Following the Equator- a journey around the world v.1
by Twain, Mark
pub. by Harper and Brothers, NY 1899   - -   volume V (5) of the Author's National Edition - The writings of Mark Twain (series)   - -     isbn (none) - - - - black and white frontspiece - Protecting the women - a bouy rescue from a ship photos - - 317 p. total
Samuel Clemens ( Mark Twain ) is writing about his trip around the world in this 2 volume work. This is a description of volume 1.
This was written during his lecture tour trip around the world to make money to repay his creditors. It started in New York in 1985 and he traveled across USA and to British Columbia, Canada. From there he boarded a ship and sailed for Hawaii. There was a cholera epidemic in Hawaii and none of the passengers who were continuing on across the Pacific were allowed ashore. His next stop was in Fiji from there to Australia where he stayed for some time and traveled about by railroad. He wrote a number of stories about various places in Australia, a few humerous and others describing the places in his travels. He discovered that someone had declared that he had died there some time earlier. In the middle of his Australian sojurn he discovered the story of how that happened.
He described Tasmania and the horrors of the past penal colony there and was sensitive to the natives who were effectively exterminated.
He sailed to New Zealand and generally reported favorably about the beauty of the country as well as the fact that the women could vote there, both the English heritage folks as well as the native Maori. He also was impressed that the Maori were guaranteed positions in their parliament.

These short stories of his travels are classic Mark Twain in his glory. It is a beautiful read for any one who appreciates the truly American literary art.
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~ 2017-02-09 ~

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