A Woman\'s Journey Round the World - Ida Pfeiffer
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A WOMAN'S JOURNEY ROUND THE WORLD, from Vienna to Brazil, Chili,
Tahiti, China, Hindostan, Persia, and Asia Minor.
BY IDA PFEIFFER.
An unabridged translation from the German.
PREFACE.
I have been called, in many of the public journals, a "professed
tourist;" but I am sorry to say that I have no title to the
appellation in its usual sense. On the one hand I possess too
little wit and humour to render my writings amusing; and, on the
other, too little knowledge to judge rightly of what I have gone
through. The only gift to which I can lay claim is that of
narrating in a simple manner the different scenes in which I have
played a part, and the different objects I have beheld; if I ever
pronounce an opinion, I do so merely on my own personal experience.
Many will perhaps believe that I undertook so long a journey from
vanity. I can only say in answer to this--whoever thinks so should
make such a trip himself, in order to gain the conviction, that
nothing but a natural wish for travel, a boundless desire of
acquiring knowledge, could ever enable a person to overcome the
hardships, privations, and dangers to which I have been exposed.
In exactly the same manner as the artist feels an invincible desire
to paint, and the poet to give free course to his thoughts, so was I
hurried away with an unconquerable wish to see the world. In my
youth I dreamed of travelling--in my old age I find amusement in
reflecting on what I have beheld.
The public received very favourably my plain unvarnished account of
"A Voyage to the Holy Land, and to Iceland and Scandinavia."
Emboldened by their kindness, I once more step forward with the
journal of my last and most considerable voyage, and I shall feel
content if the narration of my adventures procures for my readers
only a portion of the immense fund of pleasure derived from the
voyage by
THE AUTHORESS.
Vienna, March 16, 1850.
With the hope that we may forward the views of the authoress, and be
the means of exciting the public attention to her position and
wants, we append the following statement by Mr. A. Petermann, which
appeared in the Athenaeum of the 6th of December, 1851:
"Madame Pfeiffer came to London last April, with the intention of
undertaking a fresh journey; her love of travelling appearing not
only unabated, but even augmented by the success of her journey
round the world. She had planned, as her fourth undertaking, a
journey to some of those portions of the globe which she had not yet
visited--namely, Australia and the islands of the Asiatic
Archipelago; intending to proceed thither by the usual route round
the Cape. Her purpose was, however, changed while in London. The
recently discovered Lake Ngami, in Southern Africa, and the
interesting region to the north, towards the equator--the reflection
how successfully she had travelled among savage tribes, where armed
men hesitated to penetrate, how well she had borne alike the cold of
Iceland and the heat of Babylonia--and lastly, the suggestion that
she might be destined to raise the veil from some of the totally
unknown portions of the interior of Africa--made her determine on
stopping at the Cape, and trying to proceed thence, if possible,
northwards into the equatorial regions of the African Continent.
"Madame Pfeiffer left for the Cape, on the 22nd of May last, in a
sailing vessel--her usual mode of travelling by sea, steamboats
being too expensive. She arrived safely at Cape Town on the 11th of
August, as I learned from a letter which I received from her last
week, dated the 20th of August. From that letter the following are
extracts:--
"'The impression which this place (Cape Town) made on me, was not an
agreeable one. The mountains surrounding the town are bare, the
town itself (London being still fresh in my recollection) resembles
a village. The houses are of only one story, with terraces instead
of roofs. From the deck of the vessel a single tree was visible,
standing on a hill. In short, on my arrival I was at once much
disappointed, and this disappointment rather increases than
otherwise. In the town the European mode of living is entirely
prevalent--more so than in any other place abroad that I have seen.
I have made a good many inquiries as to travelling into the
interior; and have been, throughout, assured that the natives are
everywhere kindly disposed to travellers, and that as a woman I
should be able to penetrate much farther than a man,--and I have
been strongly advised to undertake a journey as far as the unknown
lakes, and even beyond. Still, with all these splendid prospects
and hopes, I fear I shall travel less in this country than in any
other. Here, the first thing you are told is, that you must
purchase waggons, oxen, horses, asses,--hire expensive guides, etc.,
etc. How far should I reach in this way with my 100 pounds
sterling? I will give you an example of the charges in this
country:--for the carriage of my little luggage to my lodgings I had
to pay 10s. 6d.! I had previously landed in what I thought the most
expensive places in the world--London, Calcutta, Canton, etc.--had
everywhere a much greater distance to go from the vessel to my
lodgings, and nowhere had I paid half of what they charged me here.
Board and lodging I have also found very dear. Fortunately, I have
been very kindly received into the house of Mr. Thaewitzer, the
Hamburgh consul, where I live, very agreeably, but do not much
advance the object which brought me here. I shall, in the course of
the month, undertake a short journey with some Dutch boers to Klein
Williams; and I fear that this will form the beginning and the end
of my travels in this country.'
"From these extracts it will be seen that the resolute lady has at
her command but very slender means for the performance of her
journeys. The sum of 100 pounds, which was granted to her by the
Austrian government, forms the whole of her funds. Private
resources she has none. It took her twenty years to save enough
money to perform her first journey!--namely, that to the Holy Land.
While in London, she received scarcely any encouragement; and her
works were not appreciated by the public, or indeed known, till she
had left this country. It is to be regretted that the want of a
little pecuniary assistance should deter the enterprising lady from
carrying out her projected journey in Southern Africa. Though not a
scientific traveller, she is a faithful recorder of what she sees
and hears; and she is prepared to note the bearings and distances of
the journey, make meteorological observations, and keep a careful
diary--so that the results of her projected journey would perhaps be
of as much interest as those of other travellers of greater
pretensions."
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. THE VOYAGE TO THE BRAZILS.
CHAPTER II. ARRIVAL AND SOJOURN IN RIO JANEIRO.
CHAPTER III. EXCURSIONS IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF RIO JANEIRO.
CHAPTER IV. JOURNEY INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE BRAZILS.
CHAPTER V. THE VOYAGE ROUND CAPE HORN.
CHAPTER VI. ARRIVAL AND RESIDENCE IN VALPARAISO.
CHAPTER VII. THE VOYAGE FROM VALPARAISO TO CANTON, VIA TAHITI.
CHAPTER VIII. CHINA.
CHAPTER IX. THE EAST INDIES--SINGAPORE.
CHAPTER X. THE EAST INDIES--CEYLON.
CHAPTER XI. MADRAS AND CALCUTTA.
CHAPTER XII. BENARES.
CHAPTER XIII. ALLAHABAD, AGRA, AND DELHI.
CHAPTER XIV. JOURNEY FROM DELHI TO BOMBAY.
CHAPTER XV. JOURNEY FROM DELHI TO BOMBAY, CONTINUED.
CHAPTER XVI. CONTINUATION OF JOURNEY AND SOJOURN.
CHAPTER XVII. FROM BOMBAY TO BAGHDAD.
CHAPTER XVIII. MESOPOTAMIA, BAGHDAD, AND BABYLON.
CHAPTER XIX. MOSUL AND NINEVEH.
CHAPTER XX. PERSIA.
CHAPTER XXI. SOJOURN IN TEBRIS.
CHAPTER XXII. ASIATIC RUSSIA--ARMENIA, GEORGIA, AND MINGRELIA.
CHAPTER XXIII. EUROPEAN RUSSIA.
CHAPTER XXIV. CONSTANTINOPLE AND ATHENS.
CHAPTER I. THE VOYAGE TO THE BRAZILS.
DEPARTURE FROM VIENNA--STAY IN HAMBURGH--STEAMERS AND SAILING
VESSELS--DEPARTURE FROM HAMBURGH--CUXHAVEN--THE BRITISH CHANNEL--
FLYING-FISH--THE PHISOLIDA--CONSTELLATIONS--PASSING THE LINE--THE
"VAMPEROS"--A GALE AND STORM--CAPE FRIO--ARRIVAL IN THE PORT OF RIO
JANEIRO.
On the first of May, 1846, I left Vienna, and, with the exception of
slight stoppages at Prague, Dresden, and Leipsic, proceeded directly
to Hamburgh, there to embark for the Brazils. In Prague I had the
pleasure of meeting Count Berchthold, who had accompanied me during
a portion of my journey in the East. He informed me that he should
like to be my companion in the voyage to the Brazils, and I promised
to wait for him in Hamburgh.
I had a second most interesting meeting on the steamer from Prague
to Dresden, namely, with the widow of Professor Mikan. In the year
1817, this lady had, on the occasion of the marriage of the Austrian
Princess Leopaldine with Don Pedro I., followed her husband to the
Brazils, and afterwards made with him a scientific journey into the
interior of the country.
I had often heard this lady's name mentioned, and my joy at making
her personal acquaintance was very great. In the kindest and most
amiable manner she communicated to me the results of her long
experience, and added advice and rules of conduct, which proved
afterwards highly useful.
I arrived in Hamburgh on the 12th of May; and, as early as the 13th,
might have embarked on board a fine fast-sailing brig, which,
besides, was christened the "Ida," like myself. With a heavy heart
I saw this fine vessel set sail. I was obliged to remain behind, as
I had promised my travelling companion to await his arrival. Week
after week elapsed, with nothing but the fact of my staying with my
relatives to lighten the dreariness of suspense; at last, about the
middle of June, the Count came, and shortly afterwards we found a
vessel--a Danish brig, the "Caroline," Captain Bock, bound for Rio
Janeiro.
I had now before me a long voyage, which could not be made under two
months at the least, and which, possibly, might last three or four.
Luckily I had already lived for a considerable period on board
sailing vessels during my former travels, and was therefore
acquainted with their arrangements, which are very different from
those of steamers. On board a steamer everything is agreeable and
luxurious; the vessel pursues her rapid course independent of the
wind, and the passengers enjoy good and fresh provisions, spacious
cabins, and excellent society.
In sailing vessels all this is very different, as, with the
exception of the large East Indiamen, they are not fitted up for
passengers. In them the cargo is looked upon as the principal
thing, and in the eyes of the crew passengers are a troublesome
addition, whose comfort is generally very little studied. The
captain is the only person who takes any interest in them, since a
third or even the half of the passage-money falls to his share.
The space, too, is so confined, that you can hardly turn yourself
round in the sleeping cabins, while it is quite impossible to stand
upright in the berths. Besides this, the motion of a sailing vessel
is much stronger than that of a steamer; on the latter, however,
many affirm that the eternal vibration, and the disagreeable odour
of the oil and coals, are totally insupportable. For my own part, I
never found this to be the case; it certainly is unpleasant, but
much easier to bear than the many inconveniences always existing on
board a sailing vessel. The passenger is there a complete slave to
every whim or caprice of the captain, who is an absolute sovereign
and holds uncontrolled sway over everything. Even the food depends
upon his generosity, and although it is generally not absolutely
bad, in the best instances, it is not equal to that on board a
steamer.
The following form the ordinary diet: tea and coffee without milk,
bacon and junk, soup made with pease or cabbage, potatoes, hard
dumplings, salted cod, and ship-biscuit. On rare occasions, ham,
eggs, fish, pancakes, or even skinny fowls, are served out. It is
very seldom, in small ships, that bread can be procured.
To render the living more palatable, especially on a long voyage,
passengers would do well to take with them a few additions to the
ship's fare. The most suitable are: portable soup and captain's
biscuit--both of which should be kept in tin canisters to preserve
them from mouldiness and insects--a good quantity of eggs, which,
when the vessel is bound for a southern climate, should first be
dipped in strong lime-water or packed in coal-dust; rice, potatoes,
sugar, butter, and all the ingredients for making sangaree and
potato-salad, the former being very strengthening and the latter
very cooling. I would strongly recommend those who have children
with them to take a goat as well.
As regards wine, passengers should take especial care to ask the
captain whether this is included in the passage-money, otherwise it
will have to be purchased from him at a very high rate.
There are also other objects which must not be forgotten, and above
all a mattress, bolster, and counterpane, as the berths are
generally unfurnished. These can be purchased very cheaply in any
seaport town.
Besides this, it is likewise advisable to take a stock of coloured
linen. The office of washerwoman is filled by a sailor, so that it
may easily be imagined that the linen does not return from the wash
in the best possible condition.
When the sailors are employed in shifting the sails, great care must
be taken to avoid injury by the falling of any of the ropes. But
all these inconveniences are comparatively trifling; the greatest
amount of annoyance begins towards the end of the voyage. The
captain's mistress is his ship. At sea he allows her to wear an
easy neglige, but in port she must appear in full dress. Not a sign
of the long voyage, of the storms, of the glowing heat she has
suffered, must be visible. Then begins an incessant hammering,
planing, and sawing; every flaw, every crack or injury is made good,
and, to wind up, the whole vessel is painted afresh. The worst of
all, however, is the hammering when the cracks in the deck are being
repaired and filled up with pitch. This is almost unbearable.
But enough of annoyances. I have described them merely to prepare,
in some degree, those who have never been to sea. Persons residing
in sea-port towns do not, perhaps, stand in need of this, for they
hear these matters mentioned every day; but such is not the case
with us poor souls, who have lived all our lives in inland cities.
Very often we hardly know how a steamer or a sailing vessel looks,
much less the mode of life on board them. I speak from experience,
and know too well what I myself suffered on my first voyage, simply
because, not having been warned beforehand, I took nothing with me
save a small stock of linen and clothes.
At present I will proceed with the progress of my voyage. We
embarked on the evening of the 28th of June, and weighed anchor
before daybreak of the 29th. The voyage did not commence in any
very encouraging manner; we had very little, in fact almost no wind
at all, and compared to us every pedestrian appeared to be running a
race: we made the nine miles to Blankenese in seven hours.
Luckily the slow rate at which we proceeded was not so disagreeable,
as, at first, for a considerable period we beheld the magnificent
port, and afterwards could admire, on the Holstein side, the
beautiful country houses of the rich Hamburghers, situated upon
charming eminences and surrounded by lovely gardens. The opposite
side, belonging to Hanover, is as flat and monotonous as the other
is beautiful. About here the Elbe, in many places, is from three to
four miles broad.
Before reaching Blankenese the ships take in their stock of water
from the Elbe. This water, although of a dirty and thick
appearance, is said to possess the valuable quality of resisting
putridity for years.
We did not reach Gluckstadt (37 miles from Hamburgh) before the
morning of the 30th. As there was not now a breath of wind, we were
entirely at the mercy of the stream, and began drifting back. The
captain, therefore, ordered the men to cast anchor, and profited by
the leisure thus forced upon him to have the chests and boxes made
fast on the deck and in the hold. We idlers had permission granted
us to land and visit the town, in which, however, we found but
little to admire.
There were eight passengers on board. The four cabin places were
taken by Count B--, myself, and two young people who hoped to make
their fortune sooner in the Brazils than in Europe. The price of a
passage in the first cabin was 100 dollars (20 pounds 16s. 8d.), and
in the steerage 50 dollars (10 pounds 8s. 4d.).
In the steerage, besides two worthy tradesmen, was a poor old woman
who was going, in compliance with the wish of her only son, who had
settled in the Brazils, to join him there, and a married woman whose
husband had been working as a tailor for the last six years in Rio
Janeiro. People soon become acquainted on board ship, and generally
endeavour to agree as well as possible, in order to render the
monotony of a long voyage at all supportable.
On the 1st of July we again set sail in rather stormy weather. We
made a few miles, but were soon obliged to cast anchor once more.
The Elbe is here so wide, that we could hardly see its banks, and
the swell so strong, that sea-sickness began to manifest itself
among our company. On the 2nd of July, we again attempted to weigh
anchor, but with no better success than the day before. Towards
evening we saw some dolphins, called also _tummler_, or tumblers, as
well as several gulls, which announced to us that we were fast
nearing the sea.
A great many vessels passed quickly by us. Ah! they could turn to
account the storm and wind which swelled out their sails, and drove
them rapidly towards the neighbouring port. We grudged them their
good fortune; and perhaps we had to thank this specimen of Christian
love on our part, that on the 3rd of July, we had not got further
than Cuxhaven, seventy-four miles from Hamburgh.
The 4th of July was a beautifully fine day, for those who could
remain quietly on shore; but for those on board ship it was bad
enough, as there was not the slightest breath of wind stirring. To
get rid of our lamentations, the captain launched out in praises of
the charming little town, and had us conveyed to land. We visited
the town, as well as the bathing establishment and the lighthouse,
and afterwards actually proceeded as far as a place called the
"Bush," where, as we were told, we should find a great abundance of
strawberries. After wandering about, over fields and meadows, for a
good hour in the glowing heat, we found the Bush, it is true, but
instead of strawberries, discovered only frogs and adders there.
We now proceeded into the scanty wood, where we saw about twenty
tents erected. A bustling landlord came up, and offering us some
glasses of bad milk, said that every year a fair is held in the Bush
for three weeks, or rather, on three successive Sundays, for during
the week days the booths are closed. The landlady also came
tripping towards us, and invited us, in a very friendly manner, to
spend the next Sunday with them. She assured us that we should
"amuse ourselves charmingly;" that we elder members of the company
should find entertainment in the wonderful performances of the
tumblers and jugglers, and the younger gentlemen find spruce young
girls for partners in the dance.
We expressed ourselves much pleased at this invitation, promised to
be sure to come, and then extended our walk to Ritzebuttel, where we
admired a small castle and a miniature park.
5th July. Nothing is so changeable as the weather: yesterday we
were revelling in sunshine, and today we were surrounded by a thick,
dark fog; and yet this, bad as it was, we found more agreeable than
the fine weather of the day before, for a slight breeze sprang up,
and at nine o'clock in the morning, we heard the rattling of the
capstan, as the anchor was being weighed. In consequence of this,
the young people were obliged to give up the idea of an excursion to
the Bush, and defer all dancing with pretty girls until their
arrival in another hemisphere, for it was fated that they should not
set foot in Europe again.
The transition from the Elbe to the North Sea is scarcely
perceptible, as the Elbe is not divided into different channels, but
is eight or ten miles broad at its mouth. It almost forms a small
sea of itself, and has even the green hue of one. We were,
consequently, very much surprised, on hearing the captain exclaim,
in a joyful tone, "We are out of the river at last." We imagined
that we had long since been sailing upon the wide ocean.
In the afternoon, we bore in sight of the island of Heligoland,
which belongs to the English, and presented really a magical
appearance, as it rose out from the sea. It is a barren, colossal
rock; and had I not learned, from one of the newest works on
geography, that it was peopled by about 2,500 souls, I should have
supposed the whole island to have been uninhabited. On three sides,
the cliffs rise so precipitously from the waves, that all access is
impossible.
We sailed by the place at a considerable distance, and saw only the
towers of the church and lighthouse, in addition to the so-called
"Monk," a solitary, perpendicular rock, that is separated from the
main body, between which and it there sparkles a small strip of sea.
The inhabitants are very poor. The only sources of their livelihood
are fishing and bathing visitors. A great number of the latter come
every year, as the bathing, on account of the extraordinary swell,
is reckoned extremely efficacious. Unfortunately, great fears are
entertained that this watering-place cannot exist much longer, as
every year the island decreases in size, from the continual falling
away of large masses of rock, so that some day the whole place may
disappear into the sea.
From the 5th to the 10th of July, we had continued stormy and cold
weather, with a heavy sea, and great rolling of the ship. All we
poor "land-lubbers" were suffering from sea sickness. We first
entered the British Channel, also called "La Manche" (420 miles from
Cuxhaven) in the night of the 10-11th.
We awaited with impatience the rising of the sun, which would
display to our gaze two of the mightiest powers in Europe. Luckily,
the day was fine and clear, and the two kingdoms lay before us, in
such magnificence and proximity, that the beholder was almost
inclined to believe that a sister people inhabited both countries.
On the coast of England, we saw the North Foreland, the Castle of
Sandown, and the town of Deal, stretching out at the foot of the
cliffs, which extend for many miles, and are about 150 feet high.
Further on, we came in sight of the South Foreland; and lastly, the
ancient castle of Dover, that sits right bravely enthroned upon an
eminence, and overlooks the surrounding country, far and wide. The
town itself lies upon the sea-shore.
Opposite Dover, at the narrowest part of the channel, we
distinguished, on the French coast, Cape Grisnez, where Napoleon
erected a small building, in order, it is said, to be at least able
to see England; and, further on, the obelisk raised in memory of the
camp at Boulogne, by Napoleon, but completed under Louis Philippe.
The wind being unfavourable, we were obliged, during the night, to
tack in the neighbourhood of Dover. The great darkness which
covered both land and sea rendered this maneuvre a very dangerous
one; firstly, on account of the proximity of the coast; and,
secondly, on account of the number of vessels passing up and down
the channel. To avoid a collision, we hung out a lantern on the
foremast, while, from time to time, a torch was lighted, and held
over the side, and the bell frequently kept sounding: all very
alarming occurrences to a person unused to the sea.
For fourteen days were we prisoners in the 360 miles of the Channel,
remaining very often two or three days, as if spell-bound, in the
same place, while we were frequently obliged to cruise for whole
days to make merely a few miles; and near Start we were overtaken by
a tolerably violent storm. During the night I was suddenly called
upon deck. I imagined that some misfortune had happened, and
hastily throwing a few clothes on, hurried up--to enjoy the
astonishing spectacle of a "sea-fire." In the wake of the vessel I
behold a streak of fire so strong that it would have been easy to
read by its light; the water round the ship looked like a glowing
stream of lava, and every wave, as it rose up, threw out sparks of
fire. The track of the fish was surrounded by dazzling inimitable
brilliancy, and far and wide everything was one dazzling
coruscation.
This extraordinary illumination of the sea is of very unfrequent
occurrence, and rarely happens after long-continued, violent storms.
The captain told me that he had never yet beheld the sea so lighted
up. For my part, I shall never forget the sight.