Early in life the author of these letters suffered from ill-health, and
necessity obliged him to seek more genial climes in order to escape the
rigors of our northern winters. Duty towards his only brother and a
beloved uncle induced him to sketch his travels, and keep them advised
of his movements. His letters passing into the hands of kind friends,
for perusal, led to further inquiries; and demands for publication in a
weekly paper in his native city, were the result.
He has always hesitated to come before the Public, although constantly
solicited and urged by his friends to do so, as a duty he owed to
society; at length, through constant importuning, and to avoid the
clamors of those he loves and esteems, he has concluded to accede to
their wishes. This book is the result.
Travelling becomes a passion with some, and in this instance, a decided
one. Necessity at first, with improvement in health, and finding
himself better on the move than when quiet, sight-seeing and obtaining
general information became more and more desirable.
After having seen every State and Capital in his own country, his
desire was to visit every Capital in Europe. After having seen the
antiquities and works of art of Italy, Greece, and Turkey, his ambition
led him to see the older objects of Egypt and Asia Minor. Then came the
desire to visit the Celestial Empire, and the East Indian world.
The West Indian Islands brought a disposition to see those of
the Pacific, and those of the Mediterranean, the Levant, and the
Polynesian, Canary, Cape de Verde, Azores. North America, including
the Canadas, having been seen, South America in all parts could not
be neglected. Northern Africa, Egypt, Syria, Algeria, and Morocco had
been visited; but the western and south-western coast of Africa, the
Gulf of Guinea, demanded their share of effort and exposure. When in
China, he desired to visit Japan, but Commodore Perry had not yet made
a treaty. While at Singapore, he wished to embark for Australia; but
no opportunity offering during the typhoon season, he was obliged to
renounce the idea. Last Spring he made an attempt to get around from
the south coast of Africa, but without success. Had he succeeded, his
twenty-one years of travel would have probably closed his extended
wanderings, as the whole world would have been seen, large portions of
it having been repeatedly visited.
He has great reason to be thankful to the Almighty for his preservation
of life and health. Surrounded by dangers of every name and nature,
while scores of his companions have been swept off by shipwreck,
cholera, fever, assassins, and barbarous tribes of savages, or Indians,
he has passed unscathed and unharmed.
J. G. V.