Footprints of Travel

Book excerpt: The kangaroos are found in various parts of Victoria, in their wild state. They are usually discovered in the thick woods, sitting upright in circles of a dozen or more, as grave as though engaged in holding a formal council....-from Chapter VIntended for younger readers, this charming collection of notes from foreign travel by an American novelist winningly captures the romantic adventure of roaming the globe and embraces a youthful enthusiasm that armchair travelers of all ages continue to enjoy. Highlights of Ballou's grand tour, first published in 1889, include: San Francisco's Chinatown . Yokohama . the island of CeylonNew Zealand hot springs . tea gardens of India . Cairoa French flower market . the Arctic Circleand much more.Prehistoric monuments, exotic fruits, strange wildlife, cannibals, dancing girls, ancient tombs, and sacred pigeons-they're all here.American writer MATURIN MURRAY BALLOU (1820-1895) was a magazine editor and publisher of pulp dime novels, many of which he wrote himself under the pseudonym "Lieutenant Murray." His books of travel include Due-West, or Round the World in Ten Months and Due-North, or Glimpses of Scandinavian and Russia.