of Bangweolo. She showed his difficulties, led, not by choice but such indomitable pluck she must be by devotion ; and that in times of a descendant of Van Tromp, who misery and sickness, her tender care swept the English Channel till killed saved his life and prospered the exby our Blake, and whose tomb every pedition.” “Had I been alone,” he Englishman who goes to Holland is says afterwards, “it would have been sure to visit.” 1

no hard lot to die upon the untrodden It

path before me, but there was one be added that her step- who, though my greatest comfort, may nephew, Mr John Ernest Tinne, of

was also my greatest care, -one whose the firm of Sandbach, Tinne, & Co., life yet dawned at so early an age Liverpool, spent eight months at that womanhood was still a future. Tripoli (Barbary), in 1869-70, at I shuddered at the prospect for her, the trial of her murderers, five should she be left alone in savage of whom were imprisoned for life.

lands at my death ; and gladly would

I have left her in the luxuries of Her body, we believe, was never home instead of exposing her to the recovered.

miseries of Africa. It was in vain

that I implored her to remain, and Our next name, though more that I painted the difficulties and familiar to English ears, is still perils still blacker than I supposed that of a foreigner, for Florence they would really be ; she was revan Sass, whom we know better devotion, to share all dangers, and to

solved, with woman's constancy and as Lady Baker, the second wife of follow me through each rough footSir Samuel Baker, and the chival- step of the wild life before me. 'And rous and devoted companion of all Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave his African travels, toils, and perils, thee, or to return from following was a Hungarian. Nothing could after thee : for whither thou goest, I be more graceful than her husband's

will go; and where thou lodgest, I will notices of her courage, tact, and lodge: thy people shall be my people,

and : devotion, which are not crowded diest, will I die, and there will I be on us at every turn like the caresses buried : the Lord do so to me, and of a lover, but introduced only on more also, if ought but death part occasions which made a special call thee and me.'” on his admiration and gratitude. When first she started with him

At the most critical moments her in 1861, the year after her mar- tact and courage were never wantriage, she was but a girl. In the ing; the cause was saved from ruin preface to his book he promises to by her presence of mind. Readers carry his reader along with him till of Baker's narrative will remember he shall look down with him on

how on one occasion he had to the lake and drink the sources of struggle as through fire and water the Nile.

to get through the Ellyrian pass

in advance of a party of traders “I have written he!” he adds. under the Turk, Ibrahim, his “ How can I lead the more tender sex through dangers and fatigues believed that he had accomplished

enemy ; and how, when he and passages of savage life? Should anything offend the sensitive his object, and thought that he mind and suggest the unfitness of the heard the voices of his men, who

avowed

1 Personal Life, pp. 398, 399 (1st ed.)

were a little behind him, a most The crowd approved, and the ringhorrible sight presented itself— leader humbled himself; and the red Turkish flag and crescent, though we cannot say that Baker followed by the scoundrel Ibrahim! and his men lived happily ever It was the death-knell of the ex- after, the men were quiet for a pedition. But, as Baker says- time, and all through the tact and

courage of Mrs Baker. “its fate was retrieved by Mrs Baker.

The privations and sufferings of She implored me to call him, to insist the youthful traveller were often on a personal explanation, and to offer him some present in the event of estab- very terrible, but in the Obbo lishing amicable relations. I could country they came to a crisis. not condescend to address the sullen Both she and her husband had scoundrel. He was in the act of been greatly distressed by attacks passing us, and success depended on that instant. Mrs Baker herself called and their quinine was exhausted.

of fever recurring at intervals, him. For the moment he made no

Mrs Baker was so ill that she had reply; but upon my repeating the call in a loud key, he turned his donkey to be carried in a litter, and at towards us and dismounted."

times she was unable to bear any

movement. Looking round as they Baker was himself again, and were crossing a river, Baker saw her reasoned with the Turk to show face distorted and purple with sunthat they did not need to be stroke; by-and-by she fell down as enemies, clinching his argument if dead. They dragged her through with a promise of a double-bar- and laid her down, perfectly senserelled gun and a bag of gold. less. Her hands and her teeth Ibrahim was won. Mrs Baker's were clenched, and her husband presence of mind saved the ex- had to force a wedge into her pedition.

mouth in order to introduce a wet Another time when a desperate rag to moisten her throat.

It was mutiny had arisen, and Baker had impossible to discontinue the knocked down the ringleader, but march, since provisions were not only to gather a crowd round him to be had, and the litter in which to rescue their comrade, Mrs Baker, she was carried had to be stopped though lying ill of fever a few yards from time to time, for there was a off, rushed out, dashed into the rattle in her throat as if she were middle of the crowd, calling on the being suffocated. For days and least mutinous to assist, and made nights her husband watched her, her way up to her husband. A but not a muscle did she move. sudden indecision seized the crowd, But one morning he was startled and Baker shouted to the drummer- to hear her faintly mutter, “Thank boy to beat the drum, and at the God.” The torpor was past! But top of his voice ordered the men when he looked on her, her

eyes to fall in. And fall in two-thirds were full of madness, and a week of them did, as if overpowered by of brain - fever was followed by a mesmeric influence, the remainder violent convulsions, making reretreating with the ringleader. Butcovery seemingly hopeless. Overthis was not all. The danger being come by fatigue and watching, past, Mrs Baker thought the vic- Baker had fallen asleep: he awoke tory should be improved, and be- horrified at the thought that she sought her husband to say he would must have died when he was sleeppardon the ringleader if he kissed ing. When he went to her, she his hand and begged his pardon. was calm and clear. What brought

own

her round no mortal could tell. It whose gentle aid brought comfort to seemed nothing short of a miracle. many whose strength might otherAll the time of Baker's African

wise have failed. During a period of

fourteen months, with a detachment travels, in 1861-62 when he was

of 212 officers and men, exclusive of exploring Abyssinia ; in 1863-65 many servants and camp-followers, I when investigating the source of only lost one man from sickness, and the Nile; and in 1869-73 during he was at an out-station. the Ismailian expedition for the “In moments of doubt and anxiety suppression of the slave-trade, this she was always a thoughtful and noble woman continued at her wise counsellor, and much of my husband's side. The last of these

success through nine long years is

due to my devoted companion.” expeditions exposed her to danger from violence, from sudden, mur- Among our lady travellers a derous attacks by the slave-traders place of high honour is unand their allies, attacks of a kind doubtedly due to Miss Isabella liable to upset the nerves and L. Bird, now Mrs Bishop. We paralyse the efforts of ordinary have reached one of our women. But for such things, too, country women at last, and she is Lady Baker was equal.

Once no discredit to her people. The when left in the charge of their daughter of a devoted clergyman fort in the absence of her hus- of the Church of England, and band, when she had some reason related to the late Archbishop to expect an attack, skilful arrange- Bird Sumner, Bishop Samuel ments were made under her direc- Wilberforce, and other men of tions for its defence; every posi- mark in the Church, she has all tion was defended, and every rifle along shared the warm religious and pistol laid on the table to be feelings of her family circle. ready for use; and it was pro Brought up in

quiet rural bably when the enemy found that parish, slight in frame, gentle in such preparations had been made spirit, delicate in health, and that they let it alone. In the without brothers in her home to midst of actual warfare, with help to develop the spirit of adspears whizzing within a few feet venture, she seemed the last perof her head, she remained cool son in the world to think of roughand collected, hardly understand- ing it in “unbeaten tracks," or of ing the name of danger. And making us acquainted with some her forethought was equal to her of the most outlandish parts of courage: once in a time of great the globe. In her case the purwant of provisions she astonished suit of health was the first motive and delighted the party by bring to travel. And ever and anon, as ing out six boxes of grain which a fresh attack of illness has come she had stored away in a time of on her, her remedy has been found plenty, unknown to them all.

in a new plunge into some terra Well might her husband say incognita. She is one of those of her at the conclusion of 'Is- remarkable women whose frail mailia':

bodies are kept in vigour by the

elasticity of their spirits. When “I must acknowledge the able assistance that I have received in com

her weak spine is troubling her, and mon with every person connected

a

mount me on horse or camel, fing our knowledge of the globe and me among untamed barbarians, its people. An acute observer, she surround me with new and strange enters very fully wherever she goes ways of life-anything rather than into the life of the people, and leave me to the monotony of a records her observations with great sickroom.

fulness. Most of ber books are in And, strange to say, the remedy the form of letters to her sister, usually succeeds. We remember written with the desire to convey finding her several years ago, after to her an exact and vivid picture a turn of illness, bent on a sea

of all she has seen. She is a lady voyage and tour in America, but of many accomplishments, and under a difficulty not common to writes with an easy grace. Her tourists. Her trouble was where conversational gift, though perto find a slow enough vessel. Far fectly calm, rivets attention by from welcoming the Campania or the sheer interest of her story and the Lucania, or whatever might be the skill with which she tells it. the crack steamer of the time, she The same qualities make her a good searched for a distant port and a lecturer, at least to those to whom sailing.vessel that would allow her calm and lucid statements are more something more than the smell of attractive than rhetorical declamathe sea, and ended by taking a tion or the play of humour. A passage in a ship that carried little more of this last quality, howoranges from the Azores to the ever, would be a decided improveUnited States. It has been no un- ment to her style. common thing for her friends to •The English woman in America,' find her lying prostrate on the the fruit of her girlish years, was sofa, pale, thin, and delicate, and not a book of travels, but only the to hear of her a short time after record of a prolonged visit, chiefly wards off for a journey of thou- to the New England States, in sands of miles !

which a more discriminating and When, in middle life, Miss Bird appreciative criticism is given of married Dr Bishop, it seemed as if American life and manners than she must now at length "settle the public had been receiving from down." Unfortunately her mar- Mrs Trollope or Mr Dickens. ried life came to an untimely end. After a long interval, the pursuit When ber husband was taken of health led her to the shores of from her, the medical profession Australasia, but neither New acquired a new and sacred interest Zealand nor Victoria had the dein her eyes. Her more recent sired effect. Leaving Auckland for journeys have been undertaken San Francisco in the beginning of to a large extent in the interest of 1873, she was asked by a lady medical missions, to the advance- whose son was in a dying state, to ment of which she has devoted her land with him at Honolulu, and life. A mission hospital in a re- remain until he should either rally mote part of India is her touching or die. This she did, intending to memorial to her husband's memory. remain there but a month ; but,

Mrs Bishop is much more than she found the group of islands so a tourist. It has been her aim, enchanting that month after month especially in her more important glided past, till after remaining six journeys, to select fields that are and a half, it was only the tyranny little known, and thus to make of a return-ticket about to expire substantial and real additions to that dragged her away.

a