PREF E ft C . The l and I tit e introduction of this book, deem, sufficient design for its publication without es . The size of the book has been dictated by a con sideration of what would be most appropriate as an explanation upon my return home . The history I e r during boyhood , it may be noticed, giv in mo e detail ; this is done so as to present to the reader the surroundings and conditions under which I aban d n I o ed friends and home for the life lived . And it is my endeavor to select subj ect matter of my past life that is th e most novel and least common in other books of travel and adventure. ' reli ious view s I I Though my g , which express , n as of give not because of its ovelty, but a relief con vi i n ct o to myself and a duty as a citizen . It has I been suggested, to me by friends that if could not endorse the orthodox doctrine to knock it out and I be silent . could not do this and give a true sketch of m h for e in y istory, my religious deviations wer terw oven with my actions from the time I left till I returned again . That is what is the matter with the world today 3 PR EFA CE ca W a there are too many mum and hypocriti l . y I faring as may have been , there is still enough manhood left that prompts me to be honest in my convictions and to express them . It may cause me unpopularity and to be vilified with disreputable I epithets and with crimes of which am not guilty . But I can bear all this better than to bear the remorse of conscience in not expressing my con vi tion c s . ff to th e s In this , and in my e orts present ubject is l matter generally , in a way that practically usefu I e and of an elevating nature morally, hop it will meet the approval of those whose endeavors are in m the sa e direction . R espectfully, PHILI P A STR U H . A G . A CH PTER I . Will I ever return to the country of my boy hood ! ” I thought after retiring on top the Would be Mesa for reflection ; for it was a matter that re heavily on my mind for a period of time . The horizon was tinged with a smoky hue , and the weather calm and serene ; such a time as nat sun urally put one in a mood for reflection . The shone pleasantly and the air was soft and mild ; while zephyrs moaned among the spriggy foliage dars and pinions a s - t hough to refresh my with hidden mysteries to which they were I I am I , cried , that should thus be a the ! V I upon earth erily, have not w as I rom the planets , nor sprung from a ! I or rock No , but was sprung from man , I I too have relatives . O , my God , why did return to them from hence at my first visit ead of wandering farther and farther ! I many years Will now return , or go em otest parts of the Earth and keep my vity in oblivion ; and fictionize my birth with 6 THE MYS TERIO US TRA VELER e es ! I wond rs and prodig i No , it will not do , must ss be truthful ; besides, the age of superstition is pa ing away . And the superstitions of the past will be laid bare as the sciences evolve . So , too , it is a Be duty to myself and country to return again . e sides , this will be the n xt strangest experience I can to m encounter , return ho e amid the many changes which must have taken place after so long an ab sence . “ I Yes , will prepare and go to the place of my ’ ” father s house and see the living among my people . But on account of my long absence and many I adventures and pursuances , must first write a sketch of my history, as without it , it would take too n long a d be too wearisome to explain . “ I I will take me up a homestead on this mesa , “ s I I can aid , where will write my history . Here, gaze down the canyons for less monotony ; and re tire to the topmost part under the shades of the ” f w I cedars and pinons or thought hile write . t - It has now , at this wri ing, been twenty seven long I years have wandered about , and not an iota have I heard from any one during my absence ; nor have I written to any one except sometime after leaving I home wrote back to my father and sister, telling them I was going to take to the ocean and visit foreign countries . From the time of writing that I letter to this writing, never any more went under I off my right name . So completely did cut myself THE M YSTERI 0 US TRA VELEH 7 from my connection and native country that I de stroyed all letters and papers in my possession con taining my right name or native address ; and in registering at hotels or public places and in conver sation I , , was always from some other country than that of my own . For me now to return h ome to the country of so my boyhood and among my connection , after total and long an absence, will be like rising from the dead and going back . The old homestead house of my father , and the large barn and out I 1 1 I re houses , mag ne, will find torn down and a modeled after later fashions , and too occupied by family of people altogether strangers to me ; the re maining timber lands cleared up and put into culti vation ; the marsh lands ditched and reclaimed ; my ” native little tow n grown to an 1m m ense proportion c new and ontaining many and strange buildings , T and occupied by a population of strangers . hen , among my connection there will be babes born since my departure who are now grown , and even mar and ried , who themselves have children , all strangers to me, yet of the same blood as the blood which m e flows in y veins . And thos of my connection and I former acquaintance who still are living, will meet re with amazement . So , too , my former places of sort and recreation will be objects of wonderment . Why I left home and have lived so m yster iously are for a number of reasons ; but the main 8 THE MYS TERI O US TRA VELER I I as one , of which will here speak , is that w in search of knowledge from abroad and seeking strange experiences . This strange thirst for knowl ledge and adventure had been brewing within me from my boyhood . An incident in this respect , of I I which am well remindful , occurred when was ‘ about fourteen years of age ; at least it was after my mother died and sh e died when I w as at the age I f of twelve . One day while was out play ully chas and I ing over the hills dales , instantly stopped and picked up a curious looking little stone and put it ‘ “ sa in z Now I into my pocket, y g as soon as return I re to the house and wherever am , this pebble is \to I e mind me that must put my time in , finish r ading those old books in the attic before school commences ” h as a d find out all about what they tell . This w during school vacation when I was a boy of leisure ” and had nothing to do but chore about and do er I rands for my father and sister . The place would do such reading and study was in a room by myself ; ’ for my father s house contained many rooms . The o en r om was in the two story part of the building, tered from the sitting room through a long but nar row hall , and to the right and opposite the parlor . I I w as Here , in this room on a table, kept the book ’ reading ; and when through with it , put it away and I got another . Many times was in this secluded room by the table poring over my books when my people thought I was out rambling about ; for they THE M YS TERI O US TRA VELER 9 often censured me reading and studying too much , ’ I saying that I ll ruin my eyes , and this and that . was even so assiduous i n my learning during those I times that while attending school , generally car and ried on two sets of lessons , especially in reading s history ; one that of my regular cla ses , and the other on ahead and my individual lessons . L f I etting this su fice as an introduction , will now —m a proceed with the narration in order y parent ge , infancy and surroundings ; school-days and kinds of recreation during my boyhood ; going away to col lege and experiences ; causes in more detail for leav ing my home country and connection ; becoming a detective and investigating the condition of knavery in the southwest ; entering a seafaring life among pirates ; traveling around the earth , and lecturing under an assumed name after returning to the teach m United States ; g school in Texas , and doing detective work under an assumed name ; shooting ability ; trip to South America ; returning again to the States , etc .