: . .. .._---; : . .- - . --'. - ;-. -'••':' FIFTY YEARS OF TRAVEL BY" LAND WATER & AIR LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO Hi 6977 //frttnf . P&JLJ&t^UCL ^^.^rr n^'l /l-eycu^ 2 ( FIFTY YEARS OF TRAVEL BY LAND, WATER, AND AIR — —— — — — THROUGH LAPLAND WITH SKIS AND REINDEER with SOME ACCOUNT OF ANCIENT LAP- LAND AND THE MURMAN COAST. By Frank Hedges Butler, F.R.G.S., Founder of the Royal Aero Club, First Hon. Treasurer, Royal Automobile Club, 1 897-1902. With 4 Maps and 65 Illustrations. Cloth, 12/6 net. [Third Impression. " Mr. Hedges Butler's vivacious narrative is the more interesting since so little is really known of the region he describes. Mr. Butler has a pleasant descriptive style of his own : the country and the people become very plain to us, for all their strangeness, as he writes ; while the anecdotes of his own personal experiences have a racy flavour. Also—and of how few volumes of travels can we say the same?—the book is a reliable as well as a pleasant guide ; invaluable information as to routes, roads, and means of communication generally are all here put unreservedly at the reader's disposal." The Outlook. " For the first time in English and by an Englishman we have here a substantial account of the people of Lapland." The Friend. "A very informing and entertaining volume." Daily Telegraph. " This is a very interesting and informative book, and we heartily congratulate- Mr. Butler upon it." The Sphere. " A fascinating account of the country and its people. It is at once a fascinating story of travel, a practical guide- book and a storehouse of interesting information on the manners, custom, and folk-lore of a little-known people." World's Work. " The author's description of the country and its people is intensely interesting." Manchester Guardian. " One seems in reading this book to be transported into another world. Its great charm is its practical character and unaffected simplicity of style. Every sentence is packed with information. The volume is illustrated by a large number of interesting photographs, from which much can be learnt regarding the mode of life and customs of the Laplanders. —Illustrated London News. " Prospective adventurers and winter sports enthusiasts in search of new ski-ing grounds will simply have to buy Mr. Butler's book." The Bookman. T. Fisher Unwin Ltd, i Adelphi Terrace, London, W.C. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2007 with funding from Microsoft Corporation http://www.archive.org/details/fiftyyearsoftravOObutliala 'nUclW^ flutttA. Frontispiece. 1 FIFTY YEARS OF TRAVEL BY LAND WATER, AND AIR By FRANK HEDGES BUTLER FOUNDER OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB 1 0,0 WITH 89 ILLUSTRATIONS T. FISHER UNWIN LTD LONDON: ADELPHI TERRACE First published in igio (All rights reserved) DEDICATED TO MY DAUGHTER VERA TRAVELLING IN THE AIR For I dipt into the future, far as human eye could see, Saw the vision of the world, and all the wonder that would be ; Saw the heavens fill with commerce, argosies of magic sails, Pilots of the purple twilight, dropping down with costly bales ; Heard the heavens fill with shouting, and there rained a ghastly dew From the nations' airy navies, grappling in the central blue ; Far along the world-wide whisper of the south wind rushing warm, With the standards of the people plunging thro' the thunder- storm. Tennyson. ——A CONTENTS CHAPTER I PAGE BOTHOOD AND EARLY TRAVELS . .17 Early reading—Parentage—Diaries of the Grand Tour—Child- hood in Wimbledon—Schooldays—First visit to France— walking tour in Switzerland—Paris after the Commune Switzerland again—Norway—America—The Great Lakes— Mediterranean tour. CHAPTER II THE WEST INDIES, BRITISH GUIANA, AND VENEZUELA . 33 Jamaica—Barbadoes—Trinidad—Flying -fish—Porlama—Nava- tino—Maturin—The Valley of the Guacharo—The Guacharo Caves—The Guacharo—Guacharo fat—El Cueva del Silenzio El Cueva del Diamantes—Bolivar—Indians—Guana-guana The River Tigre—The howling monkey—Bolivar—Gold-mines Jungle fever. CHAPTER III THE VINEYARDS OF PRANCE, SPAIN AND PORTUGAL . 55 Bordeaux—The M^doc district—Chateau Lafite—The vintage Wine-tasting—Biarritz—The Paris Exhibition—A captive balloon—Spain—The Count and Countess of Bayona—Jerez Sherry—Carthusians at Cartuja—Gipsies at Jerez—Shooting Bulls—Seville—Cordova—Granada—The Alhambra—Andalu- sian gipsies—Malaga—Oporto—Vintage in the Alto Douro Ports—The Phylloxera Commission—Clubs at Oporto. CHAPTER IV PALESTINE, INDIA AND CEYLON . .67 Marriage—A Mediterranean cruise—Jaffa for Jerusalem—Jeru- salem at Easter—Tour through India, Burmah and Ceylon Bombay, Madras — Peshawar — Jeypore — Agra — The Taj Meerut—Peshawar—The Khyber—Murree—Cashmere—Serina- gur—Travelling in Cashmere—Cashmeri boat-girls—Calcutta Rangoon—A trip up the Irrawaddy—The Andamans—Convicts —Ceylon—The Veddahs—Kandy—The Veddah country—Back to Colombo. 9 — 10 FIFTY YEARS OF TRAVEL CHAPTER V PAaa EARLY DATS OF MOTORING . .90 Early cars—The Tonbridge Show—Fourteen miles an hour The Brighton Run—The Automobile Club—Chairmen of the Club—Life members—My first car—Lenoir, Daimler, Benz, Panhard, Levassor—Early days on the road—" Eve "—The R.A.C. Thousand Mile Tour—A Renault car—The Renault brothers—From Paris to Nice—Dogs and carts—Nice, Monte Carlo, Cannes—Grenoble—Le Grande Chartreuse—A thief Chasseurs Alpins—Back to Paris. CHAPTER VI MOROCCO : A JOURNEY TO TETUAN . .118 Christmas at Gibraltar—Tangiers—A visit to Tetuan—Rumours of rebels—Ramadan—An inn—Trouble at the gate—Visits to harems—Rebels and rivers—Casa Blanca—Mazagan—Teneriffe, Madeira—Madeira wines. CHAPTER VII LAPLAND AND ITS PEOPLE ..... 129 Rattvik in Dalecarlia—St. Olaf's Church—Storlien—The Snasa- hogma and the Sylarna—Tannforsen—Fefor, Finse—Winter sports—Lapland—The fifth visit—Bosskop—A Lapland winter —The pulka—Preparations for a journey—Lapp clothing Lapp shoes—Through the Alten forest by pulka—Reindeer and wolves — Lapp food — Reindeer — Frost-bite — A rest-house Havoc by wolves—Ravnastuen, Karasjok—The Lensman of Karasjok—Ski-running—The River Iskarajoki—Russian Lap- land—Pine and fir forests—Frozen waterways—The Tana River—Lapp women—Lapp dogs—Enare—An empty prison Lapp honesty—A vapour- bath—Lake Enare—Kirkeness, Vadso —In Russia—Travelling through storms—Ptarmigan at Skolteby —The Petchenga fjeld—Sunday at the Petchenga monastery —Tryphon—The Murman coast—Summer on the coast Characteristics of the Lapps—Easter at Karesuando—Lapp church-goers—Lapp weddings and honeymoons. CHAPTER VIII BIG-GAME HUNTING IN EAST AFRICA .... 177 British East Africa and Uganda—The Red Sea—Mr. Selous Mombasa—Dar-es-Salaam—Harsh treatment of natives by Germans—Native askari—Sporting licences—Species of game preserved—Species protected—Game reserves—Entebbe—The Ripon FhI Is—Hippopotami and crocodiles—Kumpulu—The King of Uganda—Hunting hippopotami and crocodiles—The Kavi- rondos—A funeral—The Kikuyus—A lion-hunt—A kill—The delights of safari—Home via Cairo—A white man's country. —A CONTENTS 11 CHAPTER IX PAQB THE WORLD AT WAR ...... 217 On board H.M.S. Princess Royal—Sent ashore—The Fleet sails To Paris—Paris in danger—My diaries—Fere-Champenoise, Chalons—Epernay—M. Pol Roger—Reims—Damage to the cathedral—Refugees in the champagne-cellars—Visits to various champagne houses—A night attack—Vintage. CHAPTER X the world at war {continued) .... 236 France in 1915—Ambulances and hospitals at Boulogne—To Epernay—The vintage—A proclamation by Joffre—The Ger- mans in Epernay—A good vintage—A domiciliary visit—Back to Reims—The cathedral—Pare Pommery—Mass in Mumm's cellars—A visit to the trenches—Betheny—Observation posts The cellars of the Lion d'Or—Guns in Pare Pommery—Ruinart's cellars—School in the cellars—Submarines reported—Reims in 1916—Lord Northcliffe on Reims—More aeroplanes—Mass in the cellars—A fight in the air—An underground concert Children in the cellars. CHAPTER XI the world at war (continued) .... 263 The Somme Campaign—Wimereux—Nancy—Wine for the Army—Toul—Visits to vine growers—" Poilu " wine—Chalons —A visit from the police—Mr. Lloyd George arrives in Reims The war to last two years longer—Sarah Bernhardt—Tasting champagne—The Cardinal—Epernay once more—Beaune German prisoners — Chissy — Boulogne, and home — Reims heavily bombarded at Easter, 1917—The Cardinal's diary Bombardment of the cathedral—The two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of my firm—Partners in Hedges & Butler—Nancy in 1917—A meatless day—Boursault—The cellars—Montmort Reims—The Lion d'Or—The cathedral—The C.D.C.Q.S.R. —Havre — Bad news — Paris — An air raid — Bordeaux American troops—The Landes—Biarritz—Reminiscences of a balloon race—Bayonne—Dijon, Nancy, Epernay—Chalons France is saved. CHAPTER XII LAND AND AIR JOURNEYS IN 1919 .... 293 To Gibraltar—The mine peril—Tangiers—Wild flowers and gardena—Ramadan—Algeciras—Granada — Seville — Jerez — bull-fight—Madrid—Portugal—Oporto—The Factory Club Bordeaux—Paris under peace conditions—A visit to the devas- tated regions—Destruction at Reims—Strasbourg—A journey down the Rhine—Coblenz—Sir William Robertson—British headquarters at Cologne—The Army of Occupation—Rhine wines—From Cologne to England by aeroplane—Hounslow to Paris by air. —— 12 FIFTY YEARS OF TRAVEL CHAPTER XIII PAGE MT HUNDRED BALLOON ASCENTS .... 306 The City of York—Decision to form the Aero Club—The Royal Aero Club and the Royal Air Force—The foundation of the Aero Club—Registration as a company—Preliminary circular Inaugural ascent—My first solo ascent—Pilot's certificate from the Aero Club of France—Project of a Balloon Volunteer Corps The Aero Club No. 2—Sensations during ballooning—Practical hints—An exciting ascent from St. -Cloud — My first cross- Channel voyage—The Vera—An eclipse of the sun—Out of sight of land—Descent in Calvados—A moonlight voyage—Resting in a tree—The first Aero Club race—The Dolce Far Niente wins—The Gordon-Bennett race—Race for the Assheton Harbord Cup—The Glorious Dead.