Gen. Tom Thumb's Three Years' Tour Around the World
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i,;--;'*'';'?^ PLEASE HANDLE WITH CARE University of Connecticut Libraries GN69.5S9B5 hbl, stx three vears^^ Gen. Tom Thumb's CD 3™i53 oosbssm M CD Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2011 witii funding from Boston Library Consortium IVIember Libraries http://www.arcliive.org/details/gentomtliumbstlireOOblee '^^^r^ GEN. TOM THUMB'S THREE YEARS' TOUR AROUND THE WORLD, ACCOMPAIOED BY HIS WirE-LAVINIA WARREN STRATTON, COMMODORE NUTT, MISS MINNIE ¥ARREN, ANB PAETY. By Sylyestei^ Bleekei^ KEW tore:: 8. BOOTS, PKOTTEll, 199 AJSTB 201 CKBTTEB STKBBT. (Entered according: to Act of Congress, in the year 1872, by P. T. 'BMmnnt, in the 0£ice of ^e Libzarian of Coagress, at Wa^Mngton, B. C] TO P. T. BARNUM, ESQ., THE KIND EMPLOYER AND SINCERE FRIEND OF THE AUTHOR FOR THE PAST TWENTY-THREE YEARS, THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO THE EEADEE. When ^' Toby Twinkle " announced to the assembled com- pany that the '•' eatables and drinkables '^ were ready, he excited their appetites, by adding, as an assurance of the extra quality of the food, that he knew the dishes were good, for he had "tasted ^em all 'round." I here present a humble literary feast, (the materials for which were obtained from the four great markets, Europe, Asia, Africa and America), plainly cooked, and, I trust, agreeably seasoned with incident and auecdote. When you have partaken of my dishes, I hope you will, like Toby Twin- kle, excite the mental appetite of your friends with the assur- ance that you know they are good, haying "tasted 'em all 'round." SYLYESTEE BLEEKEE. Kew York. ) Septembevj 1872, ) TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Pago 9. The proposition. Letter from Mr. P. T. Barnnm. The departure for a tour around the world. The General in the presence of Pawnee warriors. Across the Plains. The false alarm. Arrival in Utah. Practical Polygamy. Story of one of the twelve apostles. CHAPTER 11. Page 24. Salt Lake City. Interview with Brighara "Xoung. A gi-and jubilee. A disturbed procession. A Gentil© and Mor- mon fracas. The crack in the partition—a ludicrous failure of a praiseworthy intention. An Indian village. A fantastic body-guard. A model opera house and a pleased party. Mis- '' taken highwaymen ! Not such a fool as I look.^^ liide down ttie mountain. Arrival in San Francisco. CHAPTER IIL Page 38. Over hill, mountain and valley. A snapping landlady—the General asks for cheese. A runaway. Scott's Mountain. A gloomy canon. Going for candles. CHAPTER ly. Page 50. Departure for Japan. A Chinaman's superstition. An eccentric character— ^^ It won't pay!" Mount Fitzu-yama. Description of Yokohama. Products of Japan. The varnish- tree. A Japanese retinue. Jugglers. A Japanese bath- house—" the biggest show ever seen.'^ CHAPTER Y, Page 64. Voyage to China. Shroff's. Description of a Chinese Theatre. Appearance of the '^ little people '' at the " Kwin- vu. Kwae-Hien Theatre." Appearance at the Tong-Kwe-Chin Theatre. Dissolvino^'s a Council. A Chinese Banker's Rest- dence. Taking tea at a Mandarin's house. # CHAPTER YL Page .75 Hong-Kong. Breakfast with the Grovemor. Macao. A Military High Mass. Fruits of China. Oo-Kieou^ or tallow- tree. Description of Singapore. A visit to the Maharajah of Johore. The Isla-nd of Penang. Arrival at Ceylon. On the road to Colombo. Kandi. Temple of the Sacred Tooth. Description of the God Bhudda. The palace of the last King of Kandi. A humble meal. CHAPTER yn. Pag« 91. The voyage to Australia. Death at Sea. Burial. Descrip- tion of Australia. Appearance at the Theatre Royal. A child's conclusion. Description of Yan Dieman's Land. CHAPTER YIII. Page 102. Journey overland to Adelaide, South Australia. Alone on the desert. Adventure with an eagle. Kangaroo. Fording a river. In a flood. A submerged town. H. R. H. the Duke of Edinburgh. CHAPTER IX. Page 112. Madras. The Maharajah of Yizianagram. Wives of the Baboos and wealthy merchants. Invitation to a festival. Description of a Nautch girl—the dance. A breach of eti- quette. Calcutta. The thieves' bazaar. > CHAPTER X, Page 121. The overland journey. Jumalpore. Tigers. A skeery party. Benares. The Monkey Temple. The Golden Temple. The God Shiva. The King of Benares. An Elephant ride. " The City of Allah." The sacred rivers Ganges and Jumna. Pilgrims bathing in the waters. Cawnpore. The Memorial Garden. Scene of the massacre. Description of Lucknow. The Residency, a spot made famous for it? herok defence during the mutiny. viil CHAPTER XL Page 133. Description of Delhi. A Hindoo tradition. The Dewa a- Kass. The Jumna Musjed. Relics of Mahomet. The gra^^^s of the saints. The Baoli, or well. Agra, the city of the gre»it Akbar. The Monarch's Palace. The Taj, the most wondef- ful building in the world. Lahore. CHAPTER XIL Page 139. The Red Sea. Pharaoh's Bay. Mount Sinai. Suez. Gran«1 Cairo. The Pyramids. The Sphynx. Alexandria. Across the Continent. A laughable incident. Conclusion. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE 1. Frontispiece. 2. A False Alarm 15 3. A Fautastic Body-guard 32 4. A Runaway 41 5. A Street in Yokohama 50 6. Harbor of Nagasaki ^ 63 7. A Mandarin ; Chinese Barber j Mngpo Lady 76 8. Beggars of Ceylon 83 9. High Caste Man and Woman^ Ceylon 86 10. Snake Charmers, Ceylon 90 11. Native Australians - - . 96 12. Native Corobbery, or Assemblage, South Australia, 101 13. Fording a River 109 14. Nautch Dance, Madras, British India 115 15. Government House, Calcutta 118 16. The Golden Temple, Benares - 124 17. The Memorial Garden, Cawnpore 127 18. The Chutter Munzil, Lucknow 131 19. Native Bullock Cart, India 134 20. The Taj, Agra 138 21. An Egyptian Lady and Do^key Driver 141 : ' GENERAL TOM THUMB'S TOUR AROUND THE WORLD. CHAPTER L EYER! never will I go to Australia! Why, it is upon the other side of the " globe ; they send convicts there! exclaimed General Tom Thumb. " Go to Australia ? Our friends would never exiDect to see us again they ; would consider us dead and " buried ! said his wife. "P. T. had better adopt his own suggestion, and go to Australia lumself, instead of being so eager to send other people there " ' [Chimed in Minnie Warren sharply. " I don't believe they have a billiard-table in the whole country and how could I amuse myself " at my favorite game ? said Com- modore Nutt. Such were the remarks, clearly I indicating the feelings of the Lil- liputian Quartette, which greeted the reading to them of the fol- lowmg letter from Mr. Barnum ^ My Beak ^'Likdekcboft, May loth, mo. Bleeker : " An idea lias occurred to ' j me in which I can see a Golden Gate 'openmg for the Gen. Tom Thumb Co. What do you think of a Tour Around , the World/ including a visit to new Australia? The Pacific Railroad wiU be finished in a few weeks ; you wiU then be enabled to cross the American Continent to California, thence by steam to Japan, China, British India, etc. I declare, in anticipation ^"""^ *^^ pleasures and M. ^^/""^ opportunities which such a trip wiJi afford. * ^ " For the next three days I shall study aU the maps I can lay my : TBhMB'S 10 GENERAL TOM you crossing the briny deep to lands uBon and in imagination, mark tha m Aus^ for goU ! tell the General ftose off com;tries. And as Z sure to maka go to AnBtralia) he will be tralia alone (don't fell to, more money tlian a liorse can draw. judgment, experience and energy, allot "It will require great care, enterprise to a successful whicHacultL you possess, to carry such an name you Generalissimo "^Tatttt' over with the 'little people.' I you wUl return their grand march, and hope ,f the invading force in of tlie globe. witli siooils from all the nations undertake the journey, prepare Sde q^^^^^^^ If you consent to to all. to start next month. Love "Truly yours, " P. T. Bahnum.' by every reasonable argument t".""™''^' *;°''^^ I encleavored Mr. " entertained against acceptaig tions which the little people" of our debate, the General, B's proposition. During the height indiflfei-ence, said: air of _ with a pretended ^ drawing something ? " that P. T. says about a horse What is Australia to the letter, "that in "He says," replied I, referring than a horse can draw. vou are sure to make more money ^ " would be very uiterest- " We " said he, turning to his wife, It gold mines, and observe how sci- iBg to visit the great Australian -f^^:iZ^::^:^^^. -iwould not sacnaee t^e parents and friends, by going opportunities of ever again seeing my the mines could yield. such a distance, for all the gold overspread the General's coun- A sVght shade of disappointment he was evidently - tenance^t his wife's remark; for -J-S ^"/^ the amount of money a determination. After much deliberation, rbalance in he draw " seeming to operate as ^ — horcould Australia was °« t^« mind to the objection that ."1 General's by m- matter was finally compromised other side of the globe," the the following clause m sertin- in the articles of agreement part shall visit such co "That the said party of the second such cities and tow™ as except Australia, and perform in tries, but^iould th4 decide upon ; manager, Sylvester Bleeker, may said «f consider it the pecumary ^V said Bleeker, as manager, '"t^'f the party flf to visit Australia, t .m said parties to this agreement etc. his (or her) objection, etc., the seamd part shall waive -'--ed wardrobes re- contacts being duly signed and The contem- all was prepared for the plenished, and trunks packed, " Tilated Tour of the World." , „ , „ Tom Thumb Company lefl ^Onthe alst June, 1869, the General ; TOUR ABOUND THE WOULD.