mm
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LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA
SAN DIEGO
_ '
:
THE LIFE OF
SIR CLEMENTS R. MARKHAM
K.C.B., F.R.S.
THE
LIFE OF SIR
CLEMENTS R. MARKHAM
K.C.B., F.R.S.
LL.D. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY ; D.SC. UNIVERSITY OF LKliDS ;
COMMENDADOR OF THE ORDER OF CHRIST OF PORTUGAL ;
CHEVALIER OF THE ORDER OF THE ROSE OF BRAZIL ;
KNIGHT COMMANDER OF THE ORDER OF THE POLE STAR (iSt CLASS) OF SWEDEN ;
COMMANDER OF THE ORDER OF ST. OLAF OF NORWAY ;
ETC., ETC.
BY
ADMIRAL
SIR ALBERT H. MARKHAM
K.C.B.
AUTHOR OF "THE GREAT FROZEN SEA," "LIFE OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN,
" A WHALING CRUISE TO BAFFIN'S BAY," ETC.
LONDON
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET, W.
1917
Ah rights reserved.
TO
MINNA,
THIS IMPERFECT RECORD OF HER HUSBAND'S USEFUL
AND ACTIVE LIFE IS AFFECTIONATELY
INSCRIBED.
PREFACE
IT seems to me that a few words are necessary in order
to vindicate my presumption in undertaking such a
work as the biography of Sir Clements Markham.
Among the men of science and letters, to whom his
varied work appeals, there are many better fitted than
myself to do justice to the memory of so distinguished
a man. Nevertheless, when invited to write his life,
I gladly consented to do so, and for the following
reasons : There was no one outside his family circle who
was more intimately acquainted with him. A close
friendship had existed between us for over sixty years,
and during more than half that period his house had
been my home, whenever my professional duties en-
abled me to reside in this country. My love and rever-
ence for him intensified as the years rolled by, and I felt
that, apart from his scientific labours and geographical
achievements, there was no one more familiar with his
personal charm and lovable disposition than myself.
Thus I felt that I was, perhaps, in a better position
than anyone else to put together a record of his event-
ful and extended life. This must be my apology and
justification for appearing now in the role of his
biographer.
My aim in the present work has been, not so much to
draw attention to his merits as a man of letters and a
great geographer they are already well known to the
scientific world but to emphasise the human touch, to
viii PREFACE
bring out, in other words, the distinctive characteristics
of his personality both as a boy and as a man.
My task, on the whole, has not been an easy one, but
it has been a labour of love, and one of absorbing interest,
revealing, in episodes hitherto unknown to me, the un-
selfish springs of his generous nature, his love for the
young, and, above all, his wondrous kindness and
sympathy for those in trouble and distress.
I have acquired my information principally from his
private journals and published works ; where these have
failed, my own personal knowledge and recollection,
during our long and intimate fellowship, have enabled
me, in several instances, to bridge over gaps in the
written records of his long life. Much information has
also been kindly placed at my disposal by many mutual
relations and friends.
I am deeply indebted to Mr. Leonard Huxley and
Captain P. B. M. Allan for the valuable advice and
assistance they have given me in preparing the work for
publication, and to Mr. Cyril Longhurst, C.B., for com-
piling the excellent Index, which he was kind enough
voluntarily to undertake out of the love and respect
that he bore for his old friend.
A. H. M.
CONTENTS
CHA1TER PAGE
PREFACE - - VU
I. CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS - I
II. JOINS THE NAVY - - IJ
III. THE PACIFIC STATION - 36
IV. THE SANDWICH ISLANDS - 48
V. CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC - 64
VI. HOMEWARD-BOUND - 84
VII. IN THE MEDITERRANEAN - - IOO
VIII. THE SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN - - IIO
IX. TRAVELS IN PERU - 127
X. CUZCO TO LIMA - - 144
XI. THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA - 164
XII. WORK IN INDIA - 195
XIII. THE ABYSSINIAN WAR - - 207
XIV. GEOGRAPHY AND ARCTIC EXPLORATION - - 223
XV. ARCTIC INTERESTS, THE MERCHANT SERVICE, AND OTHER
MATTERS - - - 241
XVI. THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES ... 2&2
XVII. WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON - 282
XVIII. THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY ... 300
XIX. THE " DISCOVERY " ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION - - 317
XX. LATER YEARS ...... 335
xxi. SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION THE END - - - 351
APPENDIX A : TELEGRAMS AND LETTERS OF SYMPATHY
SENT TO LADY MARKHAM - 363
APPENDIX B : WORKS PUBLISHED BY SIR CLEMENTS
MARKHAM - - - 366
APPENDIX C : BOOKS EDITED FOR THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY
BY SIR CLEMENTS MARKHAM - 369
INDEX ..... . - 371
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
FACING PAGE
SIR CLEMENTS R. MARKHAM - Frontispiece
Photograph by Cooper and Humphreys! from original painting by George
Henry, A.R.A.
"UP SCHOOL," WESTMINSTER 12
CLEMENTS MARKHAM AS A NAVAL CADET (AGED 14) - - 2O
H.M.S. "COLLINGWOOD" - - 26
CLEMENTS MARKHAM AS A MIDSHIPMAN (AGED l8) - IOO
H.M.S. "SIDON" - 103
AREQUIPA WITH MOUNT MISTI - - - l6l
CLEMENTS MARKHAM (AGED 25) - 169
THE "DISCOVERY" ------- 329
XI
THE LIFE OF
SIR CLEMENTS R. MARKHAM
CHAPTER I
CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS
IN the East Riding of Yorkshire, on that small tract of
land between the Rivers Ouse and Derwent (which,
flowing almost parallel to each other for a distance of
about seventeen miles through the Vale of York, give
their name to that particular wapentake), lies the old
English village of Stillingfleet. This parish, forming
one of the thirteen included in the wapentake, is men-
tioned in Domesday Book, and the village itself has
been in existence since the first Anglian occupation of
the country.
Owing in a great measure to the energies of the monks
of Selby and York, the present beautiful Norman church
of the parish was built during the twelfth century, and
was dedicated to St. Helen and St. Mary. About a
hundred years after its consecration, so much had the
population of the parish increased, it was found neces-
sary to make important additions. One of the chief
features of this church, and a source of some pride to
the parishioners, is the beautiful old south-eastern
doorway, reputed to be one of the finest specimens of
ecclesiastical Norman architecture in this country.
It was to this parish, with its fine old church, that
the Rev. David F. Markham was inducted as Vicar
in May, 1826. He was the son of William Markham,
i
2 CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS [CH.I
of Becca Hall, Aberford, and the grandson of Dr.
William Markham, who was Archbishop of York from
1777 to 1807.
In July, 1827, Mr. Markham received a letter from
the Prime Minister, informing him that His Majesty had
been graciously pleased to appoint him to a canonry
of Windsor that had just become vacant.* This was of
course accepted. A Windsor canonry in those days was
worth from 1,000 to 1,500 a year, with a residence
inside the walls of the Castle.
Shortly afterwards, in the same year, he married
Catherine Frances Nannette Milner, daughter of Sir
William Milner, Bart., of Nun Appleton. He was then
twenty-seven years of age, and is described as being a
strikingly handsome man, 6 feet 2 inches in height,
strong and active, and of great personality; a good
cricketer, and fond of all outdoor sports, especially
shooting and hunting. The greater part of these re-
creations had at a very early stage to be abandoned,
so that he might devote more time to his parochial and
other more important duties. He had also given much
time to the study of medicine. He was a great reader
and eager in the acquisition of knowledge; he was a
dexterous carpenter and turner, and very skilful in all
work of a mechanical nature. He possessed a natural
taste for painting and sketching, especially in connection
with architectural designs. In addition to these accom-
plishments, he was an enthusiastic numismatist, and
owned a valuable collection of coins, some of great
antiquity, which he himself had collected.
It was here, at the old Vicarage of Stillingfleet, that
Clements Markham was born, on the 2oth of July, 1830,
and on the following loth of September he was baptised
Clements Robert in the library at Becca.
* It maybe mentioned that Dr. Markham, the late Archbishop,
was private tutor to both King George IV. and King William IV. ;
hence the interest taken by His Majesty in the grandson of his old
tutor, to whom he invariably showed great friendship.
CH.I] CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS 3
His childhood was an exceedingly happy one, as well
it might be, for it was spent in the constant care and
company of his parents and of his brothers and sisters,
three of whom were born at Stillingfleet. Sometimes,
however, his childish temper would get the better of
him. It is related on the first occasion that he
attended church, being then a little over four years of
age, he became so desperately bored that he began to
pinch his elder brother, who was sitting next to him,
by way of relieving his feelings. This, being naturally
resented by his brother, resulted in a free fight, and
Clements had to be carried out of church struggling
and screaming.
Clements Markham always possessed a marvellous
memory. He used frequently to say that the earliest
recollections of his home at Stillingfleet and the village,
as he saw them in his mind's eye in after-years, were
derived from impressions received when he was not
more than three years of age. He often averred that
he could remember people he had met and events that
had happened when he was between two and three
years old, and in some rare instances before he was even
two ! Of his fourth year he had distinct recollections,
not only concerning important events which occurred
at that period, but of other occurrences of minor im-
portance. It is, of course, quite possible that the
knowledge of some of these incidents may have been
imparted to him in after-life, but he always sturdily
asserted that he had a very vivid recollection of events
that occurred before he had reached his fourth birth-
day.
As we write, there are before us notes made by him-
self, giving minute descriptions of his friends and the
houses in which they lived, visited by him when he was
between three and four years of age. He remembered
the guests that were staying in the different houses,
some of whom he never saw again, yet he noted down
many of their peculiarities and may we say blemishes ?
4 CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS [CH.I
One old lady, for instance, is described as having a long
neck, an eager little face, and a voice like a cockatoo I
One had a mole on her face; another was untidy in
appearance ; another wore little tight curls and was fond
of genealogy; another had a habit of pouting with her
under-lip; another was tall, good-natured, loud-voiced,
and had straw-coloured hair; and so on. The dress
worn by ladies and gentlemen in those days he describes
most carefully, and he gives complete descriptions of
the houses to which he was taken, with the number and
positions of the rooms. He even enumerates the various
pictures in those houses, the positions they occupied,
with the names of the artists who painted them. These
little incidents are typical of the man, his marvellous
memory, and illustrative of his wonderful powers of
observation and description. His notes were not limited
to the friends and relations he met, but extended
to the servants in the various houses he visited. Their
names are all enumerated, more especially those who
were kind to him, and the positions they filled ; whilst
in some cases even their family histories are recorded.
All these descriptions were the recollections of a little
child, for some of the people, alluded to by him, died
before he had attained his seventh birthday.
He was always fond of acting in private theatricals
and charades, but especially the latter; and in the notes
which he has left of his early reminiscences he gives long
and detailed descriptions of charades acted at Stilling-
fleet and elsewhere. These include the names of the
performers, the parts that were allotted to them, the
costumes they wore, the scenery that was used, and
every minute detail connected with the performances.
It must be noted that he left Stillingfleet before he was
eight years of age.
His boyhood was spent principally at home, but there
were short periods at Windsor, where his father had to
be in residence for two months every year. At which
of these places young Clements preferred to live is a
CH.I] CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS 5
moot question. He loved his home at Stillingfleet, his
garden, his associates, and everything connected with
the place; but he was also very fond of Windsor, its
history, and its surroundings. He loved the river on
which he passed so many pleasant hours, and he de-
lighted in the company of the Eton boys. Among the
latter were several of his friends and young relatives,
who, as may readily be imagined, always received a
warm welcome at the Canon's house.
During the reign of William IV. it was the custom
for the Canon in residence to dine every Sunday with
the King and Queen. On these occasions the guests
had to appear in evening dress with knee-breeches,
silk stockings, and shoes with silver buckles. When his
father returned from these dinners, he invariably brought
back with him some delicious bonbons, which were much
appreciated by young Clements. The death of the King
he felt very keenly, and he was, perhaps, more per-
turbed when he realised that in future there would be
no more bonbons; but he was especially grieved when
he was informed by one of the curates that the prayer-
book would have to be altered ! This caused him in-
tense sorrow, and, throwing himself on the sofa, he
burst into tears. He was sorry for the death of the
good old King, and he was grieved at the idea that there
would be no more bonbons, but he was overwhelmed
with despair at the thought that his religion (as he
imagined) was going to be altered !
In March, 1838, Canon Markham was offered, and
accepted, the rectory of Great Horkesley, near Colchester
in Essex. The offer was not at first favourably enter-
tained, nor was it accepted without some hesitation.
His family were all much attached to Stillingfleet, and
the Canon knew that they would not, at any rate at
first, view with equanimity the substitution of the
Essex home for the old one in Yorkshire. However,
it was a larger and more important parish, and, as he
anticipated, it would open up a wider field of usefulness
6 CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS [CH.I
to which he could devote his energies. Great was the
children's grief at having to leave their beloved Stilling-
fleet, endeared to them by so many happy memories.
It was with heavy hearts and the shedding of many
bitter tears that they bade farewell to their old home
and set out to make a new one in another part of the
country. Fortunately, however, grief does not last long
with young children, especially when they have all the
excitement and joy of seeing strange places and the
making of a new home to look forward to. Their
thoughts were soon engrossed in the multifarious arrange-
ments for the comfort and happiness that they pictured
would be acquired in their new domicile.
On their arrival they were delighted with everything
they saw. The house was larger than the one they had
left, the gardens were more extensive, and they set to
work at once to make it as much like the old home as
possible. In this they soon succeeded, but they always
retained a warm corner in their hearts for the old house
at Stillingfleet, where they had passed so many happy
years.
The church and rectory at Great Horkesley were
about four miles from Colchester, and some little dis-
tance from the straggling collection of houses and cot-
tages that made up the parish. The rectory was sur-
rounded by a large paddock, with glebe land and wood
adjoining, Not far from the rectory gate flowed the
River Stour, which at that particular spot formed the
boundary between the two counties of Essex and
Suffolk. The church was not so rich in architectural
interest as the one at Stillingfleet, and many alterations
and additions had to be made to the house in order to
accommodate the family; but the grounds and gardens
were speedily tastefully laid out under the personal
superintendence of the Rector.
Just as the two boys were beginning to realise the
comfort and happiness of their new surroundings, the
fateful question of school was broached, then discussed,
CH.I] CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS 7
and finally arranged. Clements was then eight years
of age; his brother was two years his senior. It was
decided that they should both be sent to a school at
Cheam, which had been highly recommended to their
parents. This school was conducted by the Rev.
William Browne, on what he was pleased to call the
Pestalozzi method. The main feature of his system
consisted in never keeping the boys at their lessons for
more than one hour, at the expiration of which time
they were sent out to " air their brains " for a like
period. The selection of this particular school was
largely due to the fact that many of the friends and
relations of the two boys were being educated there.
Also it had an excellent reputation, which was certainly
enhanced by results at least in the case of these two
brothers.
Clements Markham was nearly nine years old when
he went to school. He travelled by coach from Col-
chester, but not without accident. While changing
coaches in London, the string with which one of his
many parcels was secured broke, and all his beautiful
rice cakes (to which he was very partial) were scattered
in the mud ! Some were trodden under foot by the
passers-by, and many were eagerly pounced upon by
the street boys and hastily devoured. This incident,
coming on the top of his departure from home and all
it meant to him, was the last straw, and he burst into
tears.
On arrival at Cheam he complained of pains " under
his jaw," and soon developed mumps ; so he was promptly
isolated, and kept in quarantine for ten days. During
the period of his confinement he amused himself by
reading " Parry's Polar Voyages," and this, he always
maintained, was the principal cause for the great interest
he subsequently took in Polar exploration.
Altogether he thoroughly enjoyed his school life at
Cheam, and made many lifelong friendships. He wrote
out a description of every boy (and there were over
8 CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS [CH.I
fifty in the school), including one of himself, the latter
in the following words :
" When I went to Cheam I was a good-looking, well-
made little boy of eight years and ten months, in a
round jacket, turn-down collar over it, and a Tarn o'
Shanter cap, black with red squares round the edge. I
was always called Pope.* In my first half I had no
friends, only G as a protector; and I especially
hated D R . But we at once made friends in
the second half, became devoted to each other, and
were inseparable until dearer friends came."
His special companions were his cousin William
Wickham (subsequently M.P. for Petersfield) and
Raglan Somerset, for both of whom he entertained the
warmest feelings of love and affection. Many of his
schoolmates attained distinction in after-life; among
them may be mentioned E. A. Freeman, the eminent
historian, and Edward Parry (son of the great Arctic
explorer), who died when Bishop of Dover and Dean
of Canterbury.
His pen even then was busily occupied. He wrote
a full and complete description of all the masters,
ushers, and other officials, connected with the school,
which certainly bears the impress of accuracy. He
was fond of all outdoor games, and was fairly pro-
ficient in most of them. A game of cricket he enjoyed,
but always regarded it as a man's game; and, as he had
no intention of devoting his life to playing games, he
took but little interest in it. Jumping was his favourite
form of athletics, and he was constantly engaged in
endeavouring to beat his last record at the high jump.
He was an apt pupil, and was especially interested
in the study of geography and astronomy, showing very
clearly thereby that " coming events cast their shadows
before."
After three years spent at Cheam, his parents deemed
it advisable to remove him to a larger and more impor-
* Presumably on account of his Christian name.
CH.I] CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS g
tant school, and one more in consonance with his age.
It was decided, therefore, to send him to Westminster,
the alma mater of many generations of the Markham
family. Accordingly, he left Cheam in April, 1842.
He took his departure with feelings of real regret; he
had thoroughly enjoyed his school life, he liked his
schoolfellows, he respected those set in authority over
him, he listened whole-heartedly to all his masters taught
him, and he had acquird much useful knowledge. He
himself says, in connection with his life at Cheam, that
it was reall}' a good school for learning better, in his
opinion, than any school of the present day. He knew
none where history, geography, and elocution, were
taught so well, or where classics and mathematics could
be taught better. He thought at the time that the boys
were very hard in their criticisms of Mr. Browne and
some of the other masters, but he naively observes
" that, in thinking and speaking as we did, we invari-
ably forgot his admirable system of teaching, his good
intentions, his constant thoughtfulness for us, and his
liberality." This was a generous admission for a school-
boy to make regarding the schoolmaster he was leaving.
He always looked back with the greatest pleasure to
the happy and profitable days he spent at Cheam, which
certainly contributed towards the making of the man.
His departure was much regretted by the boys, and
especially by his particular friends, to whom he was
sincerely attached.
Before going to Westminster he enjoyed a good
long holiday. This he spent at Great Horkesley and
Windsor, as well as in visiting many of his friends and
relations. In addition, the time was rendered all the
more pleasurable by the presence at home of some of his
old schoolmates, who had been invited to stay with him.
When not engaged in paying visits, or entertaining his
many friends at Great Horkesley, he devoted his spare
moments to literary work, and he undoubtedly earned
the reputation, even at that early age, of wielding a
io CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS [CH.I
very facile pen. After reading the adventures of Robin-
son Crusoe and Masterman Ready, he composed, before
he left Cheam, a romance founded on those two delight-
ful works of fiction, in which he depicted himself in the
character of the hero ! This was followed by a History
of England, in eight chapters, written when he was only
ten years of age. He certainly brought it up to date,
for it concluded with the following words: " Queen
Victoria married Albert, Prince of Saxe-Coburg. They
have got one daughter, and are going to have a boy "
a marvellous illustration of early prescience ! To this
latter work he added a map of England and Wales
constructed entirely by himself, showing in colour the
boundaries of the various counties.
Even at that age he admits that he strongly realised
the necessity of a knowledge of geography for the full
comprehension of history. His father happened to be
in possession of a small printing-press, which he used for
printing the parish notices, etc., and he was so pleased
with the result of his boy's literary labours that he
printed twenty copies of the History of England in small
quarto form, had them neatly bound in leather covers,
and distributed them to a few of his relations. By this
act the boy's literary ardour was so much gratified that
he decided unhesitatingly upon becoming an author !
How he adhered to this decision time has shown.
His next literary effort was the compilation of a
history of different countries and peoples, which in-
cluded Egypt, Abyssinia, Macedonia, The Jews, Rome,
Britain, Persia, Mexico, Peru, France, Scotland, Spain,
Portugal, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Russia, Sweden,
Ireland, Lapland, Germany, Prussia, Denmark, and
Turkey. Nearly all in this series were illustrated by
maps drawn by himself: a truly gigantic and ambitious
project for a boy of his tender years, but it was one
that was successfully accomplished.
Not content with the writing of historical works, he
turned his attention during the holidays to biography,
CH.I] CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS u
and wrote the lives of those historical characters of all
ages in whom he had been most interested . These were
Sesostris, Cyrus, Cambyses, Darius, Alexander, Octa-
vius, Edward the Black Prince, Henry V., Ferdinand
and Isabella, Charles V., Solyman, Francis I., Andrew I.
of Hungary, Gustavus Adolphus, Christina, Charles XII.,
Peter the Great, Catherine II., Alexander of Russia,
Suvarrow, John Sobieski, Thaddeus, Kosciusko, Thad-
deus of Warsaw, Stanislas Poniatowski, Napoleon,
Wellington, and Nelson. A somewhat strange and
complex assortment of heroes !
The next subject to which he turned his literary and
scientific mind was a work entitled " Astronomy and
Physical Geography," which was completed in Sep-
tember, 1842. In the former he describes the planets,
comets, and constellations, and gives an explanation of
the ecliptic and signs of the zodiac. In the Physical Geo-
graphy he illustrates a series of definitions and explana-
tions of natural phenomena. A somewhat pretentious
work to emanate from the brain of a boy of twelve !
Following this he wrote a book on heraldry, a subject
on which in after-years he was a great authority.
This work contained a summary of the different
orders of knighthood existing in various countries.
Unquestionably in his young days he was, as in after-
life, a prolific and versatile writer.
During this time he had the pleasure of making the
acquaintance of Lord Ellesmere, who some years after-
wards became President of the Royal Geographical
Society. He was extremely kind to young Clements,
the more so when he discovered that he was fond of
geography and history, urging him to persevere in the
study of these subjects. He related to him many en-
grossing tales of Arctic and Antarctic voyages, and gave
him an interesting account of the geography of Central
Asia ; all of which young Markham carefully listened to,
and treasured in his mind.
As a child, he was much interested in natural
12 CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS [CH. i
history, and while at Stillingfleet he and his brother
formed a large collection of the butterflies, moths,
beetles, and other insects, to be found in that neigh-
bourhood. Geology, conchology, and other scientific
studies, were not neglected. In fact, his thirst for
knowledge regarding everything pertaining to the earth
and its inhabitants was as insatiable as a boy as it
was in after-years when a man.
After a somewhat long holiday, which, however, was
not unprofitably spent (as may well be realised from
the foregoing account of his literary labours during that
period), he entered Westminster School on the 27th of
May, 1842, being then nearly twelve years of age. The
grief connected with his home-leaving was somewhat
softened by the knowledge that his brother David, and
his cousin William Wickham,and Raglan Somerset (who
were with him at Cheam), would be his schoolfellows
at Westminster.
On the morning of his entry he was conducted,
according to custom, " up school," and directed to sit
behind the examination-table. To a boy of his age the
whole procedure was a very awe-inspiring ordeal. The
vast size of the room, with its lofty and open roof; the
masters and scholars around him, attired in their college
caps and gowns; the Latin prayers all filled him with
awe and wonder, with which, it must be admitted, was
mingled a certain amount of nervousness due to the
imposing surroundings. Then his name was called in
a loud and commanding voice by the Head-Master, who
interrogated him as to his general knowledge. The
result of this examination was that he was placed in the
11 Upper School " in the " under fourth form."
According to the rules and regulations of the school,
a boy in the same class as that to which the new
boy is appointed was selected by the usher to act
as his Substance, and to him the new boy became a
Shadow. It was the duty of the Substance to initiate
the latter in all the ordinary details connected with his
CH.I] CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS 13
school-life, and to see that his Shadow was in possession
of the necessary books and other indispensable proper-
ties required for his education. The Substance had also
to explain the localities of the various places frequented
by the boys outside the precincts of the school, such as
the shops where bats and balls, sweets, cakes, and other
articles dear to a schoolboy's heart, were sold. It was
also his duty to point out the limits that constituted
" out of bounds," and other important details of a
similar nature such, for instance, as the hard-and-
fast rule laid down by the boys themselves, that none
but a sixth form boy was privileged to walk on the west
side of Abingdon Street. In a few days the new boy
was fully initiated into all the customs and routine of
the school, and consequently ceased to exist as a Shadow,
reverting again to a material body. It is interesting to
know that this good old regulation regarding the Sub-
stance and his Shadow still exists at Westminster. It
appears to be a very excellent school custom, tending
to mitigate the sorrow and loneliness felt by a boy
on leaving home, and frequently results in lifelong
friendships.
Markham found that the change from a private
school to Westminster was greater than he had anti-
cipated. He was surprised to find that the boys had
so much liberty, and there was a different tone and
better mode of life among them. He was much im-
pressed by the beautiful vista of cloisters, and the air
of mystery and antiquity that surrounded them; also
by the venerable old schoolroom in which they studied,
and the glorious Abbey where the boys attended service
on Sundays and saints' days. He was delighted
with the proximity of the river, with the graceful
" eights " and other craft gliding along its surface. All
combined to excite his imagination, and he was wont to
assert that Westminster School with all its attributes
was a more wonderful and delightful place than he had
ever imagined could exist even in his wildest dreams.
14 CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS [CH.I
He became enthusiastic over the old school; and as
the days went by this enthusiasm increased, until it
developed into a love and admiration for the ancient
institution and everything appertaining to it, growing
in intensity as time went on.
No boy could have been more happy and more
satisfied with his lot than was Markham during
those hallowed and never-to-be-forgotten days at
Westminster.
During his stay he was domiciled at Mr. Benthall's
house, together with eight other boys whose ages
varied from ten to seventeen years. It was the end
house on the right-hand side, as Little Dean's Yard is
entered. The ground-floor with the first and second
floors were appropriated to Mr. Benthall and his family,
his visitors, and serrants ; the nine boys were relegated to
the garrets, where, however, they were very comfortable
and well out of the master's way an important con-
sideration. Privacy was insured by what was called
" pokering the door"; this consisted in driving a red-
hot poker through the floor against the door, and letting
the end rest on the ceiling below. The boys in the
school below the sixth form were all compelled to run
whether coming up or going down school, even if they
were called up for a flogging ! An excellent practice for
boys, and one that has been customary in the Navy
from time immemorial.
Altogether Markham thoroughly enjoyed himself at
Westminster. Directly afternoon school was over
everyone went to " the Fields " for cricket and other
games, or away to the boats. Markham invariably
preferred the latter. He was generally selected as
coxswain, and he was very proud of his skill in taking
his boat through the arches of the wooden bridge at
Battersea, with the oars almost touching on either side.
He loved boating, and his great ambition was to be
selected for one of the eights. The great event of his
first year was the race between Westminster and Eton.
CH.I] CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS 15
He used to watch the training of the crew with the
most intense interest, looked at them with the keenest
admiration as they passed, and heard with wonder how
the crew lived during their period of training on raw
beefsteaks and porter ! He was in the steamer accom-
panying the boats during the race; the result, to his
intense joy, was that Westminster won by thirty-five
seconds. He was hoarse for some days afterwards from
cheering so vigorously.
The first of these races* was rowed in 1825, the course
being then from Westminster to Eton and back, a dis-
tance of 86 miles ! This was accomplished in twenty-
two hours, including seven hours' detention in locks and
other unforeseen stoppages. The first race with Eton
was really in 1829, when Eton was victorious. Racing
was kept up with the other public schools, but in a some-
what spasmodic manner, and with fluctuating fortunes,
until 1884, when it finally came to an end so far as
Westminster was concerned.
At Westminster, Markham made the acquaintance of
James G.Goodenough, with whom he formed a lifelong
friendship.
There can be no doubt that he derived great bene-
fit from his studies at this time, and that his life
was bright and happy during those two years is suffi-
ciently testified by his constant allusions to the happi-
ness he experienced at the school, and by the love and
reverence with which he spoke in after-life of his West-
minster days. He always took the greatest interest in
the lives and careers of the boys who were educated
there; and nothing gave h : m so much real pleasure, in
the latter years of his life, as the honour that was accorded
him when he was elected a member of the governing
body of his old school, and was appointed one of the
Trustees of Dr. Busby's Charity. His portrait, painted
* This was not a " race" in the ordinary acceptation of the term,
but a friendly visit and a test of endurance between the two schools.
A somewhat severe test it must be acknowledged !
16 CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-DAYS [CH.I
in oils by Mr. George Henry, A.R.A.* (the best likeness
of him that was ever painted), was presented to him in
1913 by his old Westminster friends and colleagues,
when he resigned the presidency of the Elizabethan
Club, and his membership of the governing body of the
school. It was bestowed as " some acknowledgment of
the great services which he has rendered to the schooj^
in his official capacities and otherwise."
* Mr. Henry has very kindly painted a replica of this picture,
which he has presented to the Royal Geographical Society. In
making the presentation, Mr. Henry writes that " it has been a labour
of love to him to do so."
CHAPTER II
JOINS THE NAVY
DURING the time Clements Markham was at West-
minster, he was a constant visitor at Langham House,
the residence of his aunt, the Countess of Mansfield.*
In May, 1844, he was present at a dinner-party given
by Lady Mansfield, and on the retirement of the ladies
from the dining-room he found himself sitting next to
Rear-Admiral Sir George Seymour, who was at that
time a Lord of the Admiralty.! He describes him as
being a tall, handsome man in spite of the disfiguring
marks of a severe wound on one side of his mouth re-
ceived in Sir Richard Duckworth's brilliant action with
the French Fleet in the West Indies in 1806. In the
course of conversation, the Admiral asked Markham if
he would like to enter the Navy and go out with him
in his flagship to the Pacific, whither he was going
as Commander-in-Chief. At first he did not quite
realise the importance of the question, and how greatly
his acceptance of the offer would influence his future
life; but it appealed to his roving imagination, for he
impulsively jumped at the proposal and unhesitatingly
accepted it. He went back to Westminster that even-
ing in a state of intense excitement. A few days later
his father received a letter from Lady Mansfield announc-
* Langham House was at that time situated at the north end of
Regent Street, facing Portland Place. The Langham Hotel now
occupies the site of the old house and garden. The Countess of
Mansfield was a daughter of Archbishop Markham.
f Sir G. Seymour's eldest son married the daughter of Lady
Mansfield, and consequently became a cousin of Clements Markham.
1 8 JOINS THE NAVY [CM. 11
ing the fact that his son would shortly receive an appoint-
ment as a naval cadet to H.M.S. Collingwood, about to
be fitted out at Portsmouth as flagship of Sir George
Seymour. This was conditional, of course, on his pass-
ing the necessary qualifying examination an ordeal,
however, that was not of a very strenuous or difficult
nature.
He was taken to Portsmouth by his father on
the 28th of June, and was told to report himself on
board the St. Vincent, which was lying at Spithead.
Arriving on board, and mentioning the object of his
visit, he was shown into an office on the upper deck,
where he found another youth, who also had just come
aboard on a similar errand. There the much-dreaded
examination took place. They were told to sit down
and write the Lord's Prayer. The paper, however, was
taken away from them before they had half completed
their task, and the two candidates were informed that
they had passed, and might consider themselves as
officers in the Royal Navy, and that they would receive
certificates to that effect in due course. Before, however,
they were permitted to take their departure, a fat old
doctor made his appearance, and, punching them vio-
lently in the wind, asked " if it hurt ?" On their reply-
ing in the negative, he reported them as medically fit
for the service.
Thus was Markham enrolled as a member of the Royal
Navy with the exalted rank of Naval Cadet.* On land-
ing with his father from the St. Vincent, they made all
the necessary arrangements for his outfit at the first
naval outfitter they passed. Clements then proceeded
to spend the leave that had been granted him, in London
visiting his friends.
The Collingwood was actually put in commission on
the 4th of May. She was then a mere shell; her masts
were not even in place. She had no guns, no fittings
* He was one of the first to be so called. Prior to 1844 officers
of this rank were designated " first-class volunteers."
CH.II] JOINS THE NAVY 19
of any sort, no stores or provisions on board. The
newly appointed officers and men had to provide, stow,
and place, all these necessaries. In other words, they
had to rig the ship from truck to keelson, and to prepare
her for a full commission at sea for a period of anything
under five years. Under these circumstances, as the
officers and men could not well, or comfortably, be
accommodated on board their own ship, they were
hulked on board the Victorious, an old line-of-battle
ship maintained in Portsmouth Harbour for such special
services. On board this hulk they were kept until such
time as their own ship would be ready for their reception.
It was not considered desirable, however, that the
younger officers should live on board these hulks while
the ships to which they were appointed were fitting out,
for the strict discipline maintained on board a regular
man-of-war is somewhat relaxed in a hulk, where it is
almost impossible to adhere strictly to the rules and
regulations enforced on board a ship in commission. It
is not surprising, therefore, that leave should be given
to the younger officers to remain on shore until the ship
was ready to receive them. This was an excellent
arrangement, the more especially as we learn that in
this particular instance " large jugs of beer abounded on
the gunroom table " every evening," and that prize-
fighters from the shore came off every night to initiate
the senior members of the gunroom mess in the mys-
teries of the noble art of self-defence. " Sometimes the
instructor was Bill Hayman, sometimes it was the
1 Chicken.' " There were always nightly sprees on
shore, when huge gilded boots, colossal spectacles, and
other advertising symbols exhibited over the fronts of
shop windows formed an irresistible temptation to
young men overflowing with high animal spirits. These
"signs" were often successfully purloined and taken
on board the hulk and exhibited as trophies of courage
and dexterity. It must be remembered that these so-
called amusements were only indulged in at night, after
20 , JOINS THE NAVY [CH. n
a hard day's work had come to an end. It was their
way, in those days, of letting off steam.
While on leave in London, Markham used to go
every morning to breakfast with Mr. Richmond, the
celebrated artist, who was then engaged in painting
in water-colours his portrait, in all the glory of his new
uniform. That the result was a very charming picture
may be judged by the illustration of it here given.
His time on leave passed all too quickly. There was
so much to be done, so many friends to see, so many
farewells to take. He could not help realising that a
voyage to the Pacific Ocean meant going to the other
side of the world, and remaining there for some years.
There was no telegraphic communication in those days,
posts were irregular, and letters took about six months
to reach their destination. There was a real and
pathetic meaning in the word " farewell." A departure
for such a long and uncertain period was an event that
entailed much sorrow and earnest thought. Still, to a
boy of fourteen years of age there was much to make
amends in the prospect of what lay before him : the new
life he was about to lead, the strange places he was to
visit, the wonderful sights he would witness, the thought
of becoming personally acquainted with peoples of whom
he had only read in books all these combined to com-
pensate him for the anguish he must otherwise have
felt in parting from those he loved so dearly.
He rejoined his ship at Portsmouth, laden with pres-
ents and keepsakes from his numerous friends. But
the gift he prized the most was a Bible and prayer-book,
subscribed for by the boys in his house at Westminster,
containing on the flyleaf the signatures of the donors.
On the 1 8th of July the officers and men of the
Collingwood were " turned over " from the hulk to their
proper ship, and the regular routine and discipline of a
well-regulated man-of-war was henceforward enforced.
Young Markham was duly initiated in the duties apper-
taining to his rank and position in the ship.
CLEMENTS MARKHAM AS A NAVAL CADET (AGED 14).
Painted by Thomas Richmond, 1844,
To face page 20.
CH.II] JOINS THE NAVY 21
Among his messmates was young Goodenough, who
had been one of his principal chums at Westminster.
This close friendship, renewed in the Collingwood, was
maintained throughout the whole course of their lives.
On the 20th of July (Markham's fourteenth birthday)
the Collingwood proceeded out of Portsmouth Harbour
under all plain sail, and anchored at Spithead. It was
a gallant sight, for those who were fortunate enough to
witness it, to see this grand old line-of-battle ship, with
her canvas swelling out before the breeze, threading her
way between the numerous ships at anchor, and through
the narrow entrance of the harbour, almost touching the
old Quebec Hotel, which, being constructed on piles, pro-
jected out a considerable distance from the shore into
the harbour, necessitating vessels, entering or leaving
the port, passing in such close proximity to the building
that the proverbial biscuit could be thrown with ease
into the windows of the coffee-room. It was a common
saying in those days that a ship in passing often poked
the end of her flying jib-boom into the hotel window !
But steam has revolutionised all this, besides which the
old Quebec Hotel no longer exists.
Markham had a great love and admiration for his
ship, as all sailors should; and as he gazed upon her
sailing out of harbour that memorable morning, he
expressed his opinion that " she was the most perfect
and beautiful sight in the world ; certainly she could not
be surpassed for grace and beauty by anything afloat;
her very appearance gave an air of power and grandeur
that it was impossible to describe."
The journal which he kept at that time is a pattern
of neatness, and contains a marvellous description of
the ship and all her internal arrangements. Plans and
sketches of the various parts are carefully drawn. All
the flags used for the purpose of transmitting signals
from one ship to another are beautifully painted in their
correct colours. He enters into minute details regarding
the daily routine, the various drills that were carried
3
22 JOINS THE NAVY [CH.II
out, the hours for their meals, their watches, their duties,
and, in fact, everything connected with their daily life
on board. Nothing is omitted; everything is described
down to the smallest details, such as how the time on
board ship is kept ; who is responsible for the striking of
the bell ; and the method of heaving the log for the
purpose of ascertaining the speed of the ship. The de-
scription and biography of every officer in the ship, from
the Admiral down to himself, together with their several
pedigrees and coats of arms, correctly emblazoned in
colours, are clearly set forth. Even the names and his-
tories of several members of the crew, more especially
those with whom he was most closely associated in his
watch and other duties, are set down. He loved his
ship, and thought there was nothing in the world that
could compare with her either in beauty or efficiency.
It was usual at that time for a flag officer, proceeding
to the command of a foreign station, to take his family
out as passengers in his flagship, provided, of course,
there was no immediate probability of the ship being
actively engaged with an enemy. Sir George Sey-
mour took full advantage of the privilege, and on
this occasion he was accompanied by his wife, four
daughters, one son* aged six, and a full complement of
servants of both sexes. The quarters they occupied are
fully described by Markham in his journal, and he does
not omit even to record where the cow which came on
board with them at the last moment was located.
He made many good and stanch friends among the
officers of the ship, several of whom rose to distinction in
the service. Among these may be mentioned the Flag
Lieutenant, Beauchamp Seymour, f Lieutenant William
Peel,} Lieutenant R. Quin, Lieutenant Reginald
* Afterwards General Lord William F. Seymour, G.C.B. Died
1914.
| Admiral Lord Alcester, G.C.B.
j Afterwards Captain Sir William Peel, V.C., K.C.B.
Died Rear- Admiral Richard Quin. Married a sister of Clements
Markham.
CH.II] JOINS THE NAVY 23
McDonald,* Algernon De Horsey ,f Sherard Osborn, and
James G. Goodenough.
Markham was always very conservative in his views
and opinions on naval matters, especially in connection
with all details regarding dress and appearance. At the
time of which we write beards and moustaches were un-
heard of in the Service; in fact, the latter were only
worn by cavalrymen. When Mn Childers, who was
First Lord of the Admiralty in 1870, issued an order
making the abolition of the razor optional in the Navy,
Markham declared the Service was " going to the dogs."
This was a favourite expression of his when innovations
were introduced, and he frequently remarks in his
journal on events that happened before, or after, the
Service had " quite gone to the dogs."
His descriptions of his brother officers are made at
some length, and are very amusing. No one escapes his
criticism, not even the Admiral or the Captain. The
latter was " SmartJ by name and Smart by nature
a good sailor, a strict officer, and a rigid disciplinarian."
The Commander, Captain Broadhead, is " admitted to
be the smartest and best commander in the Service : his
mouth was that of a sybarite when at rest, but in anger
it was compressed; but he had a very winning smile
and he was a good fellow." Another officer we dare
not mention his name he describes as " an old fellow
with a large stomach, sly and deceitful, but outwardly
a jolly old boy." Yet another was " well read, intelli-
gent, and a thorough seaman." And so his journal goes
on through the entire list of more than seventy officers
that were on board the Collingwood when he joined the
ship at Portsmouth. Of his young friend Goodenough
he writes: " He was honourable, true, tender-hearted,
* Known in the Navy as " Rim " McDonald. Died a Vice-
Admiral and a K.C.B.
f Admiral Sir Algernon De Horsey, G.C.B.
J Admiral Sir Robert Smart. Was Commander-in-Chief in the
Mediterranean, 1864.
24 JOINS THE NAVY [CH. 11
modest, brave, and a hater of all things evil. Everyone
loved him, and he was a true and constant friend. We
always called him ' Goodie.' ' What a delightful
description of one boy by another 1 A description
that remained faithful and accurate all the days of his
life.
His Admiral held very decided views regarding the
habit of smoking, which perhaps would hardly be
tolerated at the present day. On hoisting his flag on
board the Collingwood, he issued a memorandum in
which he denounced smoking as " a deleterious and
filthy habit that destroyed the inner coating of the
stomach and rendered the smoker unfit for social pur-
poses." Although permission was given to the men to
smoke, they could only do so at certain times and in
places specially appointed for the purpose. With
regard to the officers, the Admiral expressed a pious
hope that they would not
" practise this dirty and disgusting vice. If any officer
was unable to exist without smoking, he was to report
himself to the Admiral, when a time and place would
be allotted to him for the purpose of indulging in this
pernicious habit."
It is needless to say that no officer dared so to report him-
self. The Captain of Marines, however, was an inveterate
smoker, but, not wishing the Admiral to become ac-
quainted with the fact, he continued at the risk of his
life to enjoy (?) the fragrant weed by hanging out of the
bow port on the main deck, with his feet resting on the
bobstay. In this position he was able to escape from
the visual as well as the olfactory sense of the Admiral.
It is difficult in the present day to conceive a man-of-
war in which the officers are practically prohibited
from smoking. The habit is, if anything, steadily on the
increase, and in many ships it is indulged in at all times
and in all places, to the great discomfort and annoy-
ance of those who do not practise the " vice."
CH.II] JOINS THE NAVY 25
Just before leaving England, Markham was invited to
luncheon by the Admiral. Here he was greatly inter-
ested in meeting Lady Seaford, whose first husband had
been Sir Thomas Hardy, Nelson's Flag Captain in the
Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar. Many distinguished
visitors came off to the ship, among them the Prince
of Prussia (afterwards the first German Emperor), who
was accompanied by the old Duke of Wellington and
Prince Albert. The Lords of the Admiralty also visited
her, more or less officially. On the completion of their
inspection they were being entertained at luncheon by
the Admiral, when suddenly a heavy splash was heard
immediately astern of the ship, and therefore distinctly
noticeable by the luncheon-party in the Admiral's
after-cabin. This was quickly followed by two other
splashes close alongside, and immediately afterwards the
cry of " Man overboard !" resounded throughout the
ship. Their lordships left their lunch in great haste,
and rushed to the stern gallery, whence they beheld a
couple of men struggling in the water, endeavouring to
support a boy who had apparently fallen overboard.
A boat speedily effected their rescue, and the three were
safely brought on board. " My Lords " were full of
praise and admiration at the gallant conduct of the two
officers, who had, as they innocently supposed, risked
their lives by plunging overboard to the assistance of
their young messmate.
The Captain of the ship, however, being a very canny
man as well as a strict disciplinarian, saw through the
plot, and, sending for the two officers, instead of com-
plimenting them on their gallant action, administered a
severe wigging to them on the quarter-deck ; he further
informed their lordships that the whole thing was a
prearranged plot, craftily designed by the two officers to
bring themselves to the immediate notice of their lord-
ships with a view to promotion ! They had induced the
youngest naval cadet, after satisfying themselves that
he could swim, to jump overboard through the stern
26 JOINS THE NAVY [CH. n
port in the gunroom; they then plunged into the sea
to effect his supposed rescue ! We hasten to add that
Markham was not the consenting party.
On the 6th of September the Admiral's party em-
barked, and the following day at 2.30 p.m. the Colling-
wood weighed anchor and proceeded under all plain sail
on her long voyage to the Pacific. She was followed
for some hours by a crowd of yachts and sailing boats,
containing friends of the officers, all wildly cheering and
waving their farewells. Favoured by fine weather and
fair breezes, the ship made good progress. The young
naval cadet thoroughly enjoyed the new life, the thresh-
old of which he had just crossed. He was never
weary of gazing aloft and watching the great sails as
they swelled out before the breeze, or lazily flapped
against the masts and rigging when the wind fell. He
loved to watch from the bowsprit the great ship plough-
ing her way through the bright blue sea, and to mark
the waves rising and falling, their crests tumbling over
in white foam into the hollows formed by their unceasing
movements. All was new to him, he did not suffer from
sea-sickness, and we can realise how thoroughly a boy
of his creative imagination appreciated the new life
upon which he was now embarking.
Markham was an exceedingly good-looking boy, and
was a great favourite with all the officers, one of whom
described him as " the most beautiful as well as the most
engaging boy on board the ship." In another letter
written to his father by one of his friends, reference is
made to " his gentle, sweet manners and his extreme
beauty."
He was of course appointed to keep watch, and was
fortunate in being placed in that of the First Lieutenant,
Mr. Hankey, an excellent officer and a good friend. The
officer of the forecastle was Lieutenant Peel, in whose
company he invariably passed the greater part of the
watch, and to whom he was indebted for much useful
advice on professional and other matters. In such in-
CH.II] JOINS THE NAVY 27
structive conversation the watches passed quickly and
pleasantly, and he often regretted hearing eight bells
strike, knowing that his duties were, for the time being,
at an end.
After a pleasant run of thirteen days, the Collingwood
cast anchor in Funchal Roads, Madeira. It was a day
of great excitement for all the youngsters, especially for
our Naval Cadet. Leave having been granted, it was
not long before the shore was reached, and our friends,
mounted on wiry little horses, went scampering about all
over the island, the attendant horse-boys keeping up
with them by hanging on to the tails of their steeds.
Everything they did and saw was of the greatest in-
terest to them. They were particularly amused with
the head-dress of the natives, both men and women,
which consisted of little blue skull-caps fitting closely
round their heads, surmounted by a stiff standing-up
tail, which they thought resembled an inverted wine
funnel. Their stay on shore, however, was brief, for
they were obliged to be on board by sunset, as they
sailed the same night. The visit, however short, was a
most enjoyable one, and afforded a pleasant relaxation
after the monotony of being so many days at sea.
His life on board was not an idle one. In addition
to carrying out his duties as a watch-keeping officer,
which necessitated his being on deck about eight hours
out of the twenty-four, he had to attend school under
the Naval Instructor from 9 to 11.30 a.m. every day
except Saturdays and Sundays. At 11.30 every morn-
ing the midshipmen assembled on the poop with their
sextants or quadrants (as the case might be) for the pur-
pose of observing the meridian altitude of the sun. The
afternoons were devoted to the carrying out of various
drills, such as gunnery, cutlass, and rifle exercises, sea-
manship, including knotting and splicing, and so forth.
On particular days, also, they were made thoroughly
acquainted with all the different parts of the ship by
personally visiting them, and learning the purposes for
28 JOINS THE NAVY [CH.II
which they were utilised. The construction of the ship
was explained to them, and they were taught the names
of the spars, sails, rigging, etc., specially qualified petty
officers being selected as the instructors.
On one occasion when one of these men was pointing
out and describing, for the information of the youngsters,
the names and uses of the various ropes, he casually
remarked that " they were very dry." Markham, always
thirsting for knowledge, innocently inquired, "Why
should they not be dry, as no rain has fallen for some
days ?" and he also wanted to know " if wet weather was
in any way prejudicial to the ropes."
" You goose 1" said one of the midshipmen; " what
he wants is a tot of grog 1"
The Admiral and his family were very kind to him,
and he was frequently invited to lunch or dine in the
cabin. He was decidedly of opinion that the presence of
the ladies on board added immensely to the charm of the
voyage. Lady Seymour was extremely kind, especially
to the young officers, and her daughters were most good-
natured.
As they proceeded south, and the weather became
warm, dancing was frequently indulged in on the quarter-
deck in the evenings, the band largely contributing to
the enjoyment of everyone. Any spare time they may
have had at their disposal during the day, the youngsters
spent in fishing from the end of the bowsprit for bonita,
dolphins, and other denizens of the tropical seas. Some-
times success rewarded their efforts, and a very welcome
addition was made to their breakfasts, but as a rule an
empty bag was the result of their labour. At any rate,
they had all the excitement and anticipation of success
which is incidental to fishing, even at home I
As they approached the Equator, great preparations
were made for the reception of Neptune, for it had been
arranged that the customary ceremony was to be ob-
served in full detail.
On the evening before reaching the line, just after
CH. ii] JOINS THE NAVY 29
dark, a sonorous voice was heard, apparently a long
way ahead, hailing the ship: " Ship ahoy 1 What ship
is that ?"
Amid intense silence Captain Smart from the poop
solemnly answered: "Her Britannic Majesty's ship
Collingwood."
Neptune then asked: " Are any of my children on
board ?"
To which the Captain replied: " Yes, several."
" Then, I will come on board to-morrow," said the
Sea-God.
To which the Captain replied: " We shall be happy
to see you."
Neptune then took his departure, apparently on a
blazing tar-barrel, which remained in sight a long time
in the wake of the ship.
On the following day, Friday, the nth of October,
the Collingwood crossed the line and entered the Southern
Hemisphere. The youngsters were much excited, and
those who perhaps thought they were a little unpopular
with the men were in no slight trepidation regarding
the treatment that might be meted out to them by the
Tritons during the forthcoming ceremony. A large sail
had been rigged up along one side of the main deck,
and had been filled with water to the depth of four or
five feet. When all was ready, the drum and fife band
announced the arrival of the Sea- Potentate. A proces-
sion was formed at the fore end of the ship, which,
accompanied by the strains of martial music, marched
aft to the quarter-deck.
First came the bears and seals, inimitably got up . Then
theTritons attired in coloured bunting, with swabs* round
their waists. These were followed by half a dozen men
representing curious sea-beasts, drawing a car elabor-
ately decorated with coloured bunting, on which, in
solemn majesty, sat King Neptune. On his head was
* A swab is a long bundle of thrums or unravelled rope-yarns
used in drying the decks of a ship.
30 JOINS THE NAVY [CH. n
a crown ingeniously constructed of tin, and in his hand
he held a trident, or grains,* as a sceptre. He had on a
crimson robe, with swabs hanging as a girdle round his
waist, and his legs were bare. A long flowing beard,
made of rope-yarns, reached down to his waist. Follow-
ing close behind came his Queen, the beautiful Amphi-
trite, clad in a lovely white dress, with an elegant lace
cap upon her head; on her mouth were fixed two
rows of sharp iron teeth somewhat similar to those of a
rat-trap. Next came Their Majesties' clerk, accom-
panied by the Royal Barber. The former wore a wig
made of oakum in which were stuck a number of quill-
pens; while the latter was provided with a tin pot
containing a horrible concoction of tar, soft soap, and
other abominations, wherewith to lather the faces of the
candidates for initiation prior to being shaved. The
Barber was provided with three different razors all con-
structed of hoop iron: No. i had a smooth edge, No. 2
had a rough edge, but No. 3 had a serrated edge with
teeth like a saw. The different classes of razors were
used on the victims in accordance with their popu-
larity or otherwise with the men. There was also a
Doctor in attendance, attached to His Majesty's suite.
The candidates for initiation were only permitted to
remain on deck long enough to witness the arrival of the
procession ; they were then summarily driven below
by the Tritons to wait until their presence was required
on deck.
The Admiral and the ladies viewed the operations
from the poop with much interest and no little amuse-
ment. Markham and one or two of his particular
friends were artful enough to find out beforehand the
men who had been told off to represent the characters of
the Barber and the Doctor, and had taken the pre-
caution of " squaring " these important functionaries, so
that they might be let off easily. When Markham 's
* A species of harpoon, having several barbed points, used for
striking dolphins, etc.
CH.II] JOINS THE NAVY 31
turn came, he was brought on deck and formally pre-
sented to Amphitrite, who, to his consternation, em-
braced him warmly. But in doing so she carefully
avoided touching him with her iron teeth ! The Doctor
then approached and felt his pulse, and, remarking that
he did not require any physic, turned him over to the
Barber, who passed No. i razor over his face without the
application of any " shaving soap." He was then tilted
backwards into the sail full of water, seized by one of
the attendant Tritons, who gave him one " delicious
ducking " and then released him. After having suc-
cessfully passed through the ordeal, he was at liberty
to do what he liked and to take part in the fun.
The most unpopular person on board appeared to be
one of the ship's corporals,* who probably by the rigor-
ous performance of his duties had made himself some-
what objectionable to the ship's company. Amphitrite
gave him a very vicious bite with her iron teeth, the
Doctor stuffed into his mouth the most indescribable
filth, which he was pleased to call medicine, and the
Barber was lavish with his " shaving soap." Needless
to say, he was operated on with No. 3 razor, the instru-
ment whose edge resembled a " dissipated saw," and
he was half drowned by the Tritons when they got him
in the sail. The ceremonies terminated at about noon,
when Neptune was triumphantly drawn round the upper
deck in his car, and took his departure from the ship.
We have purposely described this function at some
length so that the reader may gain a slight conception
of what was a very ordinary custom on board an English
man-of-war at that period. In these practical and some-
what prosaic days (at any rate before the outbreak of the
war) it might be regarded as a nonsensical amusement,
not altogether harmonising with the interests of disci-
pline. But it must not be forgotten that in those earlier
days ships were very often two or three months at sea
at a stretch ; and such an incident as the crossing of the
* A member of the ship's police.
32 JOINS THE NAVY [CH.II
Equator, with all its attendant ancient customs and
ceremonies, was always looked forward to with pleasur-
able anticipation, even by those who were about to take
part for the first time in this antiquated nautical rite.
It must also be remembered that every soul in the ship
was interested, and even associated, in the successful
conduct of the pageant. It was a diversion that tended
very materially to relieve the monotony of a long sea-
voyage, and it seldom had any ill effect upon discipline.
On the 22nd of October the ship entered the magnifi-
cent harbour of Rio de Janeiro. It was a lovely day, and
everyone was on deck admiring the glorious scenery
presented by this most beautiful of harbours. On the
port hand as they entered was the precipitous Sugar
Loaf Mountain, while to the southward rose a curious
peak known by the name of Lord Hood's Nose, in con-
sequence, presumably, of its resemblance to the nasal
protuberance of that distinguished Admiral. In the
near distance, apparently dominating the town, rose the
majestic Mount Corcovado. The bay is deservedly
celebrated for its loveliness, and is regarded not only as
one of the most beautiful, but also one of the most
secure and spacious anchorages in the world.
The sound of the cable running through the hawse-
pipe, as the anchor was dropped, had hardly ceased before
Markham and three or four of his messmates were on
their way to the shore. There was no changing into
plain clothes such a transformation was not even
dreamt of in the days before the service went to the dogs
but, just as they were, dressed in their everyday
uniform, with trousers that were only sufficiently white
to comply with the dress regulations then in force, and
possibly with not too much money in their pockets, they
jumped into a boat and were rowed to the landing-place.
After visiting the cathedral and other places of interest,
eager for a jaunt, they hired horses and proceeded
to ascend Mount Corcovado. This was successfully
achieved, although not without difficulty, for the horses
had to be abandoned some distance below the summit,
CH.n] JOINS THE NAVY 33
and the last part of the ascent was perforce made on
foot. On reaching the summit their exertions were
rewarded by a magnificent view of the surrounding
country, which lay spread out as on a map at their
feet. Their descent, however, was somewhat accelerated
by a heavy shower of tropical rain.
They spent ten very happy days at Rio, seeing all
there was to be seen in the town, and riding about
the country to their hearts' content. On leaving,
they encountered very heavy weather, but the Colling-
wood proved an excellent sailer, and, apart from the
usual discomforts of a gale of wind, they had little to
complain of. A course was shaped for the Falkland
Islands, and as they proceeded to the southward the
weather became appreciably colder, and they made the
acquaintance of the mighty albatross, the different kinds
of petrels, the pretty black and white Cape pigeons, and
other sea-birds indigenous to the Southern Ocean.
Gales of wind accompanied by heavy seas do not add
to the comfort of life on board a ship. To walk the
deck even is a hazardous exercise ; while any attempt to
repose stretched out on the lockers in the gunroom often
involves a disagreeable fall to the deck 1 Added to
these troubles is the indescribable " fugginess" prevailing
between-decks, owing to the lack of fresh air, all ports
and hatchways being, of course, tightly closed. Mark-
ham, however, did not appear to be affected by these
discomforts. He was a first-rate sailor, and seemed
rather to enjoy a gale of wind than otherwise. He was
indefatigable in his endeavours to acquire professional
knowledge, and was intensely keen in observing all the
precautions that were adopted in order to make the ship
as easy and snug as the adverse circumstances would
permit.
On the 1 7th of November, 1844, they arrived at the
Falkland Islands. It was blowing very fresh at the time,
and as the wind was dead ahead, they were obliged to
beat up a rather narrow channel to the anchorage off
Fort William . The settlement situated at the head of the
34 JOINS THE NAVY [CH. n
harbour was not a very large one, the inhabitants con-
sisting only of the Governor, a company of sappers and
miners under the command of an officer of the Royal
Engineers, and a few farmers and other settlers with
their families.
Markham was one of the first to land. The spirit of
exploration had already taken firm hold of him. He was
accompanied by several of his messmates. They suc-
ceeded in borrowing the naval instructor's gun, arrang-
ing among themselves that they were to shoot in turns.
They had been informed that the island abounded with
wild horses and cattle, besides wild-duck, teal, snipe, and
rabbits, and they looked forward to a good day's sport,
with the prospect of a rich and varied bag. They were
also accompanied by the Admiral's dog, but with or
without permission is not stated. The first signs of
animal life that came under their notice on landing
was a large crowd of penguins, which advanced steadily
and solemnly against them in an unbroken phalanx.
They tried to drive them off, but without success. The
Admiral's dog was much too frightened to be of any
assistance, and they were obliged to beat an ignominious
retreat. After some little time they observed in the
distance what they described afterwards as a " fero-
cious-looking calf." This was successfully stalked and
slain. Elated at their success, they carried the carcase
triumphantly on board as evidence of their prowess.
The ship proceeded on her voyage the same evening,
but just as they were getting under weigh a boat came
alongside with a very irate sergeant of sappers in it.
In a state of intense excitement, he shouted out that
the calf which had been shot was a tame one belonging
to the Governor, and he demanded that it should be
immediately handed over to him. This was a sad ter-
mination to their trip on shore, for not only did they
lose what they expected would provide them with fresh
food for the next two or three days, but the unfortunate
youngster who shot the animal was punished by being
put into " watch and watch " for a week. This meant
CH. ii] JOINS THE NAVY 35
being kept on deck every alternate four hours, day and
night, for seven days.
Very stormy weather was experienced after leaving
the Falkland Islands, and one misfortune followed
another in rapid succession. The first was the loss of
one of their men, who accidentally fell overboard and
was drowned. This was the third event of the kind
that had occurred since leaving .England. The next
was a somewhat serious accident to Markham him-
self. Just as he was attempting to get into his ham-
mock, the ship gave a tremendous lurch, and, losing his
hold, he was flung backwards into the boatswain's store-
room, a fall of about 12 feet. He was picked up uncon-
scious and placed in Lieutenant Quin's cabin, who, with
great good nature, had at once placed it entirely at his
young friend's disposal. He did not recover conscious-
ness until the following morning. Fortunately, no
serious injury was sustained, and he was only on the
sick-list for a week, when he returned to duty. He was
well looked after by his numerous friends on board, and
received constant visits from the ladies.
These untoward occurrences culminated on the night
of the 4th of December, when the mainyard was carried
away in a heavy gale. This necessitated the reduction
of all sail on the mainmast. It was found necessary to
get the injured spar on deck, so as to " fish" it, and
render it serviceable again. This was no easy matter,
with the ship pitching and rolling in a heavy sea, and
with insufficient sail set to keep her steady. However,
the men worked willingly, every man put his shoulder
to the wheel, and the following evening the temporary
repairs were completed, the yard swayed up to its proper
place, and the sail bent and set. A very creditable per-
formance.
On the 1 5th of December, after a somewhat eventful
and tempestuous voyage, they anchored in Valparaiso
Bay, glad to reach port and indulge in a real rest after
their turbulent month at sea. On arrival, Admiral
Seymour assumed command of the Pacific Station.
CHAPTER III
THE PACIFIC STATION
VALPARAISO in those days was, as it still is, the principal
seaport of the Republic of Chile. It possesses a fairly
good anchorage except when a severe " norther " is
blowing, when ships invariably have to put to sea. The
approach of one of these storms is generally indicated
by a heavy swell setting into the bay, and this gives the
vessels at anchor in the harbour sufficient warning to
put to sea in time. The excessive depth of water in the
bay is one of its chief disadvantages as an anchorage.
The town is prettily situated along the coast, and has
for a background the distant range of the Cordilleras
of the Andes, with the snow-covered peak of Aconcagua
rising above the ridge. The lesser mountain, called the
Compana of Quillota (which, by the way, strongly re-
sembles Mount Aconcagua in shape), occupies the middle
distance. The cliffs which fringe the bay rise abruptly
from the sea, and the town has the appearance of nest-
ling at their base. There are three hills at the back of
the town, much frequented by our sailors when they
have leave to go on shore, named by them the Fore,
Main, and Mizen Tops. These are literally covered
with grog-shops, which may perhaps account for their
attraction to the bluejackets.
When Markham was at Valparaiso the place was
replete with reminiscences of Lord Cochrane. In 1821,
with a small force specially organised by him and
under his immediate command, he paralysed the move-
ments of the Spanish Viceroy at Lima, thus practically
securing the independence of Chile. Many of Lord
36
CH.III] THE PACIFIC STATION 37
Cochrane's officers married Chilian wives and settled
in the country. To this fact may be attributed the
large number of English names borne by distinguished
Chilians, such as Williams, Edwards, Simpson, and
Lynch. The contractor who provided the Collingwood
and other English men-of-war with supplies during their
stay at Valparaiso was an old Scotsman named Mac-
farlane, who had been purser under Lord Cochrane.
Markham says concerning him, " he was a fine old
fellow " who supplied them with most excellent pro-
visions, but his biscuits " could only be nibbled at the
sides; inside they were like marble."
The ship's stay at Valparaiso was most enjoyable.
The midshipmen had plenty of leave, of which they
took the fullest advantage; and Markham, being a uni-
versal favourite, was frequently taken on shore by one
or other of the wardroom officers. Lieutenants Quin
and Peel were particularly good to him in this respect ; in
fact, they invariably showed him the greatest kindness.
On one occasion he was out riding with the last-named
friend, when, he relates, his horse suddenly stopped dead,
its legs wide apart, as if its rider had lassoed a bullock.
The immediate result was that Markham shot over its
head; but, fortunately, he was none the worse for his
fall. Proceeding, they came to a plain some twelve miles
across, bounded by a range of lofty mountains. They
set off at full gallop, urging the horses to their utmost
speed, when again his horse stopped short, and again
was he shot over its head. After remounting, he per-
suaded Peel to try to pick up his handkerchief from the
ground when at full gallop. The result was a fall for
Peel, and his horse, being freed of its rider, started off
" full pelt " for Valparaiso, hotly pursued by Markham.
After a long and provoking chase, he succeeded in head-
ing the runaway, and eventually caught it and brought
it back to its rider. With daily incidents of a somewhat
similar character, it is not to be wondered that the time
at Valparaiso passed all too quickly.
4
3 8 THE PACIFIC STATION [CH.III
Meanwhile the ship had been thoroughly refitted, the
mainyard had been repaired in an efficient manner, the
rigging overhauled and set up, and all defects made good.
On the 1 3th of January the Seymours, having rented a
nice house on shore, left the ship, much to the regret of
all the officers ; and two days later the Collingwood put
to sea bound for Arica. The Admiral hoisted his flag
in the Cormorant (a steam-sloop), with the object of visit-
ing all the intermediate ports between Valparaiso and
Arica.
On the 2ist of January they obtained their first
glimpse of the dreary coast of Peru with its rocky cliffs
and sandy wastes, and the following day they anchored
off the port of Arica . The surrounding country presented
a barren and uninviting appearance. Here the Admiral
rejoined them. A small dance was given on board, and
several Peruvian ladies came off to it. Markham found
that his perseverance in making himself acquainted
with the Spanish language met with its due reward, for
he succeeded in talking with tolerable fluency to his
partners in their own tongue.
Their next anchorage was Callao,the seaport of Lima,
the capital of Peru. From the bay could be seen the
numerous towers of Lima, and beyond these were the
high peaks of the Cordilleras of the Andes, some of them
reaching into the clouds. The view filled Markham
with delight, for there before him, only a short distance
off, lay the " City of Kings," the far-famed capital of
the Great Spanish Viceroys, about which he had recently
been reading with intense interest in Robertson's narra-
tive of Pizarro's career. He longed to rush off and see for
himself all the wondrous sights in this most wonderful
city, the subject of his thoughts by day and of his
dreams by night. But he had to curb his impatience
for a few days; his duties had to be attended to on
board, and for a time he was unable to obtain the leave
that was necessary to enable him to visit Lima.
Mention has already been made of the great friend-
CH.III] THE PACIFIC STATION 39
ship that had sprung up between Markham and Lieu-
tenant Peel. It was an important one, for it was a
friendship that did much to shape Markham 's character,
and one that exerted a beneficial influence on his after-
life. During the long night watches many were the
talks they had together as they paced up and down the
forecastle. Peel's view was that an officer in the Navy
should devote all his talents and all his energies to the
Service; that his own interests, his aims and studies,
should be subservient to the Navy. But he held that a
good naval officer, besides being a good sailor, must be
well informed, especially in history, geography, and
poetry. He recommended Markham to read Milton's
" Paradise Lost," because, he said, "it is the grandest
poem in our language, and it is the richest storehouse
of good English words and phrases." He also advised
him to read all the most memorable voyages and travels,
and impressed upon him that a naval officer, who kept
his e}'es open, possessed unequalled opportunities of
becoming a sound geographer. He frequently dilated
upon the rules of conduct which from the first he had
established for his own guidance in the Navy.
In these conversations there was never any assump-
tion of superiority, no attempt to be didactic, only an
eager desire to impart useful advice to one for whom he
entertained a sincere regard which amounted almost to
affection. That it was so accepted, and appreciated, by
his young friend is evidenced by the following extract
from Markham 's journal in reference to his mentor:
" His noble thoughts and good advice sank into my
heart gradually as the golden fruit of much converse, for
the most part light and merry. We often discussed
Service questions, and he explained in detail numerous
points in seamanship and gunnery which I had failed
to grasp. At other times he dwelt upon the life-
stories of naval worthies, discussing their respective
merits and their battles. He also talked of friend-
ships: how they were formed, and how they ought to
be maintained."
40 THE PACIFIC STATION [CH. m
These conversations with an officer so much his senior,
and for whom he had such a high regard, made a deep
impression upon young Markham, who was of a most
impressionable nature; and his distress may well be
imagined when he was informed, by Peel himself, that the
Admiral was about to send him to England as the bearer
of important dispatches to the Admiralty, and that he
would not, in all probability, return to the Collingwood.
He was to be transferred to the America, put on shore
on the coast, and ordered to find his way across Mexico,
arrangements being made for an English man-of-war to
meet him on the Atlantic side. He left on the i6th of
February, 1845.
Markham writes, after he had bidden him farewell:
" My heart is like lead. I went down into one of the
cabins, and shed bitter tears." He regarded this part-
ing as the turning-point of his career. Peel was the
one man to whom he invariably looked for support and
advice, and he had a great influence for good over the
young cadet. In after-years Markham frequently as-
serted that, although his zeal for the Service would never
under any circumstances have abated, still, the inten-
sity of his interest in the Navy considerably diminished
after the departure of Lieutenant Peel. He continued,
however, to be as zealous as ever, and he strove to carry
out his duties in a manner that he knew would have
given pleasure to his friend. He was a boy who really
needed such a guide, and he felt that without him it
would be difficult to avoid going astray. He ceased all
attempts to conquer his temper and his self-will; in
other words, he neglected to take any interest in him-
self. His friend had been called away to fulfil a glorious
destiny, and he felt hurt at not being able to share it
with him.*
* On his arrival in England with the despatches, Peel was at once
promoted to the rank of Commander. He was appointed to the
command of the Daring brig, in which he distinguished himself in
the West Indies, and was proinoted to the rank of Captain. His
CH. in] THE PACIFIC STATION 41
It is probable that this assumed loss of interest in the
Navy (although he was still as eager as ever to make
himself thoroughly proficient in everything connected
with his duties, and did his best to maintain discipline
so far as in him lay) was caused in a great measure by
the severity of the punishments that were inflicted on
the men for what, to him, appeared to be but slight
breaches of discipline. The practice of corporal punish-
ment was carried to excess in those days, and the in-
fliction of it was most repugnant to him. Although he
had, in common with every officer and man belonging
to the ship, to be present on those lamentable occasions,
he always placed a considerable distance between him-
self and those who were suffering, so that he could
neither see nor hear what was going on. Perhaps it is
not too much to assert that it was in great measure
due to the severity of the punishments inflicted on the
men in the ships in which he served, that Markham
retired from the Service to which he was really endeared
and to which he was so proud to belong. He always
regarded corporal punishment, as then administered,
cruel and barbarous ; and no one was more pleased than
he when informed that flogging in the Navy had been
geographical instincts led him to turn to African exploration. He
reached Khartoum, and penetrated as far as El Obeid, when a
serious illness compelled him to return to England. In 1852 he
was appointed to the command of the Diamond, and was sent out
to the Black Sea on the outbreak of the war with Russia. He was
landed with the Naval Brigade during the siege of Sebastopol,
when his heroic and distinguished conduct in the trenches earned
for him the C.B. and the Victoria Cross. In 1856 he was appointed
to the Shannon in the East Indies, and commanded the Naval
Brigade that was sent up to Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny.
For his services he was created a K.C.B., but, alas! he was attacked
by smallpox, and died at Cawnpore in April, 1858, at the age of
thirty-four. Markham writes: " Very few men have crowded so
many glorious achievements into so brief a space of time. Still
fewer have done so much good by their example and their influence.
He was the perfect model of what a British naval officer ought to
be."
42 THE PACIFIC STATION [CH. in
practically abolished. But, alas ! that did not take place
until many years after he had severed his active con-
nection with the Service.
It was a fortuitous chance that, on the day following
the departure of Lieutenant Peel, Markham obtained per-
mission to go up to Lima in company with Mr. Johnson,
the Naval Instructor; and thus his thoughts were tem-
porarily diverted from the sorrow he felt at the loss of
his friend. Three of his messmates, among whom was
young Goodenough, made up the party. Railway ser-
vice between Callao and Lima had not then been intro-
duced, and they had to travel up in the ordinary omnibus
that plied between the two towns. After depositing at
an hotel the small amount of baggage they had brought
with them, they started off to see everything that could
be seen in this most interesting city. Markham, by
virtue, possibly, of having already written a history of
the country when he was a boy,* acted as cicerone to the
party. Every place of importance or of historical in-
terest, we may be sure, was visited. On going into the
cathedral they found High Mass was being celebrated,
at which the acting President of the Republic was pre-
sent, attended by a numerous staff of officers and Court
functionaries. The Archbishop of Lima was the cele-
brant. A strong military force, consisting of about a
thousand men, was drawn up in the plaza as a guard in
the event of any disturbance taking place, a not un-
likely incident in the city of Lima at that time. During
their peregrinations they crossed the River Rimac by an
excellent stone bridge, and explored the suburb of San
Lazaro. They also visited a pulperia (small tavern),
where they were regaled with a delicious Peruvian
drink called chicha.
Next morning they continued their inspection of the
city. They went to see the Church of Santo Domingo,
where there is a beautiful recumbent marble statue of
Santa Rosa, the patron saint of Lima. Further afield
* See p. 10.
CH.III] THE PACIFIC STATION 43
they visited the great cemetery outside the city walls.
The gates were locked, but bars and bolts had to give
way to the vigorous efforts of the midshipmen, and they
were speedily forced open. Markham states that " the
system of interment was curious, and well repaid the
visit." They were also much interested in seeing a
flock of llamas, which are the principal beasts of burden
in that country. The museum containing the Inca anti-
quities was not neglected, nor were the series of portraits
of the Viceroys of Peru collected under the same roof.
Thence to the crypt of the cathedral to see the remains
of Francisco Pizarro, the conqueror of Peru. The skele-
ton with the skin dried on it was lying in a niche in the
wall. It is related that one of the party tore off a joint
of the fore-finger and took it on board the Collingwood.
Subsequently it was made into the handle of a silver
seal, with the word KISMET engraved on it. They re-
turned to the ship that evening, having spent two most
interesting days at Lima.
Markham paid many more visits to the city, and was
never so happy as when engaged in his researches in the
history of the ancient Incas, which always had an extra-
ordinary fascination for him, even to the end of his
eventful life. He enjoyed visiting the banks of the
Rimac, and in company with some of his messmates
passed the time in " fishing, and spearing camerones,*
roasting potatoes, and bathing." Having been warned
of the danger attached to this particular locality, of
being robbed and stripped by the truculent negroes of
the neighbouring haciendas, they hid some old trousers
under large stones, so that, if they were deprived of
their clothing, they would be able to return to Callao
with some show of decency I Occasionally Markham
would borrow the Naval Instructor's gun, and set off
in quest of doves, sandpipers, and other birds that fre-
quented the valley of the Rimac. But he never really
cared for shooting as a sport; his repugnance to taking
* Small species of Crustacea found in South American rivers.
44 THE PACIFIC STATION [CH. m
life not unnaturally interfered with his keenness in this
direction. What he loved was the outdoor life un-
trammelled by naval discipline or quarter-deck con-
ventionalities, free to do as he liked and responsible to
no one for what he did. He was always a great reader,
and, thanks to the Admiral and other officers in the ship
who placed their books at his disposal, he was able to
gratify his craving for literary knowledge. He seems to
have preferred staying on board and reading " Paradise
Lost," Hall's " Fragments," and the Voyages of Dam-
pier, Burney, Cook, Vancouver, and others, even to
visiting his beloved banks of the Rimac.
After short visits to different places along the west
coast, the ship returned to Valparaiso, where, it will be
remembered, the Admiral had left his family. Mark-
ham was invited to spend a week with them in their
house. To his great delight, he was able to accept,
and a most pleasant week it was. They were all very
good to him; as he himself says, "It was so pleasant
to be in an English home so far away from England,
with all the home comforts and associations, everybody
so kind and agreeable." The days passed all too quickly.
He accompanied the young ladies wherever they went,
making the acquaintance of various Chilian families.
Among those whom he met in this manner was the
prima donna, Signorina Rossi, whose friendship he re-
tained until he left the station, besides other members
of the operatic company then performing in Valparaiso.
A grand ball was given by the Admiral and officers of
the Collingwood, and a very minute description of the
arrangements carried out on board is given in his journal.
" Nothing to be compared with it," he writes, " had ever
been seen on board a man-of-war at Valparaiso or any-
where else. It was a perfect scene of enchantment."
After a pleasant fortnight at Valparaiso, they returned
to Callao, arriving at that port on the 7th of May, 1845.
On their arrival, they found that diplomatic rela-
tions between the Republic of Peru and Great Britain
CH. in] THE PACIFIC STATION 45
were much strained. It appeared that the Prefect of
Tacna had very grossly insulted the British Vice-
Consul at Arica. Fortunately, in Sir George Seymour
we had a clear-headed, prompt, and vigorous man
of action. He demanded an immediate apology, to-
gether with the instant supersession of the Peruvian
official. The usual subterfuges were resorted to by the
Peruvian authorities; but the Admiral was not to be
trifled with, and the President of Peru was informed
that, unless a successor was sent by the next steamer
to relieve the Prefect at Tacna, hostilities would begin.
In the meantime the English men-of-war in harbour
made all the necessary preparations for immediate action .
In the Collingwood all the cabin guns were mounted and
placed in their proper ports, the stays, backstays, and
rigging, were " snaked " to prevent their falling on deck
if severed by gunfire, and the ships were moved to within
gunshot of the castle and other fortifications. Needless
to say, all on board were wildly excited at the prospect
of a fight.
Just before the departure of the steamer to Tacna,
however, the President, General Don Ramon Castilla,
prudently yielded, and our terms were accepted in full.
Friendly relations were completely restored, and on the
following Sunday the President visited the Collingwood
to express his regret that the action of his official at
Tacna should for a moment have impaired the amicable
relations that had always existed between the two
countries. He was received on board with full honours :
a salute of twenty-one guns was fired and the yards were
manned. It is stated that the President's only com-
plaint to the British Minister was that the Admiral's
Flag Lieutenant, when he was sent to deliver the ulti-
matum, marched down the street " with himself on one
side, and his sword on the other, as if all Lima belonged
to him." This can easily be imagined by those who had
the honour and pleasure of the acquaintance of the Flag
Lieutenant !
46 THE PACIFIC STATION [CH. m
The President on this occasion was attired in a gor-
geous uniform, and wore an enormous pair of cavalry
boots. These attracted so much attention that the
officers of the Collingwood forthwith nicknamed him
" Old Boots," by which name he was always known
thereafter on board !
It may perhaps be of interest to hear how St. Patrick's
Day, or rather Night, was celebrated in the gunroom
mess of a British man-of-war on a foreign station seventy
years ago. The proceedings were organised by the
Senior Assistant Surgeon, Dr. Nicholls, and carried out
under his special supervision. He was an Irishman,
and is described by Markham as a tall, good-looking man
with bushy auburn whiskers, a very good fellow. We are
told that the entire mess sat round the gunroom table,
at the head of which was Dr. Nicholls. In front of him
were three large soup tureens and an abundant supply
of the necessary ingredients for the brewing of punch,
of which the doctor had the reputation of being the best
compounder in the Navy. In due course of time thirty-
four tumblers containing the steaming and insidious
beverage were passed round the table, one for each
person. The proceedings then commenced by Dr.
Nicholls singing " Kathleen Mavourneen." This was
followed by many of Dibdin's songs, such as " Tom
Bowling " and others. Those who did not sing helped at
any rate to swell the choruses. At 9.30 the Sergeant of
Marines poked his head into the gunroom and reported
three bells, and demanded, in accordance with the regu-
lations of the Service, that the lights be extinguished.
As this would effectually put a stop to the conviviality
of the evening, a request was sent up to the Commander
that lights might be specially granted for another hour.
The request, however, was refused, and the lights were
ordered to be put out at once. It was an order that had
to be complied with; so the doctor addressed a few
well chosen words to his messmates, apologising for the
unceremonious interruption, and concluding with the
CH.III] THE PACIFIC STATION 47
remark that, as the order must be obeyed, they would
sing the last songs in the dark. The tumblers were
refilled, the Sergeant received a glass of punch, the
lights were put out, and the hilarity continued. The
last song, " Come, landlord, fill the flowing bowl," was
sung in profound darkness; at its conclusion they all
retired to their hammocks, " after spending a very
pleasant evening."
CHAPTER IV
THE SANDWICH ISLANDS
AFTER a stay at Callao lasting over a couple of months,
the Admiral decided, for political and other reasons, to
pay a visit to Tahiti and the Sandwich Islands. The
prospect of making personal acquaintance with these
lovely islands of the tropical Pacific was hailed with
delight, especially by the younger officers in the ship,
who were getting somewhat weary of their long spell
off the coasts of Chile and Peru. On the i6th of July,
1845, the Collingwood, accompanied by the corvette
Modest e, sailed from Callao, and, favoured by a fine
fresh trade wind, made excellent progress towards Tahiti.
The wind was aft, the yards were square, studding sails
on both sides were set, and the ship was making seven
to eight knots an hour. Everybody was in good spirits,
happy and contented, and Markham was thoroughly
enjoying the voyage.
He was much interested in the study of navigation,
so closely associated as it is with astronomy. He
loved taking celestial observations during his night
watches, and he devoted much time and attention to
navigation, nautical astronomy, and trigonometry. He
strove to remember and to act upon all the good advice
given to him by his friend Lieutenant Peel, and did all
in his power to behave in such a way as would have
pleased him, especially in attending zealously to every
branch of his professional duties. He also arranged for
himself a regular course of reading, perusing only those
books from which he could acquire good and useful
knowledge. Yet he always found plenty of time for
skylarking !
4 8
CH.IV] THE SANDWICH ISLANDS 49
Sunday, the 2oth of July, was his fifteenth birthday.
He dined that day in the wardroom as the guest of one
of the wardroom officers, and afterwards kept the six
to eight watch, called the " last dog watch."* Every-
thing seemed bright and happy, yet even then dark
clouds were gathering above Markham's head, which
were fated to burst before the lapse of many days.
It appears that the Naval Instructor had worked out
a lunar observation (as an example for the midshipmen
to adopt) in the details of which Markham unfortunately
detected a mistake. It was not in the simple addition
or subtraction of the figures, or in the taking out of a
logarithm, but in having made use, erroneously, of a
printed table which was not the right one. Markham
stupidly made a joke of it, which not unnaturally made
the Naval Instructor very cross, and this ill-humour
increased as time went on. Every Saturday it was the
rule of the Captain to inspect the log-books of the
junior officers to see that they were correctly written
and up-to-date, and to receive reports of the general
conduct and behaviour of the midshipmen during the
current week. On this particular occasion the Naval
Instructor reported that Markham's conduct was ex-
tremely unsatisfactory. He further stated that he was
very conceited, and that he was at times most im-
* The watches on board ship are divided during the twenty-four
hours into five watches of four hours each namely, the forenoon
watch (commencing at 8 a.m.), the afternoon, the first, the middle,
and the morning watches. The two " dog watches " are from
4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The latter are so
called facetiously because these watches are " cur-tailed " ! Some
assert that they are so named in consequence of the deck being
left during these hours to the charge of a dog, while the skipper and
mates go below for rest and their evening meal. The object of
splitting up the period from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. into two dog-watches,
is to divide the twenty-four hours into an uneven number (5) of
watches. If the day was divided into an equal number of watches,
each of four hours' duration, the officers and men would be keeping
always the same watches each day and night. To obviate this the
' dog-watches " were instituted.
50 THE SANDWICH ISLANDS [CH. iv
pertinent. He added that Markham had called the
author of a book which he had lent him to read a
" donkey " in a most offensive way. Poor Markham
was aghast at hearing these unfounded accusations, and
endeavoured to explain that the book in question was
not lent to him by the Naval Instructor, but by one of
his messmates, and he explained that when he designated
the author of the work as a " donkey," the Naval In-
structor cordially agreed with him.
The Captain, however, would not listen to any ex-
planation or excuses, but, saying " This will never do,"
ordered him to be punished by standing on the poop
from eight o'clock in the morning until sunset. Mark-
ham was furious at what he considered the injustice
of his punishment. But his cup of bitterness was not
yet filled, for a few days after this occurrence he learnt
that Carr, one of the captains of the maintop who had
been disrated by the Captain for drunkenness at Callao,
was to be flogged the next morning for a repetition of the
offence. Filled with uncontrollable remorse, and carried
away by his extreme sensitiveness, without thinking of
the breach of discipline that he was committing, he impul-
sively ran into the Captain's cabin, neglecting even the
formality of knocking at the door. Full of pity for the
poor man who had, in his opinion, been sentenced to so
cruel a punishment, he took all the blame on his own
shoulders, telling the Captain that he (Markham) had
given Carr a bottle of rum at Spithead which must have
been his ruin, and piteously pleaded forgiveness for
the man. The Captain, as may well be supposed, was
very angry at this intrusion, followed by such an un-
heard-of request, and replied : " How dare you come into
my cabin without knocking, and with such nonsense !
Leave the cabin immediately."
Carr received thirty-six lashes the next morning, and
Markham went about with hatred in his heart and clouds
on his brow. His friends Sherard Osborn and Good-
enough did their best to soothe his ruffled spirit, and
CH.IV] THE SANDWICH ISLANDS 51
endeavoured to bring about a reconciliation with the
Naval Instructor, but all to no effect. His veracity had
been impugned, his honour had been called in question,
he had been unjustly punished, and he declared that he
hated the Service, he hated the Captain of the ship, and
he would never speak to the Naval Instructor again
except on duty; that he despised him, would never
forgive him, and would never enter his cabin again.
His anger at the treatment he had received knew no
bounds. He candidly admitted in after-years that he
was at that time the most mutinous person in the ship.
He purposely carried out his drills and instruction in a
slovenly manner, and when sent for by the Gunnery
Lieutenant he refused to come. Goodenough even-
tually persuaded him to obey, and when Lieutenant
Bathurst asked him why he was so long, he would not
deign to reply. The Lieutenant then gave him a single-
stick, and, taking another, proceeded to fence with him.
Seeing that Markham was careless and indifferent, he
said: " If you do not defend yourself better, and show
the proper guards when I call them, I shall hit you."
He would not show the guard when called, but instead
hit the Gunnery Lieutenant as hard as he could over
the shoulder. This was reported to the Captain, and
he was placed under arrest. The Captain informed him
that he would make a special report of his conduct in
writing to the Commander-in-Chief, as it was far too
serious a case for him to deal with. Lieutenant Bathurst
was terribly perturbed about it all, and eventually per-
suaded the Commander to intervene with the Captain.
The result was that Markham was ordered to return to
duty, and nothing more was said or done about it.
The harshness of the treatment he had received at
the hands of the Captain and the Naval Instructor,
however, rankled in his- mind for a long time, and gave
him a distaste for the Navy which was very real. He
was a boy that could only be managed by tact and
sympathetic kindness ; severity did not appeal to him in
52 THE SANDWICH ISLANDS |CH. iv
any way, and after the unpleasant incidents to which we
have alluded he felt very unhappy and forlorn. The
wardroom officers were, however, most kind to him, and
several, including Mr. Wemyss and Beauchamp Sey-
mour, gave him the free run of their cabins. The
former officer had shelves put up for his young friend's
books, and the latter told him to come and sit in his
cabin every afternoon, adding characteristically: " I
shall kick you out whenever I want the cabin to myself;
at other times, you are always welcome." But, as Mark-
ham remarked at the time, " What is a palace with
a sore heart and a discontented mind ?"
Arriving off Tahiti, the Admiral and his staff proceeded
on shore, leaving the Collingwood outside cruising under
easy sail off the harbour, but within signal distance of
the shore. When the Captain was keeping his own table,
which only occurred when the Admiral was away, it was
his invariable custom to invite the midshipman of the
morning watch to breakfast with him. When it came to
Markham's turn, and the steward approached him to
announce that breakfast was ready, he sent a message
begging to be excused. A few minutes afterwards the
officer of the watch sent for him, and informed him that
it was the Captain's orders that he was to breakfast with
him, and that he was to go in at once. He had to go,
but with a very bad grace and a look of great discon-
ment. The Captain, however, received him with a
grim smile, piled up his plate with the good things on
the table, and spoke so kindly about the wisest way to
take things, even if they should be disagreeable (with-
out, however, alluding in any way to recent incidents),
that his heart was touched ; and he went out of the cabin
with a much more friendly feeling towards his Captain,
and a conviction that, in punishing him as he did, he
only intended to carry out what he considered to be
his duty. This made his mind more at ease, and as a
consequence he became less discontented.
The Admiral having rejoined, the Collingwood pro-
CH. iv] THE SANDWICH ISLANDS 53
ceeded to the Sandwich Islands without affording the
officers an opportunity of landing at Tahiti, much to
their disappointment. It was very provoking to be
so many days in sight of this beautiful island, with its
coast fringed with cocoanut-trees and the distant moun-
tains covered to their summits with forest, without being
able to pay it a visit. They were, however, in a measure
compensated for this disappointment by their proximity
to the harbour, whence they were able to obtain an
immense quantity of luscious tropical fruit and vegetables,
such as bananas, cheri moyas, bread-fruit, oranges,
yams, etc., which were sent off to them as presents.
During this cruise Markham became somewhat more
settled ; but the unfortunate occurrences which gave him
so much pain and distress during the early part of the
cruise caused a veritable revolution in his thoughts and
feelings. He brooded much over what he considered
the unjust treatment that had been meted out to him,
and the tyrannical way in which (in his opinion) punish-
ment generally was administered. New places and new
scenes, however, served in a great measure to distract
his attention from his own troubles, and it was with a
real feeling of pleasure that he rushed on deck to feast
his eyes on the beautiful island of Hawaii, as they sailed
up to the anchorage in Byron's Bay on the zoth of Sep-
tember. High above on the hills bright cascades were
falling over the rocks into the sea, green lawns extended
in all directions at the bases of the hills dotted with
clumps of cocoanut and bread-fruit trees, while the grace-
ful banana and other tropical plants were a refreshing
sight to those who had gazed on nothing but the bound-
less ocean for so many days.
Immediately the ship cast anchor she was surrounded
by a crowd of canoes laden with turkeys, chickens, pine-
apples, water-melons, and cocoanuts, which the natives
endeavoured to dispose of to the best advantage. The
men in the outside canoes would jump into the water,
dive under the boats nearest the ship, and come up
5
54 THE SANDWICH ISLANDS [CH. iv
alongside the gangway with their merchandise in their
hands. It was a lively and amusing spectacle. The
canoes, fitted with an outrigger on one side to prevent
them from capsizing, were about 12 feet in length, and
capable of carrying one man besides the goods that were
brought off for sale.
Needless to say, there was an immediate rush for the
shore by those who were granted permission to land,
and Markham was one of the fortunate ones. The
village, which stood at the head of the bay, consisted
only of the beef-contractor's house, the shop of a China-
man, and two or three huts. The first thing they did
on landing was to make a native climb up a cocoanut-
tree and throw down some of the nuts, from which they
enjoyed a most refreshing drink. Then they turned
their steps inland, and rambled about the country,
visiting a magnificent waterfall over 70 feet in height
whose waters dashed down into a large clear pool below.
Here they bathed in company with a number of native
boys and girls, who were thoroughly enjoying the sport.
Being very hungry, and having nothing wherewithal to
appease their appetites, they indicated their require-
ments by signs to some amiable native women whom
they met. They were at once taken into a hut in which
were some fowls. Two were promptly caught and killed,
and the party were then led to another larger hut con-
structed of cocoanut poles thatched with fara leaves and
furnished inside with mats. The chickens were cooked
in a calabash orer an oven made of hot stones sunk in
the ground. While dinner was being prepared, their new
friends entertained them with music by playing on a
reed instrument bent like a bow, having five strings
of cocoanut fibre stretched across it. The meal, which
was excellent, included a dish of tara root, with cocoa-
nut milk to drink. It is needless to say it was much
relished after their long and fatiguing walk.
On the following day Markham formed one of a party
from the ship, which landed at 5 a.m. with the express
CH.IV] THE SANDWICH ISLANDS 55
object of ascending the volcanic mountain of Kilauea,
4,000 feet above sea-level. Horses carried them for
some fifteen miles, after which came a steady climb up
a steep stony ascent for about twelve miles, which
brought them to a hut when they were almost ready to
drop from fatigue. Here they rested for a while, and
were attended to by some charming native girls who
proceeded to knead them, a process that had a marvel-
lously revivifying effect ! The operation was called lomi-
lomi. Continuing the ascent, the crater was eventually
reached. It is described as an immense basin, eight
miles in circumference, with perpendicular sides. A
fifth part of the area of the crater was literally a burning
lake of lava of an ashy colour by daylight, with a livid
tint ; but at night it was a perfect sheet of fire, and pre-
sented a truly magnificent effect. They passed the
night in the hut, and got on board the next evening
at seven o'clock-, very weary, but having thoroughly
enjoyed their expedition to Kilauea.
Two days' sail with a fair wind and lovely weather
brought them to the island of Oahu, where they dropped
anchor, outside the reef in the open roadstead off Hono-
lulu. The latter part of the voyage had been most
delightful, the ship having to thread her way through
the narrow channels between many of the principal
islands comprising the group. On the day after their
arrival Markham was sent ashore to deliver an official
letter to a Mr. Wylie, who held the responsible position
of Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Government of the
Sandwich Islands. On learning the name of his visitor,
Mr. Wylie asked him if he was any relation to Mrs.
Mure of Caldwell, to which Markham replied : "Yes ; she
is my aunt." Mr. Wylie then informed him that he was
the son of a tenant farmer on the Caldwell estate, and
therefore he would be happy to use all the influence he
possessed to promote Markham 's wishes in any way, in
memory of his young days in Ayrshire. On returning to
the^ship, Markham boasted to the Flag Lieutenant, with
5 6 THE SANDWICH ISLANDS [CH. iv
pardonable exuberance of boyish conceit, that he had
considerable influence with the Minister for Foreign
Affairs, which would be of inestimable value in the
event of the Admiral desiring to carry out any im-
portant negotiations with the Government. The Flag
Lieutenant's only comment to this offer was: " Prodi-
gious ! we shall now know to whom to apply !"
While at Honolulu, the King of the Sandwich Islands
paid the ship a visit. He was accompanied by his
Ministers, including Mr. Wylie, and by several chiefs,
one of whom was an enormous man 6 feet 8 inches in
height, and weighing 23 stone 6 pounds. He also
brought with him the heir- apparent, his son, named
Alexander Liko-liko. All the officers were presented to
His Majesty, who was then shown round the ship. He
was keenly interested in everything he saw, especially
in the details connected with the preparations for battle.
Markham describes him as a middle-aged man of olive
complexion, wearing a coat covered with gold lace, and
a large cocked hat.*
* The history of the sovereignty of the Sandwich Islands is brief
but interesting. In 1795 Kamehameha, Chief of Hawaii (the
largest of the Sandwich Islands), succeeded in conquering the whole
group, and proclaimed himself King, establishing the seat of govern-
ment at Honolulu, in the island of Oahu. Dying twenty-four years
afterwards, he was succeeded by his son Liko-liko, who ascended the
throne under the name of Kamehameha II. He embraced Chris-
tianity in 1818, and his subjects followed his good example two
years later. This monarch offered the protectorate of the islands
to Great Britain, an offer that was most unwisely declined. In spite
of this refusal, the King insisted on placing the Union Jack in the
upper canton, or quarter, of the national flag, which till then con-
sisted of nine alternate blue, red, and white horizontal stripes. In
July, 1824, the King and Queen paid an official visit to England,
where, unhappily, they both died of measles. Their remains were
conveyed to Honolulu in H.M.S. Blonde, with many expressions of
regret and sympathy from this country. The King was succeeded
by his nephew, who became Kamehameha III. He renewed the
offer of the sovereignty of the islands to Great Britain, and it was
accepted for England by the senior naval officer on the station,
Captain Lord George Paulet, of H.M.S. Carysfort, and the British
flag was hoisted at Honolulu. His lordship's action was not, how-
CH. iv] THE SANDWICH ISLANDS 57
Markham made good use of the time he spent at Hono-
lulu. Various excursions were made both on foot and
on horseback, and he carried away with him many happy
recollections of his visit. In company with one or more
of his friends, he would start off for a walk to the Salt
Lake, a distance of ten miles over a very difficult country,
in sultry weather; and many times he longed for the
delightful lomi-lomi process that had proved so efficacious
on their ascent of the Kilauea volcano ! The water in
this lake is reputed to be five times more salt than sea-
water; it leaves thick white saline incrustations along
the banks of the lake.
Another most delightful excursion he made with some
of his brother officers was to a place called Pari, about
eight miles from Honolulu. After riding for about an
hour through tara fields which, like the paddy-fields of
China, are kept under water in order to promote more
rapid growth, they emerged upon a totally different
scene. They found themselves in a deep narrow valley,
bounded on each side by stupendous mountains clothed
with trees to their summits, while numerous cascades
poured their waters down the hills into the valley.
Proceeding, they reached a dense wood through which
there was a narrow path which eventually brought them
to a scene which they described as the most magnifi-
cent they ever beheld. They were standing literally
on the edge of a precipice 3,000 feet above the level of
the sea. Below was a verdant plain interspersed with
hill and dale, woods and hamlets, and beyond was the
deep blue sea. Behind were the lofty tree-clad moun-
tains, and on each side they beheld perpendicular preci-
pices over which it is said Kamehameha drove and
destroyed the army of the Chief of Oahu in 1790.
Nowhere in the world is it possible to find scenery to
ever, approved by the English Government, and the British flag
was hauled down again by Admiral Thomas in 1843. Thus were
lost to our country these beautiful islands, with their simple and
loyal inhabitants, who had always evinced a strong desire to become
politically attached to Great Britain and its free institutions.
58 THE SANDWICH ISLANDS [CH. iv
exceed, or even equal, the transcendental loveliness of
this beautiful island : it is absolutely incomparable !
On one occasion Markham was invited to the house
of Dr. Rooke, an Englishman, where he played
" rounders " with his adopted daughter, Emma Rooke,
who subsequently married the heir -apparent. She
came to England in 1865 on a visit, and was known
and respected as " Queen Emma of the Sandwich
Islands." It was during this visit to Honolulu that he
first made the acquaintance of Lieutenant M'Clintock,*
with whom in after-years he was so closely associated
in the search for Sir John Franklin, and subsequently
in matters relating to Polar exploration. M'Clintock at
this time was serving as a lieutenant in H.M. brig Frolic.
During their stay at Honolulu they experienced a
violent gale of wind which lasted over forty-eight hours,
during which time the safety of the ship was seriously
imperilled. Happily, no untoward event happened.
From Honolulu they returned, much to their delight, to
Tahiti, which at that time was passing through a some-
what serious political crisis. On their way the ship
sailed close along the land at Kealakekua Bay in Hawaii,
a place rendered memorable as the scene of the murder
of Captain James Cook by the natives on the i4th of
February, 1779.
On the 4th of November they sighted the moun-
tains of Tahiti, and shortly afterwards were boarded by
Captain Hammond, of the Salamander, who from the
foreyard piloted them safely through the narrow en-
trance in the reef only 200 yards in width to their
anchorage in Papeete Harbour. The French protec-
torate flag was flying, and was duly saluted by the
Collingwood with twenty-one guns .
It will not be out of place here to give a brief
account of the events that happened immediately prior
to the arrival of the ship, and which really led to the
Collingwood 's visit. This beautiful island was discovered
* Admiral Sir Leopold M'Clintock, K.C.B., F.R.S.
CH. iv] THE SANDWICH ISLANDS 59
by Captain Wallis in 1 767, and though at first the natives
opposed his landing, friendly relations were speedily
established and the English met with a warm and
friendly reception.
Oberea, the Queen Regent, accompanied by Tupia, her
Minister, paid several visits to the ship, and the utmost
harmony and good feeling existed between the natives and
their visitors. This visit of Captain Wallis was followed
shortly after by the appearance on the scene of a French
man-of-war commanded by M. de Bougainville. This
gentleman created much -bad feeling by shooting some
of the natives, in consequence, so it was reported, of
turbulent and aggressive behaviour on their part. In
1769 Captain Cook arrived, for the purpose of observing
the transit of Venus. He found that Otu, nephew of
Oberea, was King. Captain Cook was again at Tahiti
in 1772, and again, for the last time, in 1778. Nothing
could be better or more encouraging than the good feel-
ing that existed between the natives and ourselves at
that period.
Shortly after the departure of Captain Cook, however,
a formidable confederacy was formed, having for its
object the deposition of King Otu; and civil war was
the inevitable result. It was at this time that the
Bounty in charge of the mutineers returned to Tahiti.*
They threw in their lot with the King and enabled him
to gain an important victory over the rebels, after which
they took their departure from Tahiti, and sailed for
Pitcairn Island, where, having married Tahitian wives,
* The Bounty, it will be remembered, had been despatched from
England under the command of Lieutenant Bligh for the purpose
of collecting plants of the bread-fruit tree and transporting them
to the West Indies for cultivation. So enraptured were the crew
with the islands, and especially with the inhabitants of Tahiti,
that on proceeding to sea they mutinied, put their Captain and
nineteen men into a boat with a small supply of provisions near
the Friendly Islands, and took the ship back to Tahiti. Here they
married Tahitian wives, and migrated to Pitcairn Island, where
they settled. Their descendants still inhabit Pitcairn and Norfolk
Islands.
60 THE SANDWICH ISLANDS [CH. iv
they settled down. King Otu married Idia , heiress of the
neighbouring island of Eimeo, and took the name and
title of Pomare I. In 1797 English missionaries arrived
and were well received, and Christianity was introduced
and adopted by a great majority of the inhabitants.
In 1810 Rua, an important chief, seized the sacred
god Oro, as well as the regalia, and was thus the cause of
another civil war. He was, however, defeated and killed,
and the rebellion was successfully crushed, only, how-
ever, to be followed by another rising, when the King
(Pomare II.) was forced to take refuge in his island of
Eimeo. During his exile he became a Christian; and
returning to Tahiti in 1815, he engaged and defeated
the rebels in a great battle. Pomare behaved with much
clemency to the vanquished, many of whom he persuaded
to become Christians. The god Oro and all the idols
were destroyed, and the shocking custom of infanticide
was abolished. Schools were established under the
auspices of the missionaries, and a new code of laws was
framed and put in force in 1819.
King Pomare died in 1824, his loss being much re-
gretted by the chiefs and people. His son, Pomare III.,
was then an infant, and died when he was only seven
years old. He was succeeded by his sister Aimata, who
was proclaimed Queen when she was sixteen years of
age, and took the name of Pomare IV. She married a
young chieftain named Arifaiti. In 1832 a rebellion
broke out, but was speedily suppressed, and the young
Queen's affairs began to prosper. At this juncture a
Mr. Pritchard, who had been a coppersmith and had
become a missionary, was made British Consul at Tahiti,
a most unwise and ill advised appointment.
During all this time the inhabitants were clamouring
for the British Government to assume a protectorate over
the islands, which would have assisted the Tahitians to
work out their destiny in their own way, and would have
saved them from what they most dreaded a French
occupation. But this request was refused by us in spite
CH.IV] THE SANDWICH ISLANDS 61
of the earnest entreaties of the islanders. Our error
and want of foresight in not acceding to their request
was only too soon made apparent. Intrigues were pro-
moted by sending French priests to Tahiti. They were
requested to leave, and eventually took their departure,
but not before they had spread broadcast the imaginary
benefits to be derived by the annexation of the islands
to France.
Shortly after their departure Captain Du Petit-
Thouars arrived in command of a French frigate, and
threatened to bombard Papeete if an indemnity was
not immediately paid for some imaginary insults offered
to the priests. The merchants and missionaries collected
the money, and the indemnity was paid. Subsequently
an adventurer named Moerenhout unjustifiably possessed
himself of a piece of land, but was compelled to restore
it to its rightful owner. In consequence of this unlawful
seizure, the French corvette Heroine was despatched to
Tahiti, with orders to destroy the town if Moerenhout did
not at once receive back the land which he had originally
stolen and appropriated. At the same time this man
received the appointment of French Consul.
Of course all these demands, although most unjust,
had to be complied with, for the people were not in a
position to resist. One demand followed another. Under
the stress of force majeure in the shape of the guns of a
French frigate, all demands had to be acceded to. Land
had to be given, on which to build a Roman Catholic
chapel, and priests of that denomination were to be
granted permission to reside in the island, with leave
and authority to convert any one desirous of embracing
that faith.
In 1842, during the absence of the Queen at Eimeo,
attempts were made to induce the disaffected chiefs to
ask for a French protectorate over the islands. They
would not, however, be traitors to their country, and
declined. Another pretext had to be found. It came
at last. During a street brawl a Frenchman declared
62 THE SANDWICH ISLANDS [CH. iv
he had been pushed and assaulted by the natives. The
French Admiral was sent for. He arrived in the Reine
Blanche, and demanded, under the usual threat of bom-
bardment, an indemnity of $10,000. He then invited
the chiefs on board his ship, plied them with good cheer,
and persuaded them to sign a document. The Queen,
who was very ill at the time, was also induced to sign.
This document purported to be a grant to the French
of a protectorate over Tahiti and Eimeo, including also
the whole of the Society Islands, over which, however,
Pomare had no jurisdiction. A Governor with a large
escort of troops was sent out from France, and protec-
tion for the islands was practically enforced by the con-
struction of fortifications.
The people were utterly taken by surprise, for they
had always relied (not without good reason) on English
protection and support. Certainly they had excellent
grounds for such reliance. Tahiti was discovered by the
English; both countries had traditions of the happy
intercourse with Cook and his officers; English mis-
sionaries had converted the islanders to Christianity;
and civilisation had come to them through the help and
advice of the Captains of English men-of-war. For
more than half a century they had intimate and happy
relations with our country, and they earnestly desired
to be placed under our protection. A statesman with
the knowledge of these facts before him, and with
any foresight, would have acceded to their request in
time to prevent another nation from stepping in and
assuming, vi et armis, the protectorate.
Abandoned by us, the Tahitians were not prepared to
hand over their country to a foreign Power without a
struggle for liberty. In March, 1844, they rose in arms,
and assembled a large and fairly well equipped army.
Mr. Pritchard, the British Consul before alluded to, was
accused of aiding and abetting the natives. He was
arrested, imprisoned in a blockhouse, and his own house
was attacked and pillaged. After a long detention he
was eventually sent on board H.M.S. Vindictive on the
CH. iv] THE SANDWICH ISLANDS 63
urgent demand of her Captain. Queen Pomare escaped
and took refuge on board H.M.S. Basilisk, and was
taken to the island of Raiatea in the Society Group.
Meanwhile the French Governor, supported by a
couple of men-of-war, landed troops and field-guns and
proceeded to attack the islanders. The ships opened fire
with shell and grape, but there was a gallant defence.
Eventually the Tahitians retired, and took refuge in a
forest in their rear. The French casualties on this occa-
sion amounted to 200. Several skirmishes followed,
and early in 1845 the native army met with some slight
successes, in spite of the French having the command
of the sea, and were on that account placed in a better
position for carrying out warlike operations.
This was the position of affairs when the Collingwood
arrived in Papeete Harbour in November, 1845. Sir
George Seymour's instructions were to acknowledge the
French protectorate at Tahiti and Eimeo, it being un
fait accompli, but he was to prevent the extension of the
protectorate to the other islands of the group, if possible,
by collating evidence of their absolute independence of
Tahiti, and by negotiations based on such evidence.
QUEEN POMARE'S LAMENT.
I gaze upon the sea where, as a child,
Each billow loved me as it laved the shore;
'Tis crimsoned now ! its rush is sad and wild,
And sea-birds scream where rest they found before.
I gaze upon the beach where banners gay
Once greeted poor Pomare and her son;
But pirates stole my rightful flag away,
While Britons stood and wept yet saw it done.
Proud Britain told me, should those pirates send,
She would protect me from their thirsty hate;
Alas ! e'en Britain's Queen forgets her friend:
Pomare falls, and murderers rule her State.
Farewell, Tahiti 1 once again farewell 1
When future tribes recite Pomare's fall,
The gushing tear may speak her feelings well :
She falls, an injured Queen deceived by all.
CHAPTER V
CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC
THE conditions prevailing at Tahiti on the arrival of the
Collingwood in Papeete Harbour have been briefly
narrated in the preceding chapter. Markham was in-
tensely excited over the events that were being enacted
within the ken, at any rate, of his mental vision. His
sympathies were, as they always have been, with the
oppressed; and these feelings were shared by all his
shipmates, although perhaps with less enthusiasm. He
writes that on their arrival at Papeete " two chiefs paid
us a visit from the patriot camp at Bonavia, and en-
treated the Admiral to attack the French. On being
told this was impossible, they went away very sorrowful,
but with our warmest sympathy."
Many of the officers of the Collingwood were boiling
over with indignation at the treatment their beloved
islanders were being subjected to at the hands of the
French, and earnestly implored that they might be per-
mitted to assist the army of patriots in fighting for their
liberty, their homes, their country, and everything that
was worth living for. Markham, although only a boy
of fifteen, was even more emphatic than his shipmates
in his endeavours to assist the islanders in as practical
a way as could be devised. As he was not allowed to
take up arms on their behalf, he determined to get as
much information regarding the strength and position
of the French forces as was possible, and communicate
it to the islanders. He did not consider that in so doing
he was committing a serious breach of neutrality, and
that it was an act that would certainly be regarded as
espionage bv the French.
6 4
CH.V] CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC 65
The first time he went on shore, it was with the de-
liberate intention of reconnoitring the French position,
and of obtaining as much information as he could re-
garding their intentions and strength. He drew up a
plan of the various fortifications, the size and number
of the guns, the positions of the powder-magazines, and
all such information as he considered to be of military
importance. He also went on board a couple of French
men-of-war in the harbour, the Uranie and the Phaeton,
and, although on duty, he carefully noted all particulars
regarding their armaments, the numerical strength of
the crews, and all other particulars that he regarded
as likely to be of value to the Tahitians.
Having completed what he was pleased to call his
" reconnaissance," he discovered, after some inquiries,
that there was an Englishman named Miles who kept a
public-house in the town, who would in all probability
be of use to him. Accordingly, he went to this man,
found him at home, asked him a few guarded questions,
and was convinced by his replies that he was on the
side of the patriots. Under a solemn vow of secrecy,
Miles informed him that the military adviser of the
native chiefs was a Maltese named Vincente, and that
he sometimes visited Papeete in disguise. Markham,
speaking in a whisper, said he had something of great
importance to communicate to him, and begged that he
would arrange a meeting. This Miles agreed to do in a
few days. Markham returned on board that evening
brimming over with delight at the fascinating idea of
being a conspirator. Doubtless the French would have
called him by another name I
Having drawn up his report and completed his plans,
he obtained leave for the whole day on the 1 1 th of
November, and, so that no time should be lost, left the
ship at five o'clock in the morning, accompanied by
three of his brother officers. Breakfast was ready for
them at Miles 's house, after partaking of which they
proceeded on foot through a most enchanting country,
66 CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC [CH. v
along a path in a dense wood of guava bushes. Above
them rose clumps of tall cocoanut-trees, while groves
of orange-trees waved their graceful branches overhead.
With these and other delicious fruits they constantly
refreshed themselves. At length they entered a beauti-
ful valley bounded by lofty mountains, and having a
rippling stream flowing down the centre. This was the
Fatona Valley. Presently they found a clear, inviting
pool, in which, as a matter of course, they bathed.
At the end of the valley was a cluster of huts. One of
these was the abode of an old chief named Tomafas, who
invariably hoisted the British Flag on a staff over his
hut whenever any Englishman passed. They came to
the conclusion that the Tahitian huts were neater and
cleaner than those in the Sandwich Islands, and that the
men were more handsome and the women more beautiful.
Thoroughly tired with their long walk, they returned
to Papeete in time for the dinner which was being pre-
pared for them at Miles 's inn. While waiting, Miles
made a sign to Markham to follow him out to the back
of the house, where he found a repulsive-looking ruffian
drinking spirits. This was Vincente. Markham ques-
tioned this ferocious-looking individual regarding details
of the native army and their entrenched camp . The man
boasted extravagantly of his personal deeds and what he
was going to do . Markham then gave him for conveyance
to his military commander his report and plans of the
French positions, and intimated to him that the English
would willingly fight on their side if only they were per-
mitted to do so. All this conversation of the conspira-
tors was carried on in a whisper. On being interrogated
about his previous life, Vincente said he had lived a long
time at the Marquesas, and told harrowing stories of the
different sorts of people he had eaten during his resi-
dence there. Fortunately, Markham was called away by
the announcement that dinner was ready; and he does
not seem to have had any further communication with
this rascal.
CH.VJ CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC 67
Markham was not the only one among the officers of
the Collingwood who were willing to risk almost anything
and everything in order to evince their personal interest
in the cause of the Tahitians. Mr. Grant, one of the
mates, was even more enthusiastic, if possible, than his
younger brother officer, and was quite ready to sacrifice
his position in the Navy, and even his life, if by so
doing he could assist the islanders to gain emancipation
from the thraldom of the French. He was furious at
the way in which they were being treated, and was wild
to join the ranks of the patriots. He was, perhaps, a
little mortified that Markham should have rendered so
much material assistance by disclosing the dispositions
of the French, while he had not been afforded the oppor-
tunity of doing anything of so important a nature.
Early on Sunday morning, however, Mr. Grant went on
shore without indicating to anyone what he was going to
do. Markham was very anxious about him all day. He
returned very late, and was extremely reticent as to his
doings ; but Markham felt sure he had been to visit the
patriot army, which was entrenched near Bonavia, on
the west side of the island. On the following day the
Admiral himself went to the camp at Bonavia, in order
to satisfy himself regarding the state of affairs among
the troops of the native army, and also to advise them
to submit quietly to the French.
The ship was ordered to sea the next morning. Every-
one was taken by surprise, and Markham was much
alarmed, for he could not help connecting the Admiral's
visit to the camp with the sudden putting to sea of the
Collingwood; and he feared that their departure was asso-
ciated in some way with Mr. Grant's expedition on the
previous Sunday. His fears were soon realised, for no
sooner was the ship outside the harbour than the Cap-
tain sent for all the gunroom officers on the quarter-
deck. There was an ominous scowl on his face, indi-
cative of anger and displeasure. He asked " if any
officer had given a British flag to the insurgents ; if so
68 CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC [CH.V
he was to confess at once." There was perfect silence
for a moment or two; then Mr. Grant stepped forward
and acknowledged that he had; Markham fully ex-
pected that the next question would be: " Has any
officer given any important military advice to the
Tahitian General, or supplied him with plans and in-
formation ?" He had made up his mind to step proudly
forward as a second conspirator and acknowledge his
share in the confederacy. But the question was not
put, and the officers were dismissed.
Mr. Grant was placed under arrest. On going below
he sent for the barber, and told him to shave his head,
observing that he would at any rate " be cool and com-
fortable." He afterwards informed Markham that it
was quite true : he had visited the camp at Bonavia, and
had been received with demonstrations of joy by the
patriots; he had presented them with an English boat's
ensign, which was immediately hoisted; and had urged
them to attack the French, assuring them that, when
they did so, he and others would C9me out and lead them
to victory under that flag. When the Admiral visited
the camp the day after Grant's escapade, he was shown
the boat's ensign with great manifestations of pride and
delight.
Whether this episode hastened their departure from
Tahiti or not was never known. No doubt Sir George
Seymour sailed because he realised that his presence at
Papeete was no longer necessary. Markham was filled
with shame and despair; he had been living in hopes
that Grant would have held a high position in the Tahi-
tian forces; that he (Markham) would have been his
aide-de-camp ; and that one of the jollyboat boys named
Moray, in whom he was particularly interested, would
have been his orderly. Sic transit gloria mundi !
Grant reproached himself for not having joined the
patriots on the spot; he fully intended doing so, but the
sudden and unexpected sailing of the ship capsized all
his arrangements. He was kept under arrest during the
CH.VJ CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC 69
remainder of the voyage, then dismissed his ship, and
sent home in another man-of-war. Markham writes of
him:
" He was a hero. He could not endure injustice or
oppression. He was absolutely without fear. No better
fellow ever trod a deck, and it was a bitter moment for
me when I bade him farewell."
Meanwhile the Collingwood visited many of the islands
of the Society Group, making inquiries from the chiefs
as to whether they were under the jurisdiction of Queen
Pomare. On being informed that they had absolute
autonomy, and owed no allegiance to any other Sover-
eign, the Admiral advised them to keep quiet and peace-
ful among themselves ; " but," he added, " if any foreign
Power attempts to land an armed force on your islands
with a view to annexation, your resistance will be justi-
fiable." At Tahiti Sir George Seymour was directed, by
positive instructions from home, to recognise the French
Protectorate ; but at the Society Islands he had the much
more congenial task of preventing them from falling
under the same foreign yoke.
Among other places visited by them during this cruise
was the island of Bola-bola. Before anchoring, the
Collingwood was boarded outside the harbour by an
officer from the French man-of-war Phaeton, with in-
structions from the French senior naval officer to inform
the Admiral that the harbour was blockaded by order
of the French Protectorate, and that the ship could not
be permitted to enter.
The Admiral was very angry. No notice of a blockade
had been promulgated, nor were there any indications
of the existence of one. The Admiral therefore regarded
the message as a piece of official presumption on the part
of the French authorities ; and, sending for the officer, he
said : " Tell your Captain from me that the French Pro-
tectorate of Tahiti has no jurisdiction here, as he well
knows; and if there is a blockade, I shall break it."
The French officer having been thus somewhat sum-
6
70 CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC [CH.V
marily dismissed, the Collingwood entered the harbour
and anchored close alongside the Phaeton !
Otiavanna Harbour, the principal port in Bola-bola,
is an excellent anchorage, well protected, and capable
of accommodating a large number of ships. It is formed
by a small island covered with cocoanut-trees stretching
across the mouth of the bay, thus acting as an efficient
breakwater. The " town " consisted of a church, the
house of the missionary, and the royal residence,
besides a few huts. At the back of the " town " was
a magnificent mass of rock rising to a perpendicular
height of 4,000 feet, covered with trees at such places
as were not absolutely precipitous.
Immediately after the ship's arrival, the Flag
Lieutenant was despatched to the native camp with
an invitation to the chiefs to meet the Admiral, who
was in a position, he stated, to promise them protection
from the French. They willingly accepted the invita-
tion, and in the evening assembled in an open space in
front of the King's house to the number of about 600.
Sir George Seymour addressed them, and ten-
dered them the same good advice he had given
to the natives of the other islands. On the following
day crowds of natives visited the ship. They per-
formed special native dances, and the best of good feeling
was established between the islanders and the officers
and men of the Collingwood. It may be remarked
here that Sir George Seymour had been indefatigable
in his endeavours to collect conclusive evidence that
Tahiti did not, then or at any other time, possess
jurisdiction over the Society Islands. As a consequence
of his representations, a treaty was signed in London
on the ipth of June, 1847, m which England and
France acknowledged the absolute independence, free
from all French jurisdiction, of the smaller islands of
the Society Group. These especially included the islands
Huaheine, Raiatea, and Bola-bola, together with the
smaller islands dependent on these greater ones. The
CH.V] CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC 71
treaty also stipulated that neither France nor England
should ever " take possession of the said islands, nor
of any one or more of them, either absolutely or under
the title of a protectorate, or in any other form what-
ever." This treaty was signed on behalf of England
by Lord Palmerston, and of France by the Comte de
Jarnac. But in recent years this solemn pledge has
been unscrupulously broken by the French, and, so
far as we know, without any protest on the part of the
British Government.
Christmas day of 1845 was spent at sea, when all the
youngsters of the gunroom mess were entertained at
dinner by the wardroom officers, who regaled them
with turkey and mince-pies. On the 29th of December,
after having been thirty-four consecutive days at sea,
the ship anchored at Valparaiso.
On landing, Markham's first visit was to Lady Sey-
mour to thank her for all the kindness she had shown him
when he was last at that port. She replied, thought-
lessly, that she was sorry to hear he had not been such
a good boy during the last cruise. This showed him
only too clearly that all his troubles had been reported
to the Admiral, had been brought to the knowledge
of the Admiral's family, and, as he thought, possibly
presented in a garbled and one-sided version. At this
time a little kindness and sympathy would have worked
wonders with the boy. At heart he was exceedingly
unhappy, more especially when his thoughts turned
on the important question of his future career in the
Navy. A great change had unconsciously come over
him. During the past six months he had been treated
with what he considered gross injustice; his passions
had been aroused; he had learnt to distrust and to be
suspicious. He had undoubtedly lost his best friend and
adviser when Lieutenant Peel left the ship. It is true
he made other friends, but none were comparable to
the one he had lost. His heart had been scorched
by strong emotions and seared by disappointment.
72 CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC [CH.V
There was no one in whom he could confide. He felt
helpless and friendless, and he began to discuss, even
if he did not criticise adv/ersely, the Navy as a profes-
sion. He was then fifteen and a half years of age,
but was both mentally and physically in advance of
his years.
Fortunately, however, there was much going on in the
ship which had the effect of distracting his thoughts
and turning them from his own grievances, whether
imaginary or real, into channels which could not be
otherwise than interesting. The mizen-mast was re-
ported to be in an unsound condition. It had to be
hoisted out, towed on shore, surveyed and made
efficient, and then put back in its place and rigged. A
merchant ship arrived from England with a new main-
yard and other spars for the Collingwood ; these had
all to be received on board.
It is customary in a man-of-war to appoint to each
of her boats a midshipman who is entirely responsible for
its cleanliness, its efficiency, its crew, and everything
appertaining to it. Markham, being the junior Naval
Cadet in the ship, had not been selected for the command
of a boat, in spite of his earnest entreaties for the posi-
tion. His delight may be imagined when he was sent
for by the Commander, and informed that he had
been appointed to take charge of the dinghy. Now,
the dinghy was the smallest boat in the ship and had
a crew of only two boys ; moreover, in this instance one
was a " lanky white-headed boy," and the other a
" negro." Yet he was as pleased and as proud of his
command as a young Captain when selected for his
first ship. He almost lived in the dinghy, and kept it
scrupulously clean and always ready for instant service.
It was a source of unceasing interest, and assisted
materially in alleviating those morose feelings that
obtruded themselves in his thoughts, whenever he
reflected on what he considered to be the unjust treat-
ment he had received in the ship.
CH.V] CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC 73
On one occasion he and Goodenough decided upon
having a good long ride, as far as they could go and
return in one day, along the highroad to Santiago.
They started as early as they could get away, and
rode at a brisk pace to the first post-house, where the
landlady, Mrs. Diggles, supplied them with a lunch
of bread and cheese and beer. Mrs. D. had a black eye,
and she informed Markham confidentially that Diggles
was an escaped convict, leaving him to assume that her
husband was the cause of her temporary disfigurement.
Proceeding, they cantered over the wide grassy plain
with which he and Lieutenant Peel had become ac-
quainted during their previous visit to Valparaiso.
Crossing a range of hills of considerable height, they
reached a country well timbered and interspersed with
small villages and haciendas.
After a long and hot ride of thirty-five miles, they
arrived at Casa Blanca, a pretty little town fringed with
poplar-trees and surrounded by ranges of high hills . Here
they found a very nice inn, kept by a Mr. and Mrs. Fen-
wick, where they baited and rested their horses, and them-
selves enjoyed a good dinner followed by some excellent
quince jelly. The hostess was plump and charming.
She addressed her guests as " darlings," and informed
them that she was the daughter of an officer, and it
was only the financial difficulties of her dear papa
that induced her to marry Fen wick. Apparently she
was of a very confiding nature, especially to strangers.
Sne endeavoured to prevail upon them to stay the night,
as the distance to Valparaiso was too great for them
to ride back that evening. Markham willingly assented,
but Goodenough, here as always, stepped in as his
guardian angel, and insisted that they should return
at once. He knew full well that his friend would only
get into trouble again if he broke his leave. Sore and
tired himself, he ordered the horses to be brought out,
and compelled Markham to mount. He did so most
reluctantly, and they set off at a brisk pace.
74 CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC [CH. v
On reaching the wide plain already alluded to, a
guacho riding at full gallop made a dash at Markham,
trying to unhorse him with his knee. Being unsuccessful
in his attempt, he endeavoured to lasso him, but, fortun-
ately, also failed in doing so. Goodenough charged him,
and he galloped away across the plain. They were of
opinion that he was either drunk or mischievously in-
clined. At length, weary and sleepy, they reached
the first post-house, where Markham besought Mrs.
Diggles to get a bed ready for him, as he could proceed
no farther. But here again Goodenough put his foot
down, and said that whatever happened they must go
on, for he was determined that so long as Markham was
with him, he should do his utmost to prevent him from
getting into another scrape. At length, more dead than
alive, they reached Valparaiso, and got on board the
ship at about 10.30 p.m. This long ride together,
and the firm attitude for his good taken by Goodenough,
cemented, more solidly if possible, the friendship that
already existed between the two boys. They became
much more intimate, and frequently talked and ex-
changed ideas with each other ; and they even succeeded
in arranging for Goodenough to be transferred to Mr.
Hankey's watch, so that they should be together.
It was a friendship that continued to the end of their
lives, becoming more real and indissoluble as the years
went by.
Markham made many interesting excursions from
Valparaiso during the stay of the ship at that port.
His knowledge of Spanish and his lively disposition
made him a valuable acquisition to any shore-going party
of officers. On board the Collingwood, too, he had
opportunities of practising his Spanish. Many friends
were made by the officers, and there were frequent
dances on board . Markham relates that, on one occasion
when he was the officer of the boat engaged in landing
the ladies after a dance, the boat suddenly heeled over,
causing the fair occupants to scream but not solely on
CH.V] CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC 75
account of the listing of the boat. A man a naked
man had suddenly caught hold of the gunwale of the
boat and was climbing into it ! He was promptly
covered with flags, and laid down in the bottom of the
boat well screened from the eyes of the fair passengers.
It turned out that he was a seaman named Harrison, one
of the best and smartest sailors in the ship. He had just
missed the boat sent in to bring off the liberty men, and
having spent all his money, he was unable to hire a boat
to take him on board. So he coolly made up his mind
to swim off to the ship with his clothes made up in a
bundle, and tied on his head, rather than break his
leave.*
Leaving Valparaiso, the ship worked her way north-
ward, touching at Callao, the Lobos Islands, and Payta,
the latter place a small seaport situated in a barren and,
apparently, sterile country without a blade of vegetation
to be seen. The city of San Miguel de Piura was at
too great a distance to be visited in the short time
at their disposal. As Markham truly observed, " It
is one of the most tantalising parts of naval life that we
are often so near places of the deepest interest which
we cannot visit." However, he paid a visit to the
church at Payta, which town had been sacked by
Admiral Anson in 1741. Shortly after their departure
from Payta, they had the misfortune to lose two of
their men, who died from fever; their bodies were
committed to the deep at the same time. It was the
first occasion on which Markham had witnessed the
solemn funeral service at sea, and it made a deep
impression upon him.
During this cruise Markham saw a great deal of the
Flag Lieutenant, Beauchamp Seymour, who was always
very kind to him, and they spent many afternoons
* When Goodenough was Captain of H.M.S. Victoria at Malta in
1865, a gentleman called upon him who turned out to be this same
man Harrison. He was then employed as Lloyd's agent, and drawing
a salary of 700 per annum I
;6 CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC [CH.V
together in his cabin, which he had given his young
friend permission to use. Markham was much im-
pressed by his industry and his capacity for work.
From the time he entered the Service, Seymour had
kept careful journals, jotting down everything that
he considered might be of use to him for reference in
after-years. He showed Markham the plan he used
in writing his diary, and advised him to adopt it also.
These journals were patterns of neatness and legibility.
He always maintained that a naval officer should be
well read, and well informed on general subjects as well
as on professional matters.
During this voyage, when Markham was working
up for his examination for a midshipman, he and the
Naval Instructor became better friends, the latter
apparently having buried in oblivion all their differ-
ences of opinion and the causes that led to those
unfortunate dissensions. He always spoke to Markham
with studied kindness, saying very often that he was
most anxious that he should pass his examination for
a midshipman well and creditably. His pupil was
quite ready to meet him halfway, and did so, but it
could never be the same again. The past could never
be dismissed from his thoughts; unkind words and un-
friendly acts could never be forgotten. He felt it was
owing to the Naval Instructor that he was changed;
he was no longer, he thought, the same young zealous
naval officer that his friend Peel had known, but a totally
different character, less zealous, more absent, and more
occupied with affairs distinct from his professional
duties.
Finding much time at his disposal on this particular
cruise, he conceived the somewhat audacious idea of writ-
ing a history of the Pacific Station. Its boundaries were
to the north, the Arctic Circle; to the west, the i7oth
meridian of west longitude; to the south, the Antarctic
Circle; and to the east, the American coast to the
meridian of Cape Horn. There were to be chapters
CH.V] CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC 77
on the Russian-American Territory, on Oregon, New
Albion, California, Mexico, Central America, Nueva
Granada, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Patagonia,
and on the Sandwich, Society, Georgian and Marquesas
Groups, together with the Galapagos and smaller
islands. He worked zealously on this task during
the voyage, his authorities and references being all
the books on the various subjects which he could find
in the ship. Arnold, the seamen's schoolmaster, suc-
ceeded in making a nice book for him to write in. We
have not been able to ascertain the result of this marvel-
lous project of his; but it shows very clearly his love,
even as a boy, of collecting knowledge, especially when
it was of a geographical character, and gathering it all
together in a condensed form for the information of
others.
On the 3rd of April they sighted the coast of Mexico,
and the following day anchored off the port of San
Bias, a small town situated on an isolated rock about
1 50 feet above the sea. In spite of the intense heat and
the swarms of pestilential stinging insects that abounded,
Markham seems to have thoroughly enjoyed his
short visit to San Bias. He relates that while they
were indulging in a bathe at the mouth of the river
they heard a great clatter of horses' hoofs, and saw a
tall, handsome man with fair hair come down to the place
where they were bathing. He was accompanied by a
number of loose horses in charge of a couple of Mexicans.
As he was looking somewhat fatigued and thirsty, one
of the party offered him a flask containing spirits
which he had brought with him. The stranger at
once tossed off its contents, saying: "Thank God for
all His mercies, and you for your brandy and
water." He then announced that he was Captain
Charles Seymour of the Scots Guards, brother of the
Flag Lieutenant, and that he had ridden across Mexico
to pay his uncle and brother a visit. He remained
in the ship for nearly two months, and went back the
78 CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC [CH.V
way he came on the return of the Collingwood to San
Bias.*
Having completed with water, in those days a very
necessary and important duty, they worked their way
up to Mazatlan. This, in consequence of a continuous
head-wind, took them four days to accomplish, although
the distance as the crow flies is not more than sixty
miles . Here they found H .M .S . Talbot, also a formidable
American squadron, for at that time the United States
and Mexico were at war. 'They were unable to gbtain
sufficient fresh beef for the ship's company, but they
succeeded fortunately in catching large quantities of
fish and turtle during their stay. On one occasion they
made such a successful haul with the seinej that every
man in the ship was provided with turtle soup for
dinner. To Markham's great annoyance and no small
indignation, his boat the dinghy was hoisted on board
and filled with water, and used as a tank in which
forsooth the turtle were kept alive until required.
Markham enjoyed his stay at Mazatlan. The favourite
place of resort for the officers was a skittle-alley belong-
ing to a Mr. Bush, who came from Yorkshire, with whom
he became great friends. Sometimes he would go on
shore with one or more of his messmates. They would
take a long walk, and finally would hire a canoe and
explore the lagoons and intricate channels near the
mouth of the river. On these occasions Markham
would borrow Mr. Wemyss' gun (not the Naval In-
structor's, be it observed), and shoot green and brown
parrots, which they cooked for tea ! Sometimes he
would be taken by Mr. Wemyss, or one of the other
wardroom officers, for a ride along the coast or into the
interior, which he enjoyed above all things; but he
* He subsequently served in the Crimea, as Assistant-Adjutant-
General to Sir George Cathcart. When his General fell he, although
wounded at the time, gallantly sprang off his horse, and, striding
across the body of his chief, vainly endeavoured to protect him, but
both were bayonetted .
t A large fishing net supplied to each of our ships of war.
CH.V] CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC 79
did not like the heavy and high Mexican saddles, which
he found most uncomfortable. At midday they in-
variably halted at some native pulperia (grog shop),
where they had a meal and a very good one off eggs
and frijoles (beans), and the day always wound up with
a delicious bathe in the river.
On the 4th of May H.M.S. Juno arrived, the Spy
having come in a few days before. Now, the facilities
for procuring water at Mazatlan were most crude and
inconvenient, not to say dangerous. Large boats had
to be used, and a bar had to be crossed on which there
were always rollers, and often a heavy surf breaking.
The principal danger was when the boats came out deeply
and heavily laden, for, if they did not rise easily to the
rollers, they were invariably swamped or capsized. In
this way one of the boats of the Juno was unfortunately
capsized in the surf. Young Goodenough was sent
in the whale-boat to the rescue. In rendering assistance,
one of the officers fell overboard, but, luckily, succeeded
in getting hold of a cask, on which, says Markham,
" he went round and round like a white mouse in its
cage " before he was rescued. On this occasion one
man, the coxswain of the Juno's boat, was unfor-
tunately drowned. As a sequel to this accident, Mark-
ham made a plan of the mouth of the river with sound-
ings taken from an old Spanish chart (which had been
lent him by the Naval Instructor). This he took to
the Captain, who commended him for the diligence
and accuracy with which it had been made.
Having served the necessary period as a naval cadet,
Markham was now eligible to qualify for a midshipman,
and on the 2$th of June was examined, with nine other
cadets, as to his knowledge in the following subjects :
arithmetic, algebra, and trigonometry. The next day
he was examined in geometry and mensuration, naviga-
tion and nautical astronomy, and the adjustments of
the sextant. The candidates were then examined as
to their knowledge of knotting and splicing, and finally
8o CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC [CH. v
they were taken before the Captain and Commander
to be examined in seamanship. This last was perhaps
the most trying and crucial part of the examination,
for it was conducted viva voce in the presence of two
of the most dreaded officers in the ship. However, all
went off well, and all were successful in passing. Prior
to the examination, Markham felt assured that Good-
enough would be ahead of him; but he was somewhat
mortified to find that in the result one of the other
candidates, young Hamilton, separated him in the list
from his friend. Goodenough, as was expected, was
at the top of the list ; then came Hamilton, then Markham,
who was a very good third, and only twelve marks below
his friend Goodenough. He had every reason to be
satisfied with the result of the examination and his
position on the list. On Sunday, the 28th, he had the
gratification of appearing as a full-blown midshipman,
with the white patch on his collar, and his sword dang-
ling from his side, when the men were mustered at
Divisions. Another gratifying event happened at the
same time namely, his promotion from the dinghy
to the command of the jollyboat.
In the meantime they left Mexico, and had a delight-
ful cruise to the entrance of the Gulf of California, and
subsequently on to Monterey. It was a voyage that
occupied rather more than a month, but was most en-
joyable in every respect. On the i6th of July they
anchored in Monterey Bay, where they found an
American squadron which had taken possession of the
place the previous week, the Mexicans having retired
to Pueblo de los Angelos.
The town of Monterey was small, but very picturesque.
It consisted of isolated houses built on grassy lawns,
with only one short street. The surrounding country
has been likened to an English park, with hills and dales,
thickets and clusters of trees, and grassy slopes.
Marines from the American men-of-war were occupying
a long building that had been erected by the Mexicans
CH.V] CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC 81
and used as barracks. Sentries and outposts were placed
in commanding positions on the outskirts of the town,
so as to guard against any surprise that might be con-
templated by General Castro, whose forces were in
fairly close proximity to Monterey. The Americans
had also taken possession of a " small place " some
seventy miles to the northward, called San Francisco,
which had a splendid harbour !
Markham's duties as midshipman of the jollyboat, or,
as it is called in naval slang, the " blood-boat,"* were
of a somewhat arduous and diversified nature, as the
following account, by himself, of his morning duties
at Monterey exemplifies. Every morning at four
o'clock he had to take his boat to a wharf in the neigh-
bourhood of the beef-contractor's house, near which
a herd of cattle was penned in a corral, or enclosure.
" A native was sent in to the corral to lasso a bullock,
but he had no sooner got the beast out of the yard than
it charged another man and knocked him off his horse,
and then galloped as hard as it could go over the plain.
The two fellows picked themselves up, and one of
them let me have his horse. We then galloped after
the bullock. It was a long stern chase, and my attempts
with a lasso were failures. At length my companion
lassoed the bullock again, and after about an hour
brought him back, when the beast was killed, skinned,
cut up, and taken down to the jollyboat."
Rarely indeed do midshipmen of the present day
have such exciting experiences when sent in the jolly-
boat to bring off the fresh provisions to their ship !
Monday, the 2Oth of July, was his sixteenth birthday.
He moralises on the troubles, the excitements, and the
anxieties, he had experienced during the past twelve
months, and is pleased when he reflects that all is calm
again, and that his interest in and zeal for the Service
had again revived.
Their visit to Monterey was a most pleasant and in-
* So called for being employed in the daily transfer of fresh meat,
etc., from the shore to the ship when in harbour.
82 CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC [CH. v
teresting one, and they were all sorry when the day of
their departure arrived. A slashing fair wind, and
plenty of it, carried them across to Honolulu in twelve
days, the old Collingwood quite distinguishing herself
by her brilliant sailing qualities. At Honolulu they
met H.M.S. Grampus, just arrived from England,
and Markham made many friends with the young
officers on board that ship, among them being Lord
Gilford * (" an exceedingly good-looking boy "), Baird f
(" a very nice youngster "), Elphinstone,J and others.
With them he had some delightful excursions on shore
among others a very jolly picnic given by about
twenty gunroom officers of the Grampus to an equal
number of the gunroom officers of the Collingwood.
Markham alludes to it as a " very memorable event "
to him.
On the 3rd of September they left for Valparaiso, a
voyage that took sixty-nine days to accomplish I
This was the longest time they had been at sea at one
stretch, and without sighting land or even a sail. Their
fresh provisions were all consumed long before they
reached Valparaiso, and they had to be content for
many days with ship's fare. Before they left Honolulu,
sad news had reached them regarding French atrocities
at Tahiti, which aroused Markham 's indignation to
fever-heat. During the long sea-voyage across to South
America he was very irate, and nervously excited
whenever he thought of it. He was perfectly all
right when he was with his messmates in the gunroom,
or when he was under instruction, or reading; but during
his night watches, when he was by himself and had
nobody to talk to, he would brood over the unhappy
state of the natives, and plan all sorts of schemes by
which the poor Tahitians could be freed from their
oppressors. He called it " building castles in the air."
* Admiral of the Fleet the Earl of Clanwilliam, G.C.B.
t Admiral Sir John Baird, K.C.B.
$ Lord Elphinstone.
CH.V] CRUISING IN THE PACIFIC 83
His great idea was to. fit out a corsair with Mr. Grant
as captain, then to get all the Pacific islanders to rise
against the French and drive them away. He was so
absorbed at times in the construction of his aerial
fortresses as to neglect, or rather forget, his duties,
and to such an extent as to call forth on one occasion
a rebuke for inattention from Mr. Hankey, his officer
of the watch. However, he knew very well how to
get restored to favour namely, by going down below
and making him what he called " a hot brew." This
consisted of a wine named " bucellus " mixed with
spice, sugar, and other ingredients, which compound,
it appears, invariably condoned any unimportant
dereliction of duty.
On their arrival at Valparaiso, they found H.M.S.
Carysfort commanded by Captain George Henry Seymour,
the Admiral's son, but the most exciting news was
the promotion of their Commander and First Lieu-
tenant, Commander Broadhead and Lieutenant Hankey.
The loss of the two senior executive officers of the ship
was a very serious one, especially as they were both
such excellent officers. The Commander was regarded
as one of the smartest officers in the Navy, and he had
undoubtedly been mainly instrumental in making the
Collingwood a smart and happy ship. Markham felt
their loss very keenly. They had both taken a great
interest in him, had always treated him with kindness,
and had given him their friendship.
CHAPTER VI
HOMEWARD-BOUND
GREAT and important were the changes that had to be
made in the Collingwood consequent on the promotion
of the officers referred to in the last chapter. Mr.
Somerville became the Commander, and on him devolved
the arduous and important work that is inseparable
from the special duties of the senior executive officer
of a large man-of-war. But the shoes of so good and
popular an officer as Commander Broadhead were not
easy to fill. Beauchamp Seymour had been promoted
to Acting Commander of the Cormorant, and Mr.
Kynaston had taken his place as Flag Lieutenant
to the Admiral. Sherard Osborn had been promoted
to Lieutenant, but, although he left the gunroom
mess, he remained in the ship as Gunnery Lieutenant.
Many other new officers joined, among them Count
Ladislav Karolyi, who had been educated at Eton,
but was in the Austrian Navy. He was a charming
Hungarian, and he and Markham became great
friends. Two other Lieutenants, Shears and Lacey, and
a large batch of naval cadets, also joined, so that
Clements Markham was relieved of the position he had
held so long namely, that of being the junior officer
in the ship. Two other youngsters were also received
aboard, one " squinted frightfully," and the other was
" like a white nigger "; and so, being much too ugly
for the Collingwood, they were promptly sent away to
other vessels !
Christmas Day, 1846, he spent on shore at Lady
Seymour's, where they had great fun, ending up with a
8 4
CH. vi] HOMEWARD-BOUND 85
dance in the evening; but what gave Markham most
pleasure was to find that the family was as cordial to
him as ever. He always enjoyed being with them, and
was a frequent visitor at their house.
Some little excitement was created one night by the
sudden outbreak of fire on board two of the merchant
vessels at anchor in the harbour. As it happened during
Markham 's watch, he was sent in one of the Colling-
tvood's boats to render assistance. Before the flames
had made much progress, he pluckily went aloft, followed
by his boat's crew, and cut away the sails from the
yards of one of the vessels that was threatened by the
fire, while the other boats towed her away from the
conflagration. Thus she was saved, but two other ships
in the immediate vicinity were completely destroyed.
It was a beautifully calm, starlight night, and the work
on which he was engaged was most exciting.
He made many friends on shore, at whose houses
he was always a very welcome guest. This enabled him
to improve his knowledge of the Spanish language,
which he found of great value in after-years. Among
others, he made the acquaintance of a family named
Valdivia, residing in a charming villa on the outskirts
of the town. The household consisted of an old lady
called Mamita, and six very pretty and agreeable
daughters, named respectively Carmencita, Pepita,
Ponchita, Merced, Dominga, and Tomasa. During his
first visit he was accompanied by one of his young
messmates, Mr. Jones, who was nicknamed "Gallows"
Jones (a nickname that stuck to him throughout his
naval career), and we must assume that he was intro-
duced to the ladies under that appellation, for they
always alluded to the two friends as Don Clemente and
Don Galloso !
At this time two of his shipmates, Dr. Spear and Mr.
Wemyss, who had been very ill for some time, were about
to be sent to the hospital in Valparaiso. Markham
thought it would be better, and certainly more amusing
7
86 HOMEWARD-BOUND [CH.VI
for them, if his kind friends would take them in at their
villa. They were only too delighted to do so. Mark-
ham undertook all the necessary arrangements, and
personally superintended the conveyance of the two
invalids to the " Valle del Duque," where they were
kindly received and hospitably entertained by the whole
family. He saw them comfortably established and, as he
says, " with all the nice girls to wait on them and amuse
them." Possibly he was a little disappointed that he
could not also be ill, and sent to the villa, so that he
might be waited on by such charming attendants.
It was with great reluctance that they bade farewell
to their kind Chilian friends, and on the 23rd of March,
1847, they sailed from Valparaiso. Ten days' sail
took them to Callao, during which time Markham
succeeded in completing his History of the Pacific
Station.* He had made many friends among the
officers of other ships on the station, and many of these
became lifelong friends. Some rose to great distinction
in the Navy and in other walks of life. But what was
of more importance was, that he became more reconciled
to his career in the Service, and was even on good and
friendly terms with the Naval Instructor ! Perhaps
the event which assisted most materially in making
him more contented with his lot, besides giving him great
pleasure, was his selection by the new Commander for
the appointment of midshipman of the foretop, a posi-
tion he had long desired. The first thing he did on
obtaining it was to make out a list of all the foretop
men, about 100 in number, in which he gives a full
description of their personal appearance, their zeal,
activity aloft, family histories, and every little incident
connected with their lives that came to his knowledge;
and more especially any particular accomplishments in
which they individually excelled.
* It is much to be regretted that there is no trace of the existence
of this ambitious work. It would be exceedingly interesting to
compare it with our knowledge of the station at the present time.
CH.VI] HOMEWARD-BOUND 87
He made a point of never reporting any of these
men to the Commander. If, in his opinion, they had
misconducted themselves in such a way as to deserve
punishment, he gave a broad hint to the captains of
the foretop, who would administer summary castiga-
tion to the offenders during a night watch. This he
found was very efficacious, and he also had the satis-
faction of being made aware that the men preferred
this mode of punishment to being reported to the
Commander. He used to remonstrate with them on
the pernicious and injurious habit of drinking, but he
would never report them for getting drunk; for, as
he used to say, " he disliked others to meddle with
his foretop men." His ideas had undoubtedly a
somewhat socialistic tendency; but needless to say he
was beloved by all the men, especially by those who
came directly under his authority. Sailors and we
allude especially to the British man-of-war's man
love to be taken notice of, even if that notice is only
the result of finding fault : better that than no notice
be taken of them at all ! But when it comes to being
interested in their personal history, their domestic
lives, and everything they have done or seen since they
can remember, and when this interest emanates from
one of their own officers, it is not only appreciation
that they feel, but an esteem that binds them to that
officer with an iron bond of friendship and affection,
genuine and enduring.
Markham had now attained the zenith of his desires,
the height of his early professional ambition ; he was mid-
shipman of the foretop, and he was placed in charge of
the jollyboat. What more could a young officer desire ?
It stimulated his zeal, it gave him fresh interest in the
ship and in the Service, and it satisfied the ambitious
wishes he had formed when first he set foot on board
the Collingwood.
During the stay of the ship at Callao several of the
gunroom officers (including Markham) clubbed together
88 HOMEWARD-BOUND [CH. vi
and rented a small house, consisting of three rooms, with
iron gratings for windows, having a flat roof and a back-
yard. This they found extremely convenient, for it gave
them a place in which to keep the things they required
for their frequent picnics and excursions to the banks of
the Rimac. On one occasion seven of the gunroom
officers sustained a siege in this house by an enraged
mob of natives, which might have led to serious con-
sequences. Markham shall tell the story in his own
words :
lt One day we came back to our house at dusk. We
had Boy Osborn * with us to carry the picnic basket.
It was nearly dark, and we were shifting our clothes, when
a man ruShed in (I think he was the mate of an English
merchant ship), and asked for protection, saying that
he was being hunted by an infuriated mob of natives.
We asked him what he had done, and he said he had
inadvertently run one of them through the arm with
a sword stick. We resolved to defend the place. In
less than five minutes the mob was howling round the
premises, banging at the door, which we just had time to
bar, and prising at the rejas.^ Most of the negroes had
long knives. It was clearly necessary to hold the roof
as well as the backyard. The door and window gratings
were pretty safe for a time. There were eight of us,
counting the fugitive. Four of us went on the roof,
and the rest watched the door, and passed up missiles
from the backyard. There was, luckily, a great heap,
chiefly broken pieces of adobe J in a corner. Boy
Osborn, being a negro, would easily get through the
crowd, so, as the liberty men would be about assembling
at the pier to wait for the boat, I sent him down to say
that we were besieged, and to tell the men to come and
help. We put him over the backyard wall and away
he went. At that moment the half of a huge negro
appeared above the wall on the other side. I sent a
lump of adobe right into his face, and he disappeared.
The fun now became fast and furious. Those on the
roof kept pelting the mob in the street with missiles
* Boy Osborn was the negro boy who formed half the crew of
the dinghy when Markham was in charge of her.
f The iron gratings in the windows. $ Sun-dried brick.
CH. vi] HOMEWARD-BOUND 89
which we passed up to them while we defended the back-
yard. This went on until the door began to show
symptoms of yielding to the efforts of the besiegers.
All was lost if it failed us, and things began to look
serious. Just then we heard a cheer, and the liberty
men dashed into the crowd and soon dispersed it. We
then went down to the boat surrounded by our rescuers."
No mention is made of anybody getting into trouble
in consequence of this somewhat unseemly fracas. Had
the irate mob succeeded in getting into the house, its
defenders would without doubt have fared badly at their
hands.
It was during this visit to Callao that Markham first
had the pleasure of meeting Captain Kellett,* of H.M.S.
Herald, who was then engaged in the survey of various
parts of the Pacific. From him he received much kind-
ness and instruction in nautical surveying, being fre-
quently taken across to the island of San Lorenzo for
practical training in the work of this particular and
important branch of the naval service.
Meanwhile his studies and his yearnings had aroused
ambitions altogether foreign to his profession. The
height of his aspirations now was to become an explorer
and a great geographer. It was not very long before
his ardent desires were to be fully realised. He had
been much impressed by the lines of Shakespeare in
which the poet refers respectively to the three noblest
careers of man the warrior, the explorer, and the
student :
" Some to the wars to try their fortunes there,
Some to discover islands far away,
Some to the studious universities."
He had cause to be dissatisfied with the first of these
callings, and he therefore turned his hopes to the other
two. He thought it would be possible for him to carry
out his wishes in combination with his work in the Navy,
* Captain Kellett was subsequently employed in the Arctic Regions
in the search for Sir John Franklin.
9 o HOMEWARD-BOUND [CH. vi
and even went so far as to write to his father and
request him to take steps with a view to his being
appointed to some other ship on the Pacific Station,
after the Collingwood was paid off. But he had mis-
givings after his letter was despatched, for he felt
that he was drifting away from his friend Lieutenant
Peel's ideal.
The old Inca antiquities at Lima had always fascinated
him. To visit Cuzco, the ancient capital of the Incas,
now became the goal of his ambition. He even attended
a grand ball given by the President of Peru at the
palace in Lima, not so much, we are convinced, on
account of the dancing or other pleasing diversions, but
because he wanted to be shown the room in which Pizarro
had been assassinated. He was informed, however, to
his great disappointment, by one of the President's staff,
that the house in which Pizarro was killed was on the
opposite side of the plaza, and not in the palace.
After a long stay of four and a half months at Callao,
the Collingwood returned to Valparaiso, and there she
remained waiting for her relief for over seven months
(if we except a short trip to the island of Juan Fernan-
dez), until she sailed for England.
Markham was always a great reader, and he was
especially devoted to historical works, such as Alison's
"History of Europe," Schiller's " Thirty Years' War,"
Prescott's works, Robertson's " America," and books of
a like description. But at the instance of Mr. Wemyss,
who advised him to keep up his knowledge of Latin,
he perused all the books in that language he could get
hold of; these included the works of Virgil, the Odes of
Horace, and others. Some of these he read with Mr.
Wemyss, who most good-naturedly described the places
in the Mediterranean alluded to by Virgil, which he him-
self had visited. He also explained to him the allusions
to Homeric stories and episodes in the " ^Eneid."
He made many excursions in the neighbourhood
of Valparaiso during their long stay there, and on one
CH.VI] HOMEWARD-BOUND 91
occasion, it is interesting to note, he met " a fat English
lout riding horses bareback " at a farm. He was named
Arthur Orton, and afterwards attained unenviable no-
toriety as the Tichborne Claimant. But one of the
most enjoyable trips he made was at the invitation of
Captain and Miss Seymour, who invited him to accom-
pany them as their guest to Santiago, the capital of
Chile, to witness the ceremony of the celebration of the
anniversary of the Independence of that nation. In
order to do honour to the occasion, Markham invested
in a white felt sombrero with long silver tassels, a very
expensive gray poncho beautifully embroidered with
leaves in green silk (to wear over his uniforn jacket),
black leggings with green stripes, and large Chilian
spurs 1 The party consisted of Captain and Miss Sey-
mour and her maid, Count Karolyi, Mr. Gore, and
Markham. The men rode; Miss Seymour and her maid
followed in a veloche.*
The first night they slept at Casa Blanca, where
Markham was very affectionately greeted by his old
friend Mrs. Fenwick,f the landlady of the inn, to the
great amazement of his companions, who ever afterwards
alluded to the good lady as " Markham's aunt." Send-
ing their luggage on ahead, they started again early the
following morning. To quote Markham's diary:
" We rode through a very beautiful country remind-
ing me of a neglected English park bounded ahead by
the range of mountains we had to cross. Arriving at
the foot of the pass, called the Cuesta de Zapata, we
had to dismount and lead our horses up a very steep
but good zigzag road. From the summit there was an
enchanting view of the next valley, with a still higher
range of mountains beyond. Descending the pass, we
reached the pretty village of Curacavi, surrounded by
fruit-trees in full blossom. It being noon, we had
dinner and rested for a couple of hours. Riding through
many miles of pastureland interspersed with bushes
and clumps of trees, we at last came to the more for-
* A two-wheeled vehicle with a hood. f See p. 73.
92 HOMEWARD-BOUND [CH. vi
midable Cuesta del Prado where we had no less than
thirty-seven zigzags up which we had to lead our
horses. From the summit a magnificent view burst
upon us. Immediately below, the extensive plain of the
Maypu stretched before us, green and fertile, with the
towers of Santiago just distinguishable in the far dis-
tance. Beyond was the long range of the Andes,
appearing to rise like a wall out of the plain, and ter-
minating in snowy peaks. The evening was clear, and
there were no clouds. The snowy heights rose quite
dazzling with the light of the setting sun. After we had
descended the pass and ridden for some miles across
the plain, it began to get dark, and I was very tired
when we arrived at Santiago late at night. Captain and
Miss Seymour were hospitably received in the house of
our old friend Don Rafael Correa, but, owing to the
hotel being nearly full, Count Karolyi, Mr. Gore, and
myself, had to sleep in one room."
The day after their arrival they were presented to the
President, General Don Manuel Bulnes, who greeted
them very cordially, and invited the whole party to
form part of his personal staff at the official ceremony.
He is described as a very fat man, and when they all
dismounted from their horses, and were taken into a
tent for luncheon, His Excellency remained on horse-
back, and " devoured his mutton chop on the pommel
of his saddle," the exertion of dismounting being too
much for him.
After the festivities incidental to the celebration of
this important anniversary had been brought to a
conclusion, they spent a couple of very happy days
at the hacienda of some friends situated on the banks
of Lake Aculeo, some forty miles from Santiago.
The journey both ways was accomplished on horse-
back. The scenery was magnificent as well as in-
teresting, for they traversed the battle-field of Maypu,
and had the main features of the contest (which re-
sulted in the independence of Chile) clearly explained
to them. The hacienda, which they reached shortly
after sunset, was a long low building with a wide
CH.VI] HOMEWARD-BOUND 93
verandah in front. An excellent dinner awaited their
arrival, but the bedrooms had very scant furniture.
Markham shared a room with Count Karolyi, having
only " beds on the floor and a bucket to wash in." The
following day was spent " on the lake, wandering in
the woods, bathing, sitting under the trees, and chat-
ting with the senoritas, who sang songs to a guitar
accompaniment." On this trip they were away for
fourteen days.
While at Valparaiso, Markham did not neglect his
friends at Valle del Duque, where he was a constant
and most welcome visitor. The ladies used frequently to
visit the Collingwood and have tea in the gunroom mess.
In order to prevent the officers and men from getting
rusty by too long a stay in harbour, the Admiral took
the ship over to the island of Juan Fernandez, and
remained there for about ten days. This greatly de-
lighted everyone on board, especially young Markham,
to whom the island of Robinsoe Crusoe was a veritable
enchanted isle of history and romance ! From the
ship, as she sailed up to her anchorage, the valleys
looked green as emerald, the lofty peaked moun-
tains being clothed to their summits in verdure. The
shore itself was still more delightful. Forest trees and
brilliantly coloured flowers grew in all directions. The
little stream that trickled down to the sea was lined
with flowers of every hue, and wild peach and apple
trees flourished in abundance. The inhabitants con-
sisted only of one Chilian family and an American
carpenter. These lived in five huts with their poultry
and domestic animals. In the more secluded parts of
the island were herds of wild-goats. Fish were easily
obtainable, consequently fishing lines and hooks were
in great demand. Rock cod and crayfish abounded, and
were caught without much trouble.
The day after their arrival, Markham and Good-
enough landed with the intention of exploring the
island together, and enjoying a really happy day, but
94 HOMEWARD-BOUND [CH. vi
the result was somewhat disastrous. They were both
well acquainted with the history of the island, from
reading De Foe's enchanting work, and they were
eager to satisfy themselves regarding the exact site
of the cave and the position of the lookout place of
Alexander Selkirk. In doing so they attempted to
climb a long spur thickly covered with dense vegetation,
with steep precipices on either side. After scrambling
up through the thick scrub for a long time, they thought
they must have reached the summit, when Goodenough
turned at right angles to the direction in which they had
been travelling, followed by Markham a few paces
behind. Suddenly the latter heard a crash and a faint
cry of " Stop !" This was probably the saving of his
life. Instead of being on the summit of the ridge as they
thought, they had actually reached the edge of one of
the precipices forming the sides of the spur up which
they had been climbing, and over this poor } r oung
Goodenough had fallen.
Markham, realising the situation, crawled to the edge,
but he could see nothing owing to the dense vegetation
by which he was surrounded. Goodenough 's voice
sounded very faint and far below him. He was able,
however, to tell Markham that he was lying on a narrow
ledge, and that there was a steep precipice immediately
below him. He was hurt and required immediate
assistance. Markham did all he could to mark the
exact spot, and then made the best of his way to the
beach. Fortunately, he found a boat there which at
once took him off to the ship. A relief party started
without delay, provided with ropes, axes, and all neces-
sary appliances, not omitting blankets and a medical
officer. But, alas ! it was dark before they reached the
shore, and the darkness became more intense as they
advanced into an almost impenetrable forest. It soon
became evident that further progress was impossible,
so, accepting the inevitable, they lay down as they were in
the bush, and got what sleep they could in the intervals
CH. vi] HOMEWARD-BOUND 95
of shouting and listening for a reply. But all was silent ;
no answering hail came from the poor sufferer ; nothing
but the screech of an owl responded to their calls.
At earliest dawn they renewed the search, and at
length they were rewarded by hearing a faint response,
but high up on the face of the precipice. While the
necessary arrangements for rescue were being made,
the object of their search suddenly appeared and gave
the following account of his adventure: He had fallen
over the edge of the cliff as Markham had related, but
had landed on a narrow ledge which broke his fall. He
had passed the night in this perilous position without
daring to move, and suffering great pain from a badly
sprained wrist and a much bruised body. He had heard
the shouts from the relief-party during the night, and
had endeavoured to reply to them. When it was day-
light he found he was just able to creep along the ledge,
although at the imminent risk of falling 200 feet.
Eventually the ledge seemed to get wider, and he had
less difficulty in making progress. At last he came
out on the spur and was safe. Curiously enough, the
first person he met was Sir George Seymour, for nearly
everybody had landed from the ship in order to join in
the search and the rescue. Goodenough certainly had
a miraculous escape, but with God's blessing he was
spared to complete a life most serviceable to his country,
and to meet an honourable death in the performance
of his duty. Few names are more revered or held in
more affectionate remembrance in the annals of the
Navy than his.
On the 1 7th of December the ship returned to Val-
paraiso, and two or three days afterwards Markham was
laid up with a severe attack of dysentery, probably the
result of his exposure at Juan Fernandez. In a week's
time he became worse, and had to be confined to a cot
in the sick-berth.* But he was not happy and was
very irritable. The sick-bay attendant provoked him,
* Commonly called the " sick-bay " i.e., the ship's hospital.
96 HOMEWARD-BOUND [CH. vi
and he could not bear him to approach his cot. He
became slightly delirious, and insisted on having two
of his beloved jollyboat boys to attend him. This the
Commander kindly consented to, as the doctor reported
that he must not be in any way agitated or have his
wishes thwarted. They did everything for him sat by
his cot, made his bed, fed him when he was too weak
to feed himself, and proved most gentle and attentive
nurses.
One day the doctor looked especially grave, and the
chaplain, who as a rule only visited the sick-bay on
Sundays, came in and read prayers to him. Markham
asked his jollyboat attendant if he was dying. The boy
replied : " You must not think of such a thing." Mark-
ham said: " The doctors must have given me up, be-
cause the chaplain has come to see me on a weekday."
He got much weaker, and then he had a long refreshing
sleep. When he woke up, one of his jollyboat boys was
holding his hand, and he put some fresh milk to the
invalid's lips. Markham felt then that he was not going
to die, and began rapidly to mend. In a week's time
the doctor told him he would pull through, but that he
had been at death's door.
While convalescent, reading was his favourite occu-
pation, and before he was quite well again he read
through the whole series of Sir Walter Scott's novels,
commencing with " Ivanhoe." It was six weeks be-
fore he entered the gunroom after leaving it for the
sick-bay. When he was well enough to go on shore,
his kind friends the Seymours insisted on his going to
their house for a fortnight, where he was soon restored
to complete health and strength. He returned to his
duties on the 2Oth of February, 1848, and what gave
him more pleasure than anything else was the warm
reception that was accorded him by the foretop men
and the crew of the jollyboat !
On the 3rd of April, to the great joy of everyone on
board the Collingwood, their relief, H.M.S. Asia, for
CH. vi] HOMEWARD-BOUND 97
whose appearance they had been patiently waiting for
so many months, arrived and anchored in the bay.
The new Commander-in-Chief was Rear- Admiral Phipps-
Hornby, his son, Geoffrey Phipps-Hornby, being his
Flag Lieutenant.
Then came the inevitable farewells. They were
many, for Markham had many friends, and the adieux
were all of a more or less affectionate nature. There
were his dear friends at the Valle del Duque, Mamita
and all her daughters; the prima donna, Signorina
Rossi; even Mrs. Diggles at the " first post-house "; the
landlord of the hotel ; the confectioner ; the shoemaker ;
the proprietors of the livery stables; and, as Markham
naively remarks, he " had paid all their bills." No
one was forgotten.
On the 1 1 th of April the Collingwood, homeward-
bound, sailed out of Valparaiso Harbour amid the cheers
from the squadron assembled to bid her farewell. Fine
weather was experienced, and they made an excellent
passage, passing well in sight of Cape Horn on the 27th
of April, and reaching Rio on the I3th of May, where
they spent ten very pleasant days. They passed within
sight of the Azores on the 3rd of July, and on the 9th
anchored at Spithead, after an absence from England
of nearly four years. During this period they had
sailed a distance of over 83,000 miles, and Markham
had practically passed from boyhood to manhood. He
had visited many countries, had become intimately
acquainted with their inhabitants, his mind had ex-
panded, his views regarding the necessity of protecting
natives that are unable to defend themselves had
widened, and his love for geography, especially for
geographical discovery, was more ardent than ever.
On the following day the Collingwood entered Ports-
mouth Harbour, where his father, mother, and brother,
had arrived to welcome him home. He had a long and
serious conversation with his father regarding his
future, and expressed with some shyness and reticence
98 HOMEWARD-BOUND [CH. vi
his wish to leave the Service, without putting his real
reasons fully before him. His father, however, did not
consider his reasons sufficiently forcible to justify such a
course, more especially in view of the excellent account he
had received regarding his conduct, progress, and zeal,
from Captain Smart ; and he hoped that his son's wish to
leave the Navy was only the expression of a temporary
discontent which would pass away when the causes
that gave rise to it were no longer in existence. He
therefore urged his son to give up the idea, saying that
there was really nothing to make him disheartened.
Young Markham was unconvinced, but he agreed to
defer to his father's wishes.
The old Collingwood was paid off on the 2Oth of July,
Markham 's eighteenth birthday. He bade farewell to
all his foretop men with great regret, and he had much
to say to each member of the jollyboat's crew, shaking
hands with them all and bidding them good-bye before
proceeding to his home at Windsor. In spite of his
vexatious troubles on board the Collingwood, he always
regarded the time he served in her as among the hap-
piest years of his life. He made many good and lifelong
friends, was never tired of praising the ship as being
one of the smartest and most efficient men-of-war in
the Service, and was impressed with her immeasurable
superiority as regards discipline, smartness, and com-
fort, over all other ships of which he had experience.
In after-years Markham writes of her:
" The Collingwood never had another commission.
It was as if the desecration could not be allowed of
other men with lower tone and other ways in the same
ship which once gloried in the presence of the Seymours
and their friends. One such commission was to stand
alone, and the beautiful hull was left for years to come
as a sad monument of its glories."
Thus the Collingwood ever remained as his beau-
ideal of what a British man-of-war should be. In his
eyes she was a perfect model of beauty and efficiency,
CH. vi] HOMEWARD-BOUND 99
and her officers (with perhaps a few exceptions) were in
his opinion the most capable, the most cultured, the
most agreeable, of any set of officers that he had ever
met. She was certainly a very happy ship during the
four years she spent on the Pacific Station, and there is
little doubt that the general good feeling which existed
on board was largely due to the courtesy, friendliness,
and good example, shown by their gallant Admiral,
who was not only their chief from .a naval point of view,
but also their friend and adviser on all occasions. He
was indeed a preux chevalier of the old school.
CHAPTER VII
IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
MARKHAM'S return, after an absence of four 'years,
was a source of no little delight both to his home
circle and to himself. He longed for the love and
attentions of those nearest and dearest to him, he was
eager to pour out all his troubles into their sympathetic
ears, and to obtain from them that advice with regard
to his future which he knew would be of the greatest
value and comfort to him. Nor was he disappointed.
His father listened attentively to all he had to say, and
gave him such counsel as made him happy and con-
tented. Thus was he enabled thoroughly to enjoy his
well-earned leave.
But all good things must come to an end, and within
a few weeks of his return he received instructions to
report himself on board the Victory, the guardship at
Portsmouth. Here he was kept for six weeks with very
little advantage either to himself or the Service, when
he was ordered to join the Bellerophon for passage to
the Mediterranean, having been appointed to H.M.S.
Sidon on that station.
The Bellerophon, which he joined on the i6th of
October, was an old line-of-battle ship carrying seventy-
eight guns. She had been recently employed in the
transport of troops and in the conveyance of naval
supernumeraries to foreign stations. The state of her
discipline, efficiency, and cleanliness, afforded a striking
contrast to the Collingwood, and tended to renew that
distaste for the Service which had possessed Markham
IOO
'^
CLEMENTS MARKHAM AS A MIDSHIPMAN (AGED l8).
To face page too.
CH.VII] IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 101
during the past two or three years. He was astonished
and disappointed.
As an instance of the lack of discipline that prevailed
on board, he relates the following incident that occurred
at the time he joined her : The Commander was investi-
gating on the quarter-deck the case of a marine who had
been charged with drunkenness. The Captain, happen-
ing to come on deck, walked up to the Commander and
inquired what the man had been doing. The prisoner
told the Captain to " mind his own business," and
promptly knocked him down. In all probability the
man was under the influence of drink. He was tried
by a court-martial and sentenced to be hanged, but this
was subsequently commuted to transportation for life.
Such discreditable and mutinous occurrences were un-
known on board the Collingwood, and would naturally
contribute to the feeling of disfavour with which he
regarded his new ship. The contrast between the two
vessels was most marked; and this, together with the
radical principles that existed in the gunroom mess,
helped to revive the old discontent. At the time this
was much to be deplored; but it was in reality a
blessing in disguise. There is no doubt that it was in
consequence of his immediate surroundings, intensely
displeasing to him, that he made up his mind to leave
a Service with which he was so little in sympathy.
Yet, in spite of the feeling engendered by his experi-
ences on board the Bellerophon, he left her with real
regret ; for although he expressed himself very strongly
regarding her inefficiency as a man-of-war, he always
acknowledged that she was " full of charming fellows,"
whose kindness to him and delightful friendship always
afforded him the most pleasing recollections. They
were all so bright and full of fun, and this made the
time he spent on board a very happy period, replete
with amusing incidents.
On their arrival at Palermo, they found that the
Independence of Sicily had been proclaimed and a
8
102 IN THE MEDITERRANEAN [CH. vn
National Flag had been hoisted, but, as it had not been
recognised by the Great Powers, it was not saluted.
The emblem on the flag was " three red legs kicking out
on a white field." From Palermo they went on to
Naples, where they were placed in quarantine for ten
days owing to the existence of cholera in England.
At Naples he was transferred from the Bellerophon
to the Howe (a three-decker), in order to await the
arrival of the Sidon. He was allowed plenty of leave,
an indulgence of which he took full advantage, and he
made many friends on shore. To his great joy, he found
that his old Collingwood friend " Gallows " Jones was on
board the Odin, one of the vessels forming the English
squadron, and they had many excursions together. Of
course Vesuvius was ascended, and he had the question-
able gratification of looking down the crater from the
summit and inhaling strong whiffs of sulphurous vapoursl
He visited Pompeii, and spent a pleasant day in the
palace and gardens of Caserta. In short, he went to
every place of interest that could possibly be reached,
always in the company of one or more of his old friends.
Their visit to Naples was made during a most un-
settled period, for it was during the interval between
the great fight in the Strada Toledo and the arrival of
the Pope from Gaeta. Affrays in the streets between
the military and the populace were frequent. On one
occasion Markham was witness of the savage butchery
of a poor one-armed man who was mercilessly cut down
in the street. On another occasion he happened, un-
willingly, to be present at a street fight among the
lazzaroni at Santa Lucia. Knives were drawn, pots and
other such missiles were thrown about, and eventually
one of the combatants was stabbed. In an instant the
crowd disappeared as if by magic, and nothing human
was to be seen except the bleeding corpse lying in the
middle of the .road.
The King did not dare to show his face in public, but
he very kindly placed two boxes in the opera-house at
CH.VII] IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 103
the disposal of the foreign officers every night, so that
Markham was frequently able to indulge in his favourite
visits to San Carlo.* On one occasion he relates how a
young prima donna was hissed, and in a fury she rushed
off the stage and refused to return. Presently she was
brought back to the front by a couple of soldiers and
compelled to sing. He does not say how the compulsion
was effected.
Being at the opera one evening, one of his messmates
rushed in and informed him that his chest and all his
belongings had been sent on board the Vengeance, and
that she had sailed for Malta. This was indeed alarm-
ing intelligence. He rushed out of the opera, flew down
to Santa Lucia, hired a boat, and, without even going
on board the Howe, started in pursuit. Fortunately it
was almost calm, and he actually caught the Vengeance
off Ischia, and reported himself on board. It was how-
ever " touch and go," the situation being only saved
by his quick decision and resolute course of action. It
was not until the 3oth of December that he had the
satisfaction of seeing and joining his new ship at Malta.
The Sidon was classed as a steam-frigate carrying
twenty- two guns, and was one of the first steam men-
of-war constructed by the Admiralty. She was the
special emanation of the brain of Sir Charles Napier,
and is thus described by that worthy:
" In 1845 Sir George Cockburn, with the sanction of
Sir Robert Peel, invited me to build a steam-frigate,
which I then undertook to do, and chose as my builder
Mr. Fincham, and for the engine-maker Mr. Seward,
and finally the Sidon was determined. She carries
upwards of 630 tons of coal, her main deck ports are
nearly 7 feet out of the water, and she has a complete
armament of twenty- two sixty-pounders, haying a clear
main-deck. . . . She is impelled by an engine of 560
horse-power."
Markham's description, after personal experience of
her sea-going qualities, was that " she was lopsided,
* The Opera House.
104 IN THE MEDITERRANEAN [CH. vn
would never keep upright, and, in spite of two large
bilge pieces, rolled excessively." However, her in-
ternal accommodation was very satisfactory, and he
was very comfortable in her. By the Navy generally
she was regarded as an innovation, and was not
looked upon with great favour, although the fact that
she was able to proceed from one port to another,
independent of wind, naturally enhanced her capabili-
ties as a fighting ship. Even the most stubborn sup-
porters of the old naval blue-water school had to admit
this. Yet there were many who preferred to rely en-
tirely on sails as the motive power of a ship, and not upon
engines and boilers that could be rendered impotent by
shot and shell in a few minutes of effective action.
Seventy years have indeed witnessed a great revolution
in the construction, armament, and mobility of our
vessels. At that time there were none of those marvellous
controlling arrangements by which everything on board
a modern man-of-war is not only centralised, but dupli-
cated, and in some places triplicated.
Markham soon made friends with all on board. His
manners were most engaging, his knowledge on general
subjects (especially history and geography) were uni-
versally acknowledged, he was a most excellent and
interesting companion, and his society was in great
demand. After leaving Malta they had a short stay at
Gibraltar, then crossed over to Tangier and visited all
the ports on the coast of Morocco. This cruise aroused
in him a great interest in Arabian history, and par-
ticularly in the civilisation of the Arabs in Spain.
On their return to Gibraltar they found the Mediter-
ranean Fleet, under the command of Sir Charles Napier,
at anchor there. As was to be anticipated, it was not
long before they received a visit from the Commander-
in-Chief, who was eager to inspect his creation, the " lop-
sided old Sidon," as Markham so irreverently called her.
He is described as " a short, broad-shouldered man with
a large face and staring eyes, his legs too far through
CH. vii] IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 105
his white duck trousers, his cocked hat athwartships
(in imitation of Nelson), and his nose and upper lip
covered with snuff." He was much addicted to the
habit of snuff-taking, and invariably kept a large supply
loose in his waistcoat pocket.
Just at this time intelligence reached Gibraltar of an
outrage committed by the Riff pirates on the coast
between Melilla and Ceuta. They had seized, whilst
becalmed, an English brig laden with powder and other
Government stores for Malta, the captain and crew
escaping in their boats on the approach of the pirates.
The brig was towed into a harbour and completely
gutted by the looters. This act of piracy must have
taken place almost at the same time that the Sidon, all
unwittingly, was cruising in the immediate neighbour-
hood. Sir Charles Napier determined upon the imme-
diate punishment of the offenders and the salvage of the
brig. Hoisting his flag on board the Sidon, and em-
barking the 34th Regiment in the same ship at very
short notice, he proceeded to sea. The expedition
arrived the following day at Melilla, a small Spanish
settlement to the east of Cape Tres Forcas. They
steamed along the coast round the cape to the position
where the brig was found. Much excitement prevailed
on board, and all were expecting to receive the order
for an immediate landing of the troops augmented by
men from the ship, with the object of inflicting condign
punishment on the perpetrators of the outrage. But,
much to their disappointment, no action of an offen-
sive nature was taken, and, after cruising backwards
and forwards along the coast between Melilla and
Ceuta for five days, the Sidon returned to Gibraltar
and disembarked the troops. Subsequently, as the
result of diplomatic interference, and a combination of
threats and persuasion, the stores captured from the
brig were given up, the vessel herself having been re-
captured meanwhile and taken to Gibraltar by the
Polyphemus. Markham was terribly disappointed at
106 IN THE MEDITERRANEAN [CH. vn
what he called this fiasco. He was longing to " flesh
his maiden sword," and had actually taken it to the
armourer to be sharpened, in the hope of being attached
to the landing-party that had been organised in readi-
ness for any eventuality.
Shortly afterwards the Sidon was ordered home. She
arrived at Portsmouth on the 28th of March, and was
paid off on the ist of April, 1849. Markham appears
to have been very happy on board, although his service
in her was but little over three months. During the
time he was on leave he tried very hard to get an
appointment to the Arrogant, which had just been
commissioned, and to which a great many of his old
shipmates in the Collingwood had been appointed.
But, instead of complying with his wishes, the Ad-
miralty promptly appointed him to the Superb. This
want of consideration, as he thought, on the part of
the Admiralty, and failure to fulfil a promise made to
his father, that he should be appointed to the Arrogant,
sealed his fate so far as remaining in the Navy was con-
cerned. The ship to which he was appointed remained
at Spithead in a state of absolute idleness for six months
waiting for her crew, and then another weary six months
were spent at anchor in the Cove of Cork.
During all this time he read steadily and worked hard,
but principally on those subjects unconnected with the
Service which he had now fully resolved to leave. He
was much interested in the perusal of Gibbon's " De-
cline and Fall of the Roman Empire," Prescott's " Con-
quest of Peru," and Malcolm's " History of Persia."
His careful study of these works gave rise to theories
in his mind which led him into all sorts of researches
and speculations regarding the origin of the Incas, to
the study of which he had already devoted much time
and attention. He had also been much engrossed in
studying works on geology and metaphysics, which last
he was never weary of discussing. In addition, he brought
out a weekly newspaper in the gunroom entitled The
CH.VII] IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 107
Superb, which invariably found its way into the ward-
room. Several of his messmates contributed excellent
articles on various subjects, especially on gunnery and
other professional matters. Unfortunately, a para-
graph was inadvertently inserted reflecting on the per-
sonal appearance of one of the senior officers of the ship,
and the paper after a brilliant, though brief, career, was
suppressed " by order."
He relates an amusing incident that occurred during
his watch one afternoon while the ship was at Spithead.
He was looking over the side, when he saw a number
of small kegs floating near the ship. He at once re-
ported this to the officer of the watch, who sent the
dinghy to pick up as many as was possible before the
Custom-house officials, who were observed pulling out
from Portsmouth Harbour, could arrive. About forty
kegs were secured and quickly sent down to the gun-
room mess. They contained the most delicious cherry
brandy. Presently a Custom-house officer boarded
the ship, and inquired of the officer of the watch
if he had seen any kegs of cherry brandy floating
past. To which the officer replied " Is that what they
were ? I wish I had known it !" This answer, although
somewhat vague, seemed to satisfy the Custom-house
official, who promptly took his departure and proceeded
to pick up the few kegs that were still floating in the
water. They were afterwards informed that the kegs
had been sunk by smugglers in Langstone Harbour,
and had accidentally broken adrift. Markham observes
dryly that there were very few kegs left for the Custom-
house officers to pick up.
In the early part of 1850, while the Superb was lying
inactive in the Cove of Cork, to his great delight he
met his dear old messmate Sherard Osborn, then in
command of the gunboat Dwarf. The pleasure of
meeting was mutual, and, as may well be imagined,
Markham poured out all his grievances, more especially
his distaste for his present inactive life, into the sym-
io8 IN THE MEDITERRANEAN [CH. vn
pathetic ears of his old friend. The latter was ready
with a panacea for all Markham's troubles, a remedy
that effectually dispelled his dejection.
Osborn was full of enthusiasm about the Arctic Regions
and the attempts that were being made to rescue and
relieve Sir John Franklin's expedition, and he speedily
transmitted a very large share of this enthusiasm to
his younger friend, who was only too ready to adopt it.
Five years had passed away since the Erebus and Terror
had left England on their search for a North-West
Passage to India through the icy seas of the Arctic
Regions. No tidings having been heard of the ships
during this long period, a search expedition had been
despatched in 1848 under the command of Sir James
Ross. It returned the following year without any news
of the missing ships. When it was too late, the country
was thoroughly aroused. Ross's ships were recommis-
sioned and sent out to search from the direction of
Behring's Strait; while Captain Horatio Austin was to
lead another expedition by way of Baffin's Bay. The
latter was to consist of two ships, the Resolute and
Assistance, and they were to be accompanied by two
steam- tenders, the Pioneer and Intrepid. Markham's
friend Sherard Osborn had been promised the command
of one of these tenders, the Pioneer, and was naturally
much elated at the prospect before him.
It did not take long to work up Markham's enthusiasm
for the project. The very idea of being engaged in the
exploration of unknown regions, more especially when
connected with the cause of humanity, stimulated him to
such a degree that he at once wrote off to his father, and
all his friends who had any interest at the Admiralty,
begging them to use their influence in order to get him
appointed to the new search expedition. Osborn also
promised to do what he could for him, and if possible
to take him in his own ship.
There was no thought now of leaving the Service ; his
interest had been aroused, and his great object in life
CH.VII] IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 109
at present was to be employed in the search for Sir John
Franklin and the lost ships. He was ready to sacrifice
anything and everything in order that his wishes might
be realised. He wrote again to his father urging him
to leave no stone unturned in getting him appointed
to the expedition, and he persuaded Osborn to write to
his father and to the Hydrographer recommending him
for such an appointment. The Superb returned to Ply-
mouth on the ist of April, when he found that his exer-
tions had not been in vain; for on communicating with
the shore he was informed that he had been selected,
and appointed as midshipman to the Assistance, and that
he was the only midshipman in the expedition.
In spite of the inactive, and to him useless, life that
he had led for more than twelve months in the Superb,
and his delight in being selected for such important and
interesting service, he again speaks of the regret with
which he left his ship. As it was with the Bellerophon
and Sidon, so it was with the Superb: he had made
many friends and was loath to bid them farewell. Many
of the men and boys implored him to take them with
him to the Assistance. All were sorry to lose him. The
boatswain, in bidding him good-bye, said: " Mark my
words: you'll perish like the upper hank of a Green-
lander's jib." Another told him he was joining the
vanguard of England's chivalry. He gave a dinner to
all his special intimates, at the hotel, and after paying
his bill found that he had just sufficient money left to
take him up to London third-class by the night train.
CHAPTER VIII
THE SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN
MARKHAM proceeded at once to Woolwich to take up
his appointment on board the Assistance. He was
kindly received by his Captain (Erasmus Ommanney),
and was introduced to Captain Horatio Austin, who
commanded the expedition. The officers and men were
still living in hulks, the ships not being ready for their
reception. Among the former he was delighted to find
many old friends of his Collingwood days, notably
Lieutenants Sherard Osborn, M'Clintock, Mecham, and
Dr. Donnet, the surgeon.
After reporting himself, he obtained a week's leave,
which he spent partly at Horkesley and partly in visit-
ing his friends and relations, and also in preparing his
outfit in London. He was fortunate in seeing some-
thing of his old friend Captain Peel, who warmly en-
couraged his Arctic enthusiasm, and who, we may be
sure, gave him many valuable hints and good advice.
Reaching home, he found his parents in great distress.
They had just received news of the serious illness of his
brother David at Madeira, whither he had been sent for
the benefit of his health. This necessitated their imme-
diate departure for Madeira, thus unhappily diminishing
the short time Markham hoped to spend with them.
His brother died on the I7th of May, in his father's
arms, on board the vessel that was conveying him
home, and was buried at sea. The sad news did not
reach England until after the expedition had sailed,
and was brought to Markham in the Arctic Regions
no
CH.VIII] SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN in
by the transport sent out to complete the expedition
with stores.
April was a very busy month for everyone connected
with the enterprise. Stores and provisions to last for an
estimated period of three years had to be taken on board
and stowed in their allotted places ; the crew had to be
selected and duties apportioned to them for which they
individually appeared to be specially suited ; sledges and
their equipments had to be carefully examined, instru-
ments tested ; in short, everything that was considered
necessary had to be provided, and carefully stowed away,
by those officers who were responsible for their safety
and efficiency. On the 28th of April the Lords of the
Admiralty inspected the ship ; many others, such as the
Speaker of the House of Commons and Cardinal Wise-
man, also came on board. Sir Edward Parry came to
bid them farewell, and spoke words of kind encourage-
ment to Markham, remembering having seen and spoken
to him when he was a schoolboy at Cheam.
The expedition sailed on the 4th of May. The Resolute
and Assistance were towed out by a couple of steam-tugs
which took them up the East Coast and through the
Pentland Firth as far as Cape Wrath, where they were
cast off on the i4th. The last home letters were written
and despatched, and amid much cheering the tugs bade
them farewell.
In addition to the four ships under the command of
Captain Austin, the Government deemed it expedient to
employ a couple of whaling brigs under Captain Penny,
a skilful and experienced whaling skipper. Nor would
that old veteran Sir John Ross be denied, but accom-
panied the expedition in a little schooner named the
Felix, which had been fitted out entirely at his own
expense. Lady Franklin had also sent out a small
vessel named the Prince Albert to examine Prince
Regent Inlet, where she thought it very possible that
traces of the missing ships might be discovered. Al-
together there were no less than ten vessels engaged in
ii2 SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN [CH.VIII
searching the neighbourhood of Baffin's Bay for the
Erebus and Terror * All these vessels, it is needless to
add, were especially prepared for ice navigation, being
strengthened not only at the bows, but in every way
that experience and ingenuity could devise.
A splendid feeling of comradeship, and a determina-
tion to do all in their power to promote the success of
the enterprise, animated every member of the expedi-
tion. Many were the discussions regarding their pros-
pects of success, and conjectures as to the particular
regions that should be searched. They confidently
expected that, guided by cairns and records and by their
own enthusiasm and resolution, they would be the
means of solving the mystery of the fate of Franklin and
his gallant followers. Five years had elapsed since the
Franklin expedition had left England, and nothing had
been heard of it since it was seen by the whalers in
Melville Bay during the summer of 1845. The ships,
it was known, were provided with provisions to last for
three years. Surely, out of the 130 men who comprised
the crews of the two vessels, some must still be alive?
So they fondly hoped.
Speaking of his brother officers, Markham writes:
" There never were more united messmates; hot argu-
ments in abundance, anecdotes and good stories innu-
merable, and never told twice, but never an unpleasant
or ill-natured word, never a sentence to cause regret or
annoyance."
This is the true spirit that should prevail among the
members of such an expedition.
In spite of the fact that their thoughts were so con-
stantly engrossed in the serious nature of their work,
they appear to have enlivened the daily routine, every
now and then, by social diversions of a somewhat con-
* This number includes two vessels under the American flag,
named Advance and Rescue, sent out through the munificence of
Mr. Grinnell, of New York, to co-operate with the English ships
in the search.
CH. vni] SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN 113
vivial nature. For instance, in the early days at sea a
strip of paper was brought into the gunroom of the
Assistance one day, bearing the following invitation :
CAPTAIN OMMANNEY
AT HOME.
Coffee and Music at seven.
In response, all the officers that could be spared from
duty at that hour assembled in the Captain's cabin.
Here they found entertainment consisting of " coffee,
sweet biscuits, and cakes, an organ, a tambourine,
sherry, brandy and water, a flute, a fiddle, chess, back-
gammon, and singing." What more could be desired ?
It is not stated who performed on the various musical
instruments, but that they thoroughly enjoyed them-
selves goes without saying. The evening was finished
by all singing, at the top of their respective voices,
" A rare old plant is the ivy green." These soirees were
continued once a week, so it is quite certain that they
were appreciated.
During the voyage it was arranged to bring out a
monthly paper called the Aurora Borealis. Dr. Donnet
was the editor. Markham's contributions to the first
number were " The Ruin of a Greenland Colony," a poem
on the Assistance and Intrepid, and an acrostic on Sir
John Franklin. He was, we may be assured, a frequent
contributor.
On the 28th of May, just before they rounded Cape
Farewell (the southern point of Greenland), they sighted
their first ice. It consisted of loose streams, but was
sufficient warning of heavier ice to come. Consequently
the crow's-nest was hoisted and secured at the foretop-
mast head. From this a clear view could be obtained,
for some miles, of the general movements of the ice,
and from it the ship was invariably navigated when in
the pack. Icebergs were now constantly met, some of
huge dimensions. One was measured, and found to
be 350 feet above the level of the sea. As ice floats
ii4 SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN [CH.VIII
with seven-eighths of its bulk submerged, it follows that
the lower part of this berg must have reached a depth
of 2,450 feet (nearly half a mile) below the surface !
During his spare time Markham carefully read every
Arctic book that had been published, and was regarded
as quite an authority among his messmates on Arctic
history; so that he was frequently consulted regarding
the work accomplished by Arctic explorers from the
earliest times. Prior to his departure from England, he
had made himself familiar with the instructions that
had been given to Sir John Franklin for his guidance.
Based on this knowledge, he formed the opinion that
the lost expedition had proceeded up Wellington Channel,
but numerous discussions on this particular and interest-
ing subject subsequently induced him to change his
views.
On the 1 5th of June the squadron reached the Whale-
fish Islands, and here they filled up with stores and
provisions from the transport that had been sent out
for that, purpose. The islands abounded with bird-life;
eider-ducks were seen in great quantities, also long-
tailed ducks, red-throated divers, guillemots, razorbills,
kittiwakes, and puffins. Gulls sat in crowds on the
unruffled surface of the sea, and the beautiful Arctic
terns darted about in all directions. Continuous day-
light, a calm sea, a clear blue sky, warm weather, and
excellent sport, contributed to the enjoyment of their
visit to this group of islands.
Proceeding northwards, threading their way through
innumerable icefields, they passed Upernivik, the most
northern Danish settlement in Greenland, on the 25th
of June. Here they came in sight of several whalers,
also Penny's brigs, all detained at the edge of the ice
in Melville Bay, waiting for the pack to open. Although
they took every advantage of the opening, or slackening,
of the pack, using every means in their power to destroy
or loosen it, even to blasting the ice with heavy charges
of gunpowder, it took them forty-five days to reach the
CH.VIII] SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN 115
" North Water " off Cape York. So unyielding was the
pack that on one occasion they advanced but a mile in
nineteen days ! ,
Off Cape York they met several Eskimos belonging
to the tribe named by Sir John Ross the " Arctic High-
landers." Here they made a gruesome discovery.
They were told that a quantity of human remains were
collected together in a hut in the vicinity. Thinking
it possible that these might be associated in some way
with the Franklin expedition, they visited the hut, in
which they discovered a heap of human bodies huddled
together at one side. They were covered over with
sealskins, and it was at first uncertain whether they
were our own countrymen or not ; but on further investi-
gation the long black hair, the copper-coloured skin,
and the high cheek-bones, proclaimed them to be the
remains of some Eskimos who had probably perished in
a recent epidemic.
Prior to reaching the " North Water," they experienced
the usual difficulties of navigation in ice-encumbered
seas. For six weeks they were constantly engaged in
battling with the ice. On occasions, in order to save
the ships from being crushed by the closing in of the
ice, docks had to be constructed in which the vessels
could be safely berthed until the pressure of the pack
relaxed.
Alarms were frequent, not a day passed without the
occurrence of some excitement ; and as the vessels were
in close proximity to each other, the officers and men
were able frequently to visit their friends in the other
ships by walking over the ice. Sometimes the ships were
severely nipped, and the pressure was only relieved by
the explosion of an improvised bomb placed under the ice
at the point of greatest pressure. The ships comprising
the expedition were severely handled in their combat with
the pack, but their crews persevered in their efforts to get
thro ugh, and at last they emerged on the iceless " North
Water." The whalers, which had been in their company
ii6 ^SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN [CH. vm
for so long, gave up the attempt some days earlier, and
returned south. But, as Markham observes, "the whalers
thought it was impossible to get through this season;
but for us there could be no such word as impossible.
Get through we must." During the time that they
were beset, Markham celebrated his twentieth birthday,
but, as someone facetiously remarked, " he was still
the youngest person in the expedition."
The time which they spent in the ice of Melville Bay
was thoroughly enjoyed by Markham. It was a time
never to be forgotten. Daylight was continuous, the
scenery was of marvellous beauty, and there was con-
stant excitement as well as hard work. Yet in the
sunlit hours of night there was a strange silence away
from the ships, a stillness as if all Nature was at rest.
Crossing the northern part of Baffin's Bay on the 1 8th
of August, they entered Lancaster Sound and passed
into uninhabited regions. Here they were destined to
spend the ensuing twelve months without communication
with the outside world.
As they sailed along the land, a careful search was
made by the squadron for traces of the missing expedi-
tion. The various ships were allocated to different
localities the more efficiently to carry out the search.
Great excitement was caused by the discovery at Cape
Riley (at the eastern entrance to Wellington Channel)
of undoubted indications of the lost ships. A boat's
crew had been despatched from the Assistance to erect
a cairn on the highest point of the cape. The beach
on which they landed was found to be strewn with empty
preserved meat tins, pieces of rope, and articles of the like
nature ; while somewhat higher up the cliff were fragments
of wood and iron hoops, a cairn of stones, broken bottles,
and a few charges of shot scattered about. The dis-
covery of the name GOLDNER on the meat tins proved
conclusively that a party from the Erebus or Terror
must have landed at this particular spot, for Goldner
was the name of the contractor in England who had
CH.VIII] SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN 117
supplied Sir John Franklin's ships with preserved
provisions. These were the first visible signs of the
direction in which the lost expedition had proceeded in
its search for a North-West Passage.
As may be imagined, excitement reigned supreme.
It was an important discovery, for it was an indica-
tion that they were on the right scent. Heated argu-
ments there were in the gunroom as to whether the
debris had been left on the first visit of the ships,
or by travelling or perhaps shooting parties that had
encamped there for a few days. That they were,
however, bona fide indications of the missing ships was
placed beyond doubt by the discovery on Beechey
Island, a few days later, of indisputable evidence that
Sir John Franklin and his two ships had actually spent
their first winter in the immediate neighbourhood.
This consisted in the finding of three graves with neatly
carved oak headboards, erected to the memory of a
seaman and a marine belonging to the Erebus, and a
young man belonging to the Terror. To their intense
disappointment, however, no record, no intimation,
could be found as to the direction which Sir John had
decided to take after his ships had broken out from their
winter-quarters. So it was with feelings of profound
regret and disappointment that they left Beechey Island
early in September to continue the search. But their
hopes had been raised greatly by their recent dis-
coveries.
Meanwhile the Assistance was beset and severely
nipped by the ice in Wellington Channel, and was in
imminent danger of being crushed. Provisions were
hoisted up from below, boats were got ready and fully
equipped, and all preparations made for the immediate
abandonment of the ship. Before this was necessary,
however, the pressure of the pack eased, but not until the
vessel had been raised bodily out of the water to a height
of 6 or 7 feet by the tremendous force and lifting power
of the floes. Other exciting incidents followed, and the
9
n8 SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN [CH.VIII
ships had several narrow escapes from destruction. The
season grew late, and further progress was barred by
the young ice then rapidly forming. It was therefore
decided that the squadron should winter where it was
namely, in the pack in Barrow Strait, about a mile from
Griffith Island and eight miles from Cornwallis Island.
In this exposed and somewhat precarious position they
remained from the 22nd of September until released
the following summer.
The four vessels were secured in close proximity to
each other, and were made as comfortable and as safe
for the winter as circumstances would admit. They
were housed over with large awnings made of waggon-
cloth which completely covered them in, protecting
them from wind and snow, and converting the upper
deck into a large and spacious room. The deck itself
was covered with a layer of snow 2 feet deep, and the
hull was further protected from the cold by snow being
banked up round it to the height of 5 or 6 feet. All
superfluous gear was stacked on the ice outside the
ship and several snow houses were constructed on the
floe for various purposes, such as astronomical and
magnetic observatories, powder-magazine, and the
housing of stores, so as to provide extra space in the ship.
Before settling down to a regular winter routine,
travelling-parties were despatched to lay out depots
of provisions as far as possible along the routes on which
the main sledging - parties would be employed the
following summer. These routes, which had been
thoroughly discussed, were already decided upon by
those who were to be engaged in the search, subject of
course to the approval of Captain Austin. Three
parties were despatched. One was under the command
of Lieutenant M'Clintock, who reached a position on
Cornwallis Island about forty miles from the ship;
another was under Lieutenant Aldrich, who placed his
depot on Somerville Island ; and the third was com-
manded by Lieutenant Mecham, who established his
CH.VIII] SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN 119
to the eastward. They started on the 3rd of October,
and were all safely back by the loth. The departure
of the sun prevented these depot-forming parties from
remaining out longer than the end of October; even
then the days were very short and the nights correspond-
ingly and uncomfortably long. These depots were of
the greatest importance. It was incumbent on Captain
Austin to search in every direction from their winter-
quarters, which he took as the central starting-point
not only on account of the knowledge they had gained
of the 'visit of Franklin's ships to Beechey Island, but
also in conformity with the instructions that Sir John
Franklin had received from the Admiralty. The search
in Wellington Channel was entrusted to Captain Penny,
who, with his two brigs, was wintering at no great dis-
tance from Assistance Bay.
The winter passed pleasantly enough. Indeed, it
could hardly be otherwise with such cheery and con-
tented crews. Captain Austin was an excellent organiser
and his directions even to the minutest details were
carried out with such an enthusiastic spirit that spoke
volumes for the happiness of all under his command.
Markham bears testimony, also, to the admirable work,
in his own ship, of the First Lieutenant, M'Clintock,
whose special care were the dryness and cleanliness of
the ship, the exercising of the crew, and the scrupulous
carrying out of those regulations specially framed for
the health and comfort of all on board. Special clothing
(gratuitously provided by the Admiralty) was distributed
to each officer and man; and everything that could
possibly be thought of seems to have been done for the
comfort of the men. In case of an outbreak of fire, a
hole was cut in the ice close to the side of the ship.
This had to be kept open by the quartermaster of the
watch, who was also obliged to report it " open " to
the officer of the watch every four hours. Every small
detail is carefully noted by Markham in his journal.
On the 4th of November the sun just peeped above
120 SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN [CH.VIII
the horizon at noon for the last time that year, then
disappeared and was seen no more for ninety-five days.
But there was always a dim twilight along the southern
horizon at mid-day, even in the depth of winter.
There was much visiting between the officers and men
of the different ships. Numerous dinner-parties were
given, besides theatrical and other entertainments to
which everyone was invited. The monthly journal
known as the Aurora Borealis continued its circulation,
and retained its popularity to the end. Markham
wrote a series of articles for it on the " History of Griffith
and Cornwallis Islands," commencing with the trilobites
in the Silurian Age . This was completed in five numbers .
In addition to the numerous articles which he wrote for
the Aurora Borealis, he was also a frequent contributor
to the Illustrated Arctic News, a journal brought out on
board the Resolute under the joint editorship of Sherard
Osborn and McDougal. In January yet another
periodical made its appearance on board the Resolute.
It was entitled The Gleaner, and had a humorous ten-
dency. The editors were incognito, but their personality
was suspected. Thereupon Markham, determined that
the Assistance should not be behindhand in these matters,
began the issue of another paper on board his ship.
Under its title Minavilins* he announced that " one
of the editorial duties would be to keep a sharp watch
on the Gleaner" Now, it happened that the second
number of the Gleaner contained a scurrilous and quite
unwarrantable attack on one of the officers of the ex-
pedition. This was Markham 's chance. It was promptly
answered by an article in Minavilins which not only
withered up the Gleaner with scathing satire, but also
emphasised his remarks by means of several humorous
illustrations. But there was something worse than
Russian censorship on that wintry icepack. This par-
* " Minavilins " was a term well known and frequently used in
the Navy to designate " odds and ends " that are lying about on
the deck. It is now seldom used.
CH.VIII] SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN 121
ticular number was promptly confiscated by order of
the senior officer, and at the same time both the Gleaner
and Minavilins were suppressed altogether.
Schools were instituted for the men, and lectures
given by the officers. At all of these Markham took
a leading part. The winter festivities were opened by
a very jovial soiree given by Captain Austin on board
the Resolute, at which there was a great display of
musical talent. Guy Fawkes' Day was the next popular
" function." It was very dark, but the floe was lit up
by many torches. The " culprit " was carried in pro-
cession round all the ships, and was then duly burnt in
a large fire lighted on an iron grating raised above the
ice. But the great event of the " season " was the
opening of the Royal Arctic Theatre on board H.M.S.
Assistance on the Prince of Wales's birthday (November
9th). Everything was beautifully arranged, and, with
so many excellent artists in the expedition, the scenery,
especially the drop curtain, was a real work of art. The
theatre, to use a nautical term, was " rigged " on the
upper deck, under the housing, where plenty of space
was available. The performance opened with the
well-known extravaganza " Bombastes Furioso," and
subsequently the historical play " Charles the Twelfth "
was produced. The entertainments given were very
popular, and were frequently repeated, generally with
a complete change of programme. All were eager to
assist, so there was no scarcity of performers. Each
ship vied with the others in the variety and popularity
of these entertainments, and they assisted very materially
in making the winter pass, not only quickly, but happily
and cheerily.
But all these festivities, however splendid, were
eclipsed by a " Grand Bal Masque* " given in the " Royal
Arctic Casino " on board H.M.S. Resolute. Fancy
dress was of course compulsory. The scene on board
was of unequalled magnificence. Captain Ommanney
assumed the character of Sir Greasy Hyde Walrus, Mayor
122 SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN [CH. vm
of Griffith Island; but space does not permit a de-
scription of the characters and dresses of all those who
took part. There were " Smugglers," " Blue Devils,"
" Red Devils," " Black Dominos," " Highlanders,"
" Japanese,"" Niggers," and no less than seven appeared
in female costumes. Markham came as " Allegory."
His dress was designed to illustrate the indignation which
he felt at what he considered the unjust treatment he had
received by the unwarrantable suppression of Mina-
vilins ! Twice during the evening he was asked, once
by an " Old Chair-mender," and again by someone
made up to represent a " Blacking Bottle," what was the
meaning of his dress. To which he replied in sepulchral
tones : " It is an allegory." Both the interrogators turned
out to be the same individual namely, Captain Austin
who had appeared in two different disguises ! But no
one seems to have understood the allegory until it was
explained to him.
Christmas Day was kept, of course, as it generally
is on board an English man-of-war. Later on, a very
cleverly written pantomime composed by ope of the
officers of the expedition was produced. It was called
" Zero, or Harlequin Light," and was intended to
illustrate the dangers, annoyances, and difficulties that
are specially attached to sledge travelling, such as
" Frost-bite," " Scorbutus," " Hunger," etc., who were
represented as evil sprites alwaj^s on the lookout to
attack the weary, but unwary, sledger. Eventually they
were driven away by the good spirits, who appeared under
the names of " Sun," " Daylight," etc. The last per-
formance in the theatre was given on the 4th of March,
when Markham seems to have particularly displayed
that great histrionic talent which he undoubtedly
possessed. At the termination of this performance it
was announced that the theatrical " season " had now
terminated.
It must not be thought that Markham, in his eagerness
to assist in the amusements of the men, neglected his
CH.VIII] SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN 123
more serious studies. This was far from being the case.
During the winter he read carefully many historical
books besides Southey's poems and Shakespeare's works.
Prescott's " Conquest of Peru " always fascinated him;
in fact, in his spare time he wrote a tragedy in blank-
verse on the fate of Tupac Amaru, the last of the Incas.
He also translated the first of Virgil's Eclogues, and
wrote an essay on Pastoral Poetry. He was a great
student, too, of Arctic history, and devoured every
work connected with it that he could get. But, in
spite of congenial friends and the happiness of his
immediate surroundings, he was still resolved on leaving
the Service directly he returned to England. His one
great thought was to devote his time, at any rate in the
near future, to the exploration of Peru, in accordance
with the resolution he had formed at Callao in 1847.
By great good luck he found that Dr. Donnet, the
surgeon, had a Quichua grammar on board, which he
had picked up at Lima. Markham borrowed it, and
was thus enabled to acquire a smattering of the language
of the Incas. He was indefatigable in his study of this
grammar, and longed for the time to arrive when he
could carry out his plans for revisiting Peru.
Throughout the winter, preparations had been going
forward for the spring and summer sledge travelling.
M'Clintock thought out and elaborated every little
detail. A system for exploration, such as had never
been attempted before, had been organised, and was
eventually brought to such a pitch of perfection that
it has been handed down for all time as the pattern to
be followed in Polar exploration. It is interesting to
know that even during the winter months various
methods were carried out by which the presence of the
expedition and its exact locality might perhaps be made
known to the men they were in search of. Small
balloons made of gold-beater's skin were inflated and
set free. Attached to them were numerous slips of
paper containing information as to the whereabouts
124 SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN [CH. vm
of the relief expedition. By the attachment of a time
fuse these slips were liberated at intervals when the
balloon was high in the air, and so would be scattered
far and wide. By these means they hoped to commu-
nicate with the survivors, if any existed, of the Erebus
and Terror. With the same object in view, foxes were
caught in traps, and liberated after small cylindrical tin
cases containing information as to the position of the
relief ships had been tied round their necks, in the hope
that some of these animals would be caught by the
missing men. The winter was a very cold one, the tem-
perature often falling to - 48 ; but all were well clothed
in garments suitable for such a climate, and they suffered
but little inconvenience from its severity.
The scheme of search to be carried out by the sledge
parties was now communicated to the officers concerned.
The sledge crews also were exercised daily, their sledges
being loaded with the exact weights they were designed
to carry. Needless to say, the greatest enthusiasm pre-
vailed amongst officers and men. The plan adopted
for the summer campaign of 1851 was to organise the
sledging-parties into two separate divisions, both to
operate to the westward. One was to search in the
direction of Melville Island; the other was to pursue
its investigations towards Cape Walker and its vicinity.
To each of the main divisions were attached auxiliary
or supporting sledges, whose duty it was to accompany
the main party as far as their provisions would permit.
They were then to complete the main party with pro-
visions, and return to the ship in readiness to carry out
a further supply to the depots. This insured supplies
for the main parties on their return journeys. Every-
thing was admirably arranged, though, unfortunately,
the route selected was not the one chosen by the re-
treating crews of the Erebus and Terror.
No less than eighteen sledges, with 132 officers and
men, were employed in the search. Captain Ommanney
was in command of the Cape Walker division, and
CH.VIII] SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN 125
Lieutenant M'Clintock had charge of the one to Melville
Island. In addition to these two extended divisions,
small independent parties were employed in the examina-
tion of all localities in the neighbourhood of their winter-
quarters, especially in the channel separating Bathurst
Island from Cornwallis Island. Markham was con-
stantly engaged in one or other of these independent
sledge-parties, and was frequently away for many days
at a time. He describes minutely all that came under
his observation, especially the practical details of
sledging work, such as the weight of all necessaries that
were carried; the quantity, weight, and description of
the provisions ; the distance that could be accomplished
in ordinary circumstances during a day's march ; the
number of men to each sledge ; the system of haulage ; the
most economical kind of fuel to be used ; the best time
of day for marching; the description of clothing to be
worn; in short, all the multifarious matters connected
with Polar travelling. Although to the uninitiated
these matters may appear to be insignificant, yet in
reality they are of the greatest importance, and affect
very materially the success of such expeditions as these
not to mention the comfort of those concerned.
The sledging-parties left the ships on the 1 5th of April,
1851, travelling together until they branched off in the
various directions allotted to them for search. They
enjoyed continuous daylight, for the sun had returned
on the 26th of February; but its altitude even at noon
was not very high, and the heat which it gave out was
infinitesimal, temperature at the time being considerably
below zero.
It is unnecessary here to describe in detail the work
accomplished by the different parties. Suffice it to
say that, although their exertions were not crowned
with success, they added by their discoveries largely
to our knowledge of the geography of the Arctic Regions.
By their conduct throughout, their cheerfulness, their
patient endurance under the most trying conditions,
126 SEARCH FOR SIR JOHN FRANKLIN [CH.VIII
their untiring perseverance, numerous disappointments
and privations, they added yet another page to the
glorious records of our Navy.
After leaving winter-quarters, the squadron con-
tinued to search for the lost ships, especially in the sounds
situated in the northern part of Baffin's Bay. The two
steamers were found very useful in steaming up the
channels and searching all the bays and inlets that were
free of ice. Their handiness in comparison with the
clumsy bluff-bowed old sailing ships was most marked.
In consideration, however, of the lateness of the season
and the impossibility of reaching a secure harbour,
Captain Austin, acting upon his instructions, decided
to return home. The expedition reached Woolwich
on the ist of October, 1851, after an absence from
England of seventeen and a half months. They were all
much disappointed in not having attained the main
object thay had set out to achieve ; yet satisfied in know-
ing that they had accomplished as much as could possibly
be expected of them in the time and with the knowledge
at their disposal. The entire coast-line from Beechey
Island, where the traces of Franklin had been discovered,
to the extreme western point of Melville Island, a
distance of some 350 miles, had been thoroughly searched.
In addition vast tracts of land fully 500 miles in extent
had been carefully explored. To the south of Cape
Walker 400 miles of new land was discovered, and as
far as possible surveyed and delineated on the map.
Jones Sound and Wellington Channel had been traced
for a considerable distance. But, with the exception
of the discovery on Beechey Island, not a vestige had
been found of the ill-fated ships Erebus and Terror.
Still, they had the gratification of knowing that by
their exertions the field for further research had been
considerably narrowed, and with this small measure
of success they had perforce to be content.
CHAPTER IX
TRAVELS IN PERU
THE ships were paid off at Woolwich on the loth of
October. Of the warm and hearty welcome that was
extended to the officers and crew of the expedition by
their countrymen at home, it is unnecessary to speak.
Markham was in excellent health and spirits. His
father notes in his journal : " He is looking handsome and
well, not a jot the worse for all his hardships." He was
grieved, however, to part with the many friends he had
made on the expedition ; for he had spent an exceedingly
happy time with them all. But he was not sorry to
be at home once more to renew home ties and resume old
friendships. He was not permitted, however, to spend
his leave altogether in gaiety and idleness. In the
eyes of his neighbours he had become a public man,
and he received many invitations to deliver lectures on
the interesting experiences in which he had recently
taken so active a part. Some of these invitations he
accepted, so that he was kept fairly well occupied during
the time he was at home. His lectures were beauti-
fully illustrated by diagrams, maps and pictures drawn
by his father from descriptions given to him by his son.
But now came the time for making the most momen-
tous decision of his life, for on it depended his whole
future career. His distaste for a naval life had in no
way diminished since he left the Collingwood. Mention
has already been made of his dislike to the severe disci-
pline, more especially in regard to corporal punishment,
which was enforced at that time. He had enjoyed
every moment of the time he served in the Arctic Regions,
127
128 TRAVELS IN PERU [CH. ix
for there, punishments of any sort were practically
unknown; also he was engaged on work that was in
every way congenial to him. But the prospect of
returning to a life where he would be a constant witness
of the things that he most abhorred, was anything but
pleasing. Yet, apart from his aversion to the harsh-
ness of the punishments inflicted in the maintenance
of discipline, he had a great love for the Navy itself;
and his greatest friends were naval men. Even after
he had severed his active connection with the Service,
he was never, perhaps, so happy as when cruising in
a man-of-war as the guest of one of the officers. He
adored above all the young midshipmen, who would
frequently pour out all their little troubles into his sym-
pathetic ears; he entered into all their fun and frolic;
it may almost be said that he encouraged them in some
of their minor and harmless delinquencies ! His sym-
pathies were always with the oppressed, and when he
became aware of any particular case of punishment
that he considered to be unduly severe especially if
it had reference to a lad or young man he never rested
until he had succeeded either in getting the punishment
mitigated or remitted altogether.
He had now to decide as to the course of life he was
going to lead. It was a crucial moment. The Navy
had been tried, and it had failed to satisfy him. Some
other profession must be found. His was not a dis-
position that could tolerate idleness.
It was with some misgiving that he consulted his
father, but no advice could have been more kind and
sympathetic than the counsel his father gave him.
Seeing that he was really in earnest in his desire to
leave the Navy, he sorrowfully consented, but told him
that he thought he was making a profound mistake
in doing so. He pointed out that he had served with
credit for six years in the Navy, during which time he
had made many influential friends. He had acquired
an excellent name for himself as a clever, zealous, and
CH.IX] TRAVELS IN PERU 129
painstaking officer, one who could be entrusted with
the execution of important duties. If it was really
his desire to leave the Service, however, he would not
stand in his way; but he thought in his own interest
that, as he had completed his six years in the Navy
as naval cadet and midshipman, he was in a position
to apply to be examined for the rank of Lieutenant,
and that he ought to do so. To this his son willingly
assented; but he explained to his father that during
the time he was at Woolwich fitting out in the Assistance
he had lost a box which contained his logbooks for a
period of over five years that is to say, for the whole
time he had served in the Collingwood and in the Mediter-
ranean. He represented to his father that it would be
absolutely impossible for him to present himself for
examination in seamanship without these logs, and he
considered it would be a great waste of time, especially
as he was going to leave the Service, for him to write
them all up again. He suggested, therefore, that he
should pass the gunnery examination only, for in those
days it was optional as to the order in which the home
examinations should be taken. To this his father
consented, and it was arranged that directly his leave
expired he should present himself on board the Excellent
to be examined in gunnery. This was accordingly done,
and when the eventful day arrived he was examined as
to hL general knowledge of gunnery, which included
everything connected with the fighting arrangements
of a man-of-war, from the size and weight of the guns
and their projectiles, to his qualifications for stationing
and drilling men at the guns, and his knowledge of
cutlass and rifle exercises, etc. The result of the ex-
amination was very satisfactory, and on the 24th of
December he was given a first-class certificate. Thus
he was enabled to spend Christmas Day at home with
his family at Horkesley.
He now took his final leave as an officer in the Navy,
and was able to concentrate all his thoughts and all
130 TRAVELS IN PERU [CH. ix
his attention to the working out of the details connected
with his projected expedition to Peru. This plan,
however, for the present he kept to himself. His
father's idea was that he should go to Oxford and take
his degree, and then be called to the Bar. Unforeseen
difficulties, however, arose regarding this project, and
it was eventually decided to give up the idea of Oxford
altogether, and that he should begin the study of law at
once. With this object in view, he commenced reading
Blackstone's " Commentaries."
At this time there was a good deal of sharp and unkind
criticism in the Press, not only of Captain Austin, but
of the manner in which the late expedition had been
conducted generally. The Admiralty h,ad appointed
a committee of Arctic experts and others to examine
the details connected with the recent search, and to
report what further action should be taken. The
result of this was the despatch of another expedition
consisting of the same ships, with definite instructions
as to the localities to be searched. The majority of the
officers who came to the front in Austin's expedition
were reappointed to their old ships for a further term
of service in the Arctic Regions. Markham was most
indignant at these attacks, and he considered the
appointment of the committee unnecessary, and as re-
flecting somewhat adversely upon the leaders of the
expedition. In order to make known his views and to
enlighten the public regarding the good work that had
been achieved by Captain Austin, he resolved, with his
natural impulsiveness, to publish a narrative which
should embrace the proceedings and results of the late
expedition. This came out under the title of " Franklin's
Footsteps," a most interesting little work which de-
servedly obtained a wide circulation.
The day before the sailing of the new expedition,
Markham went down to Woolwich to bid farewell to his
old shipmates, many of whom, such as Osborn, M'Clin-
tock, Mecham, and Hamilton, to name a few, he regarded
CH. ix] TRAVELS IN PERU 131
as old and valued friends. He could not help feeling
depressed and disappointed that he was being left
behind, for without doubt he would willingly have
accompanied them had the opportunity been afforded
him. But it was not to be; he had severed his connec-
tion with the Navy, and " as he had made his bed so
must he lie on it." It was with a heavy heart, however,
that he wished them all good-bye and godspeed.*
For some time after his visit to Woolwich, he was
unable to shake off a feeling of nervous depression that
seemed to have settled upon him, and which he was
unable to conceal from his father. Perhaps it was due
to the fact that he had not yet summoned up sufficient
courage to divulge to him the whole of his Peruvian
plans ? However, on the ist of July, being at Windsor,
the two went for a long walk in the Park, when he
laid his whole scheme before his father and explained
to him everything in detail. The elder man listened
with great attention, but he could not help showing
his disapproval of such a project. However, after
much explanation and much consideration, he turned a
favourable ear to his son's earnest request (for, as
Markham says, " he never refused me anything "),
and before they reached home he consented to give
him 500 towards defraying his expenses.
Markham was jubilant at the success of his appeal,
and he became an altered man. His depression dis-
appeared as if by magic. The days flew rapidly by, he
went to stay with many of his old friends, and they
returned his visits both at Horkesley and at Windsor.
London was visited several times in order to arrange
about his outfit, his passage across the Atlantic, and the
further journey thence to Lima. He had also to obtain
letters of introduction to people who he thought would
prove useful in furthering his plans. He was now just
* This second expedition was as unsuccessful as the first with
regard to its main object. But good geographical work was done
and much hitherto unknown coast-line mapped.
132 TRAVELS IN PERU [CH. ix
twenty-two years of age, full of the vigour and enthu-
siasm of youth. It was the dawn of his long-dreamed-of
scheme, and he did not intend that it should fail for the
lack of anything it was in his power to do.
He left Windsor for Liverpool on the 2oth of August,
1852. His father was up early in the morning helping
him to pack his things, for he was anxious about his son,
and hoped the scheme would turn out to be more success-
ful than at first sight it seemed likely to be. " But,"
he writes in his journal, " it is a long lonely business,
and I have not much heart about it." This was the
last time he was destined to see his father.
On reaching Halifax in Nova Scotia, after a pleasant
run across the Atlantic, Markham found H.M.S. Cum-
berland at anchor in the harbour, flying the flag of his
old chief, Sir George Seymour. After depositing his
things at the hotel, he went on board the Cumberland
and renewed acquaintance with a number of old " Colling-
woods." They were delighted to see him again, and
insisted upon his living on board, an invitation he was
only too glad to avail himself of. He generally dined on
shore with the Seymours at Admiralty House, but the
remainder of his time he spent in the company of his old
shipmates, walking and driving about the town. It was
like old times, and he thoroughly enjoyed it. On the
1 2th of September he left Halifax, and was accom-
panied across Nova Scotia by two old " Collingwoods,"
namely, Ashby and Jones (Don Galloso), and when he
said good-bye to them at Windsor (N.S.) he felt that he
had really started on his Peruvian expedition, and that
he had taken his last farewell of the Navy. He writes
in his journal on the i2th of September, 1852:
" My last day of actual service was on board the
Excellent on Christmas Eve, 1851. So long as I was
writing ' Franklin's Footsteps,' which I looked upon
as a duty connected with my naval service, I felt that
I was in the Navy. As I waved my handkerchief to
Ashby and ' Gallows ' Jones, who stood on the pier at
Windsor (N.S.) watching my steamer start, I felt, with
CH.IX] TRAVELS IN PERU 133
a pang, that the last tie was severed. I had been very
happy in the Navy, I had made many friends, yet my
resolution was probably a wise one. Still, I felt a pang
of sorrow and regret."
From Windsor (N.S.) Markham travelled to St.
John's, New Brunswick, and thence to Boston, where
he met W. H. Prescott, the historian, and spent ten days
with him at his country-house. From him he obtained
much valuable information during their numerous
interesting discussions concerning the Incas and the
conquest of Peru. He certainly could not have gone
to a higher authority on those particular subjects.
Prescott unhesitatingly approved of Markham 's expe-
dition to Cuzco, strongly supported the object he had
in view, wished him the greatest measure of success
obtainable, and declared that no history could be
perfect unless the writer of it was personally acquainted
with the localities he described. Occasionally they
passed the evenings in playing whist ; but Markham
observed that his host was so much under the thraldom
of his servants (as, indeed, everybody in those parts
appear to have been at that time), that they were
obliged to hide the cards under the table when the
servant appeared with tea, as that individual did not
approve of card-playing !
Leaving New York at the end -of September, he took
steamer to Colon, whence he crossed the isthmus to
Panama. This crossing of a strip of land only about
fifty miles in breadth was a novel experience for him,
and a great deal more difficult than it is at the present
day. A railroad, it is true, was in course of construction,
but it was only completed for a distance of about twenty-
five miles, to a place called Barbacoes. The remainder
of the journey had to be made, first, in a boat up the
River Chagres, and thence on a mule along a narrow
path through dense tropical vegetation. This brought
him to the parting of the waters, where the rivers flowed
down to the Atlantic and Pacific respectively, one on
10
134 TRAVELS IN PERU [CH. ix
either hand. Here he had to take to a flat-bottomed
boat which provided accommodation for about twenty
passengers, with a certain amount of luggage. The
river flows with great rapidity, and the boat was man-
aged by a long pole, which was also used for punting
when necessary. Just before dark he reached a miser-
able village called Gorgona, and, with the other passen-
gers, was obliged to spend the night at a mean-looking
hovel called an " hotel," which swarmed with mosquitoes
and other obnoxious insects. The passengers were on
the move at early dawn the next day, travelling some
little distance in the boats until navigation by water
became impossible, when they had recourse again to
the mules, which they had to guide along the most
execrable roads imaginable. Reaching a rest-house
about midday, Markham was able to obtain some tea,
but at the exorbitant price of $2 a cup. Rain in heavy
tropical showers fell during the day, and all the passen-
gers were drenched to the skin. At length, after dark,
they reached a long hut, at which they spent another
night. Panama was reached the following afternoon.
It had taken three days and two nights to cross the
isthmus, a journey that can now be accomplished in
two or three hours.
Markham 's arrival in Panama took place at a some-
what unfortunate time, for it happened to be immediately
after the discovery of gold in California. There had been
a rush of people, especially loafers and adventurers
of all kinds, with the object of trying their luck at the
gold-diggings; and a radical transformation had come
over the hitherto sleepy old town of Panama. It was
now crowded with all sorts and conditions of men.
Modern vulgarity was everywhere to be seen, more
especially in the flaring advertisements posted every-
where to catch the eyes of new arrivals. Innumerable
buildings hastily erected were in evidence on all sides
proudly announcing the fact that they were " hotels "
and would provide " good lodging," " brandy smashes,"
CH.IX] TRAVELS IN PERU 135
" egg nogs," etc. Needless to say, Markham did not
stay longer in Panama than he could possibly help ;
for he took the first steamer leaving for Callao, where
he arrived on the i6th of October. He proceeded
immediately to Lima. Here he remained for nearly
two months, surrounded by old friends, and busy
completing his preparations for the great enterprise
upon which he had embarked.
Lima had changed but little since he was there in the
Collingwood days. His old friends, a little more advanced
in years perhaps, but still the same kind people whom
he had previously known, were delighted to see him
again, and not only lavished their hospitality upon
him, but assisted very materially in preparing for his
great journey. He was provided with letters of intro-
duction to the President of Peru, and other leading
men in Lima, all of whom went out of their way to show
him kindness. One placed a horse at his disposal, and
sent a groom round every morning for orders; another
gave him a box at the opera ; in fact, he was overwhelmed
with kind attentions; for not only were all impressed
by the charm of his personality, but the work that he
had undertaken was regarded as one of national impor-
tance. A good deal of time was spent in the Public
Library and Museum; and he left untapped no source
available to him of obtaining information regarding
the history and traditions of the Incas. Doubtless
some of the information he acquired was somewhat
unreliable, being of a mythical nature ; but on the whole
it was of great assistance to him when at last he began
his own researches, for many links were thus supplied
which would otherwise have been missing. His study
of the Quichua grammar on board the Assistance in the
Arctic Regions now bore good fruit, and amply rewarded
him for the labour he had expended upon it.
As the time at his disposal was* only about twelve
months, he resolved to devote it exclusively to his re-
searches in the history of the Incas. His journey, he
i 3 6 TRAVELS IN PERU [CH. ix
decided, was to include a portion of the coast from Lima
to Nasca, thence to Cuzco, and so crossing the Andes
in two different directions. At Cuzco he proposed to
remain for some time, making researches in the neigh-
bourhood, as well as by excursions into the Montana.
Thence back to Lima by way of Arequipa. This route
he adhered to as far as possible. Not only did he carry
letters of recommendation to influential persons in the
districts through which he would pass, but the President
was good enough to write to the Prefects of the different
departments desiring them to afford Markham all possible
assistance and information.
Before starting on his main expedition, he made
many interesting trips to places in the neighbourhood
of Lima. One of these was to the famous temple of
Pachacamac, the " Creator of the World," the " Supreme
God," worshipped by the Indians of Peru. Owing,
however, to a somewhat " festive luncheon " he did not
get away from Lima until late in the afternoon, and so,
to his disappointment, the time left for his exploration
of the " City of the Dead " was somewhat limited.
The temple, which originally had been constructed of
adobe (i.e., sun-dried bricks), was entirely in ruins, but
there remained sufficient to enable him to form some
idea of the extent and principal features of the ancient
building. From the summit, 400 feet above the level
of the sea, he obtained a glorious view. On the return
journey he was attacked by a gang of negro robbers
who, fortunately for him, had unsaddled their horses
and turned them into a neighbouring corral. One
ruffian stepped out into the middle of the road and
seized the bridle of his horse. Markham drew his
revolver and fired at the negro, who instantly dropped.
Seeing that the remainder of the gang were pre-
paring to attack him, he put spurs to his horse and
galloped off into the desert, firing two more shots at
his assailants as he departed, and thus succeeded in
effecting his escape. His intention was to ride back
CH.IX] TRAVELS IN PERU 137
and seek shelter at a hut which he had passed on the way
out; but, as it was now quite dark and there was no
visible road, he soon lost his way. Finally he was
obliged to pass the night in the desert; so he lay down
to snatch what sleep he could, having first taken the
precaution of tethering the horse to one of his legs.
This he did by means of the lasso which invariably
forms part of a rider's equipment in Peru. He slept
at intervals, and did not start homewards until there
was sufficient light to enable him to find his direction
by compass. He then rode off briskly, arriving at Chor-
rillos* at about half-past seven, man and beast com-
pletely famished. His assailants were captured the next
day by a detachment of cavalry. Seven were shot, and
their bodies laid out in the Plaza de la Inquisicion,
where Markham was able to recognise three of them as
having been among his assailants.
During his stay at Lima, Markham paid many visits
to the valley of the Rimac and neighbourhood to study
the huacas there, in which he was especially interested.
These huacas are vast artificial hills built on the plains,
of adobe bricks. Some are of enormous size. One
near the village of Magdalena is more than an acre in
extent, and is 70 feet high. It is generally supposed,
from the immense quantity of human skulls and bones
that have been dug up during excavations, that they
were ancient burial-places. They were in existence at
a period anterior to the conquest of the valley of the
Rimac by the Incas, though it is assumed by some that
they were built by people of the same race.|
The arrangements for his expedition being at length
complete, he started from Lima on the 7th of December,
1852, in light marching order, leaving all his heavy
* A pretty fashionable watering-place near Lima much fre-
quented by Lima society.
t According to Prescott the word huaca is extensively used in
connection with any consecrated object, such as a tomb, temple, or
even a jar. Also with any natural formation remarkable for its size
or shape.
138 TRAVELS IN PERU [CH. ix
baggage in the safe custody of the hotel authorities.
He was accompanied by a black cavalry soldier ap-
pointed by the Peruvian Government as an escort (who,
however, proved of no value, Markham describing him
as " useless and certainly no ornament"), and a pack-
mule laden with all the requirements of the journey in
the shape of clothing, instruments, etc. Both he and
his escort bestrode mules. His equipment was cut
down to the barest necessities, for, as he himself
wrote :
" For the real enjoyment of travelling in the interior
of Peru, it is necessary to throw aside all superfluity of
luggage, and set forth with a small pair of leather
saddle-bags and a few warm ponchos for a bed, so as to
commence the journey with a perfect absence of care
or anxiety. Thus, unhampered by luggage, the traveller
may wander through the enchanting scenery whither-
soever his fancy leads him, and, taking his chance for a
lodging or a supper, roam amidst the majestic Cordilleras
and pass a time of most perfect enjoyment."
Acting on this principle, he set forth on his lonely quest
full of enthusiasm, and determined not only to bring it to
a successful conclusion, but to enjoy himself thoroughly
into the bargain. The main object of his enterprise
was to obtain, at first-hand if possible, accurate historical
records of the somewhat mythical origin of the Incas.
Their history was full of interest, but so far the books
which dealt with Peru and its history had been devoted
almost entirely to the exploits generally cruel and
bloody of the Spanish conquistador es. It was a field of
investigation that was almost entirely untouched, and
it was with the object of throwing some light on this
fascinating, yet hitherto neglected part of the New
World's history that Clements Markham set out upon
his journey to Cuzco, the imperial city of the Incas.
Here he hoped to collect much valuable and reliable
information, visiting the actual scene of the deeds of
the Incas, that delightful land of lovely valleys which
CH.IX] TRAVELS IN PERU 139
teem with the remarkable architectural remains of a
very ancient civilisation.
In a week's time he arrived at Cafiete, one of the richest
sugar-yielding districts in Peru, having- received the
greatest hospitality from the inhabitants of the various
villages through which he had passed. Whenever
possible, he endeavoured to arrange his daily stages
so as to obtain accommodation for the night at one of
the large haciendas, or farmhouses, that lay on his
route. At many of the places where he spent the
night, remuneration was politely but decidedly refused.
Everything was at the sefior's disposition, and nothing
in the way of payment would be accepted. He was
much amused by the stories told by the old men who
would come in to have a chat while they drank their
pisco* On one occasion a garrulous old fellow described
a battle (in which he had taken part) between four
Generals, each of whom contended for power on the
death of the President. Markham, asking in whose
favour the battle terminated, was told that it ended by
the four Generals running away !
Slavery was at that time the only way of obtaining
labour, and strict regulations were enforced for the
proper supervision and housing of the slaves, who were
generally negroes. On the whole they were well cared
for, and their religious instruction was not neglected.
The Peruvian Government had already adopted an
excellent scheme of gradual emancipation by which
every child born after 1821 was to be free at the age of
fifty .f They were principally employed in the refining
of sugar.
During the journey Markham visited many interesting
people and places. Sometimes he would be entertained
at large dinner-parties in the haciendas or country-
* An ardent spirit much favoured by the Peruvians. It takes
its name from the seaport town of Pisco.
t A decree was issued in 1856 proclaiming the general emancipa-
tion of all slaves.
i 4 o TRAVELS IN PERU [CH. ix
houses. On one occasion the Bishop of the province
happened to be one of the guests. It was a Sunday,
and the reverend gentleman became intensely excited
over a cockfight, on the result of which he staked large
sums of money. Later, on the same day, this high
dignitary of the Church might have been seen playing
ecarte for high stakes 1 Sometimes, however, our
traveller had to be content with a lodging in an adobe
hut, with perhaps nothing but a piece of bread and a
cup of chocolate for his supper. But wherever he might
be, whether partaking of the good things of this world
in the highest company, or sharing a humble meal with
a ragged peasant, he was always cheery and happy,
always sympathetic, and ever-anxious to obtain informa-
tion from anyone who was in a position to assist him in
his researches.
Christmas Day, 1852, was spent at Cafiete, and in a
most festive manner. He shall describe it in his own
words :
" After church I went by previous invitation to dinner
at the Cura's house, the Bishop* completing the party.
The dinner consisted of an excellent roast sucking pig,
pastry made of young green maize, and sweets. After
dinner the prelate took his gamecock out of a basket
and put it on the table, the Cura did the same with his,
and about eighteen neighbours came in. The two
ecclesiastics were soon busily engaged in fastening the
navajas (well-sharpened steel spurs) on their respective
birds. Then the battle began, feathers flew in all
directions, the excitement reached fever-heat, the
betting rose higher and higher. In the end the cock
of the sporting old prelate was victorious, and much
money changed hands. The conquering bird rejoiced
in the name of Pilato /"
Leaving Cafiete he proceeded on his way, crossing the
river of that name, and passing the extensive ruins of
the old Inca fortress of Hervay. Here he spent some
time, making a plan of the ruins. This ancient fortress
* The reverend prelate of sporting proclivities already alluded to.
CH.IX] TRAVELS IN PERU 141
and palace was undoubtedly constructed by the Incas;
it was built on a dominating rise of ground, apparently,
to overawe the inhabitants of the rich valley which
was afterwards called Canete. Prior to reaching Pisco,
he relates a pathetic incident that occurred on his
journey. A little way up one of the ravines an object
attracted his attention. On approaching it he found
it to be a female figure in the well-known costume of
an Inca Indian. Her face was buried in the sand.
He took one of her hands, and she turned her face
towards him with an expression of the most heartrending
grief. It was a beautiful face, and she appeared not
more than sixteen. She pointed to a small bush a few
yards off, where he discovered a little baby quite dead.
He placed some money by its side, and, seeing that he
could be of no assistance, reluctantly rode off, leaving
the poor girl alone with her great sorrow.
Pisco was reached on the 3Oth of December, and here
he was most hospitably entertained. After visiting
the Chincha Islands, famous for their enormous deposits
of guano (some of which was being transported into
the ships by convict labour for conveyance to Europe),
he returned to Pisco. Leaving here early in the morning
of the 6th of January, 1853, accompanied only by an
Indian boy, he shaped a course to the eastward, passing
over a tract of soft sand which made the travelling
somewhat heavy. Not a few troubles were experienced
en route. Sundry articles of his equipment were lost,
and not recovered without difficulty, before he reached
the large town of Yea, situated some six or eight miles
from the foot of the Cordilleras and about thirty miles
from Pisco. It was a large town situated in a fertile
and beautiful plain covered with extensive vine and
cotton plantations. It has suffered much from the
effects of earthquakes, especially from one which
occurred in 1745, when it was entirely destroyed. At
the time of Markham's visit it contained a population
of about 10,000.
142 TRAVELS IN PERU [CH. ix
At Yea he made the acquaintance of two gentlemen,
one a Peruvian, the other an American, who were about
to visit the coast on business; they invited Markham
to accompany them. Although this involved a slight
detour from the route which he had planned, he gladly
accepted their invitation and they started on the 8th
of January. When they were crossing the River Yea at
a shallow ford, the stream was running so swiftly that
the mule Markham was riding was swept off its feet.
He was thrown on his side in the river, with one leg
under the mule, pinned down in such a manner that he
was unable to keep his head above water. The mule
kicked and struggled, and so did he, until he was extri-
cated by his companions. Fortunately, with the excep-
tion of being drenched to the skin, he was none the
worse for this unpleasant adventure, which might have
had a more disagreeable termination.
Arrived at the coast, they remained four days in a
small hut constructed of bamboos, which constituted
the " port " of Lomas ! Here his friends were busily
employed in loading with cotton a ship called the Jenny
Lind. Having completed her cargo, she sailed on the
1 8th, and the party broke up, Markham continuing on
his way to Nasca, the others returning to Yea.
He now proceeded southwards along the coast to a
little place called Santa Ana, thence due east to Nasca.
His only companion as far as Santa Ana was an old
fisherman named Manuel, of whom Markham relates :
" He was a good fellow, but, unfortunately for himself,
the poor old chap is a murderer. In the middle of the
night he often jumps up and runs screaming among the
sand-hills, thinking he is chased by devils and goblins."
He was much interested in the beautiful valley of
Nasca, which owes its present fertility to the skill and
industry of its ancient inhabitants, under whose care
an arid wilderness has been converted into a Garden of
Eden, and so it has continued to this day. During his
CH.IX] TRAVELS IN PERU 143
short stay at Nasca he visited the deserted gold-mine of
Cerro Blanco, the working of which had been abandoned
for want of capital. He also inspected some Inca ruins
in the neighbourhood. But his stay here was brief,
and after crossing the Rio Grande he reached Yea again
on the 24th of January. Here he spent a very happy
week among friends who showed him every kindness,
and it was with real regret that he bade them farewell.
But the main object of his expedition still lay before him,
and he could not afford to waste time. Preparations
were hastened, and before leaving Yea he was fortunate
in finding a most trustworthy and useful servant. This
man, named Agustin Carpio, he engaged to guide him
across the Andes and to assist generally in the daily
work.
CHAPTER X
CUZCO TO LIMA
MARKHAM'S arrival at Yea completed the first section
of his journey to Cuzco. To enable the reader better
to follow his route, it may be stated here that Peru is
divided geographically into four longitudinal regions.
These regions are called the Coast Region, which is a
rainless district; the Puna, which comprises the lofty
and uninhabited part of the Andes; the Sierra, or in-
habited part; and the Montana, or eastern forests of
the Amazonian basin.
He was now to cross the Andes, and the route chosen
was along a narrow unfrequented path. Moreover, he
was setting out at the worst possible time of the year,
for it was the height of the rainy season. But Markham,
in his determination to succeed, was undaunted by such
difficulties. His first day's journey from Yea took him
some miles up a fertile valley in which were many
grazing farms, well stocked with cattle, horses, and
mules. Thence he travelled through a wild, uninhabited
region, along a ravine bounded on either side by steep,
and in some places precipitous, cliffs. Here he came
across a herd of eight llamas, the first of these animals
he had seen. Emerging from the ravine, he ascended
a zigzag path, and came into a land bright with flowers.
Behind him the view was glorious. Thence his path
lay through another green valley in which were fields
of alfalfa and vegetables. And so he went on and on,
ever ascending, through ravines and valleys, halting
at noon for lunch, and spending the nights in some
poor peasant's hut, where he and his guide were always
welcome to rest and remain as long as they wished.
1 44
CH. x] CUZCO TO LIMA 145
On reaching the mountainous district they experienced
heavy rains, a novelty to them after being for so long in
the rainless part of the country. It had, moreover, the
disadvantage of making the roads much more difficult
for their mules, and added considerably to their personal
discomfort ; they also lost a good deal of time owing to
the swollen state of the rivers and streams that had to
be crossed. Still ascending they reached the Puna,
or lofty uninhabited part of the Andes. The ther-
mometer now stood at 30 F. (it had been 90 F. on the
plains a few days before), and the torrential rain was
succeeded by snow and hailstorms of great violence.
They passed many vicunas, graceful animals not unlike
llamas, but of a light fawn colour, with a very fine and
silky fleece, and having long slender necks.
Attaining at length the region of snow, they pushed
on in order to reach before dark a small natural cave
on the summit of the pass, known to the guide, where
they had planned to spend the night. The scene was
wild and dismal, but they succeeded in reaching the cave
just before dark. It consisted of an overhanging rock
in the face of the cliff, but, to their great disappoint-
ment, they found it full of water, while streams were
trickling into it from the roof. The ground outside
was covered with tufts of long grass full of snow, and
did not offer a very inviting place to repose. Snow was
falling fast, and, to add to their misfortunes, the matches
which they carried were damp, and they were unable
to obtain a light. Agustin, the guide, was profuse
with his apologies, and was much downcast; but it
was not his fault, and they prepared to pass the night
as best they could. To lie down was impossible, so,
wrapping themselves up in their ponchos, they stood
up against the mules, resting their heads on the animals'
necks; and thus passed a miserable night, snatching
what sleep they could in this uncomfortable position.
Nor was this the only discomfort they experienced;
for at this high altitude they suffered a good deal from
146 CUZCO TO LIMA [CH. x
the difficulty of breathing, though not to any serious
extent. Continuous sleep, however, was quite out of
the question. The thunder roared loudly above, around,
and below them, while vivid flashes of lightning lit up
the scene with a dazzling light, brilliantly outlining the
craggy peaks of the Cordilleras between the intervals
of utter darkness.
Next morning they wore not long in making a start,
and with the advent of dawn pursued their journey.
Snow ceased to fall, the heavy mist rolled down into
the ravines, and things generally assumed a more cheerful
aspect. Agustin also began to recover his spirits,
which had fallen very low during the night. The
travelling, however, was atrocious, especially for the
mules, handicapped as they were by their heavy burdens.
After the summit of the pass had been crossed, they
began to descend a very steep declivity across slippery
rocks with waterfalls tumbling over them. In some
places the mules had to jump from one ledge to another
where a false step would have plunged beast and rider
to the bottom of an abyss. Occasionally they had to
skirt the edge of a precipice, traversing a path so
narrow that, while one leg was rubbing uncomfortably
against the rocks on one side, the other was hanging
over the chasm. Many of the rivers were impassable,
being in spate, and consequently circuitous and often
lengthy routes had to be taken ere a ford could be
reached.
The first human habitation which they came across
on the eastern slope of the Andes was a shepherd's hut.
It was circular, about 8 feet in diameter, and its only
inhabitant was a small boy, who was very civil and
obliging, and provided them with hot water to make
their chocolate for breakfast. He also guided them to
a little bridge which enabled them to cross the River
Palmite Grande. One day was almost a repetition of
its predecessor: ravines, valleys, rivers, all had to be
negotiated ; mountains had to be crossed by climbing up
CH. x] CUZCO TO LIMA 147
on one side, and descending on the other ; it was appar-
ently an endless and wearisome journey rendered endur-
able only by the grandeur of the scenery and the thought
that every mile brought them nearer to their goal.
They had now passed the region of snow, and were
entering a more temperate climate. Travelling con-
ditions were much improved, and they made better
progress. Solitary shepherd's huts were more frequently
met, for the lower slopes of the hills were clothed with
a rich pasturage on which sheep and cattle were grazing
in large numbers. Proceeding onwards, the travellers
came to a little hamlet; it consisted only of a cluster
of small roofless stone huts, with trees growing in the
empty rooms. The sole inhabitant of this deserted
village was the old sacristan of a little chapel, who told
them that once a year folk came from the neighbouring
districts to celebrate the festival of the Virgin. More
hermit than sacristan he seemed to be !
Large flocks of llamas and alpacas were observed
grazing on the slopes of the hills.
Crossing the vast pampa of Cangallo, they eventually
reached the important town of Ayacucho, in the vicinity
of which the decisive battle was fought in 1824, which
practically resulted in the extinction of Spanish power
in South America. Riding straight to the Prefect's
house, Markham received a most kindly welcome, and
was hospitably entertained by the Prefect, Don Manuel
Tello y Cabrera, and his sisters.
The town of Ayacucho is situated at a height of over
10,000 feet above the level of the sea. In the month
of February the climate is equable and agreeable, the
temperature ranging from 64 to 69 F. The town itself
is prettily situated, and can boast of some fine buildings,
notably the cathedral, with its arcades of stone pillars
and circular arches. Ayacueho was founded by Pizarro
in 1539.
The Prefect, Don Manuel, was so insistent that Mark-
ham should remain as his guest for at least a month
148 CUZCO TO LIMA [CH. x
that he not unwillingly consented, especially as there
were many places of historical interest in the neigh-
bourhood that he was desirous of visiting. He was
anxious, also, to increase his knowledge of the Quichua
language, a wise decision which he never regretted.
With Don Manuel as his guide, he visited every place
of interest in the neighbourhood, and obtained much
knowledge both of the country and its folk-lore. In-
cidentally ' he acquired a great deal of information on
certain ancient traditions of the Incas, hitherto unknown
to him. He much enjoyed the evening parties given by
his kind host the Prefect. Here the wit and beauty of
Ayacucho assembled, and as the young ladies of the
Sierra town were renowned alike for their beauty and
intelligence, small wonder that he writes : " Their names
will ever find a place in the memory of the traveller who
has enjoyed the privilege of their society."
The study of the Indians and their language was a
source of daily occupation for him, and, as these studies
were conducted under the personal tuition of one of
the charming senoritas referred to, doubtless he made
good progress ! Under these pleasing conditions the
month soon slipped away, and it was with feelings of
poignant regret that he said good-bye to his kind friends
and set out again on his travels. The parting was a
most affectionate one, for he had become a great favourite
with them all, and they could not conceal their sorrow
at his departure.
After leaving Ayacucho, the road branched away to
the south - east along deep ravines overgrown with
beautiful wild-flowers. The whole country appeared
capable of cultivation, and of being able to sustain
more than ten times the population then existing.
Leaving the temperate region of the Sierra, Markham
now entered a tropical valley covered with tall stately
aloes, huge forest trees, and thick undergrowth. Flocks
of green parrots wheeled screaming above their heads,
while richly coloured little humming-birds flitted from
CH.X] CUZCO TO LIMA 149
flower to flower, their brilliant hues sparkling in the
bright sunshine.
Rapid torrents were crossed by means of swinging
bridges made of the twisted fibres of the maguey,
which swung to and fro in a somewhat alarming and
tremulous manner as they passed over. The scenery
through which they passed varied from day to day.
Sometimes they journeyed across peaceful plains and
through valleys dotted with huts and cultivated plots ;
another day their path would probably lie through
narrow gorges with precipitous cliffs on either side,
and swirling mountain torrents dashing over the rocks
that formed their bed. Their shelter for the night
consisted usually of a peasant's rude hut, for it was but
rarely that the travellers reached a hacienda. On such
occasions, however, they were always assured of a
hospitable welcome from the owner and his family,
and a nice comfortable bed to sleep in.
When he was about zoo miles from Ayacucho, Mark-
ham was overtaken by a Dr. Taforo, a very earnest and
popular missionary whose acquaintance he had made
at Ayacucho; and as he was also going to Cuzco, they
agreed to travel together. So popular was this good
man, that the journey thenceforward, Markham relates,
became a sort of triumphal progress ; for whenever they
approached a village the natives would run ahead to
announce their arrival; and in passing through the
villages the people would flock round them, eager to
kiss the worthy man's hand or even to touch the hem
of his garment. Markham was delighted, and con-
sidered himself most fortunate in having so interesting
a man as a companion on the road. At the village
of Huancarama they were hospitably received in the
house of a widow with three daughters. Their hostesses,
however, were in great distress owing to the mysterious
disappearance of the husband and father. It was
assumed that he had met his death by falling over
some precipice.
ii
150 CUZCO TO LIMA [CH. x
After supper they were shown their bedroom. Dr.
Taforo's bed was in one corner, and Markham's in
another. In the dead of night Markham was awakened
by a noise in the room. There was a bright moon
shining, by the light of which he distinctly saw the figure
of a man with a poncho thrown over his shoulders, and
with a ghastly face, gliding slowly across the room.
At the same time he became aware that Dr. Taforo was
sitting up in bed pointing with his forefinger at the
apparition, and pronouncing words that appeared to
be an exorcism, interspersed with portions of the service
for the Burial of the Dead. . . !
No word was said by Markham that night, but next
morning he asked his companion for an explanation of
what he had witnessed. He was informed very curtly
that the widow had complained of the appearance of
an apparition in that particular room, and so he had
requested that they should occupy it for the night.
" It will not come again," he added significantly.
Nothing more was said of the incident, but Markham
not unreasonably thought that, under the circum-
stances, he might have been given the option of sleeping
on the verandah !
They left Huancarama on the 1 5th of March, and were
accompanied for some distance by the Cura and several
others on horseback. Crowds of pretty girls lined
the road on either side, and literally covered them
with roses and other flowers as they departed. At the
different places at which they stopped, the preaching
of Dr. Taforo aroused the greatest enthusiasm, for he
was regarded almost as a saint, a representative of
St. Francis, an apostle !
Continuing their journey, they toiled up steep ascents,
now down sharp gradients, then along zigzag paths, till
they came to the turbulent Apurimac River, dashing
noisily along between the mighty barriers that con-
fined it. They crossed by a swinging bridge 150 feet
in length, suspended some 300 feet above the foaming
CH.X] CUZCO TO LIMA 151
river. The scenery was magnificent. On either side
the lofty Cordilleras rose almost perpendicularly, the
waves of the river actually dashing against their bases
and making their sides so smooth that even a blade
of grass could not find root. The strata in the cliffs
ran in distinct lines at an angle of about 70. From
the bridge they ascended a steep winding path, and
eventually reached the village of Mollepata, where they
had a princely reception. Girls again showered roses
on them, strings of dollars were suspended across the
road, while twelve of the principal inhabitants rode out
to meet and offer them hospitality. In the evening Dr.
Taforo preached in the church, and met with the usual
enthusiastic reception.
The next morning they passed through valleys and
plains devoted, apparently, to the cultivation of sugar.
There were also large fruit-gardens and fields of vege-
tables. On the following day Markham visited the
ruins of the old Inca palace of Limatambo, built in a
lovely spot that commanded an enchanting view of
the valley. The interior of the palace was utilized as
a fruit-garden. Thence they entered the vast pampa
of Surite, where was fought the great battle which
decided the supremacy of the Incas. Here also took
place the defeat and capture of Gonzalo Pizarro.
They now proceeded along a swampy road, their pro-
gress much retarded by a violent thunderstorm accom-
panied by heavy rain. As is not unusual in moun-
tainous regions, the storm abated quickly, the clouds
dispersed, and the moon shone out brilliantly. Just as
they reached the summit of a range of hills, it cast its
bright rays upon the city of Cuzco, which lay spread out
below them. The object of their long journey was
attained at last, their goal was in sight, and all their
troubles, anxieties, and discomforts, were forgotten in
the realisation of that hope in which for long he had so
ardently indulged.
It was quite dark when they entered the city, shortly
i S 2 CUZCO TO LIMA [CH. x
after 8 p.m., on the 2Oth of March, 1853. The journey
from Lima, a distance exceeding 300 miles, had been
made over the most mountainous country in the world.
Markham and his companion were received under the
hospitable roof of General Don Manuel de la Guarda,
who had been expecting their arrival for some time.
After an excellent supper, to which, doubtless, the
travellers did full justice, Markham was shown into a
comfortable bedroom, where he slept without a break
for twelve hours. Not even the appearance of the
Huancarama apparition would have disturbed his rest 1
When he awoke the next morning, it was difficult
for him to realise that he was actually in Cuzco Cuzco,
the ancient city of the Incas, the hallowed spot where
Manco Ccapac's golden wand sank into the ground !
Here in years gone by a high state of civilisation had
been attained under a paternal government; works
were conceived and completed which to this day are
a source of wonder to the traveller. Here was the chief
city of an ancient empire ruled in the past by a virtuous
race of monarchs, whose wonderful temple surpassed
in splendour even the fabled palaces of the Arabian
Nights ! Cuzco, the mysterious city of his dreams !
It was indeed difficult for him to realise that his castle
in the air had at length assumed a concrete form that
his ambition, ever since he had become acquainted
with the city in the pages of Prescott, was a reality
at last.
It may be of interest to state here that the legendary
founder of the Inca state was Manco Ccapac. It is not
known whence he came, this mysterious lawgiver of
Peru. Many are the theories that have been hazarded
regarding his origin. One authority has no doubt
whatever that he was a son of Kublai-Khan, the first
Emperor of China of the Yuan Dynasty. Another de-
clares that he came from Armenia about 500 years
after the Deluge ; while still others assert that he was an
Egyptian, a Mexican, and even an Englishman ! There
CH.X] CUZCO TO LIMA 153
is no doubt, however, that (whatsoever his antecedents)
he introduced a new and a foreign civilisation, he
established a well-organised government and a system
of religious worship, he was the author of every useful
art the Peruvians possessed, and he founded a great
empire the subjects of which were never oppressed,
never poor, and were always protected by a patriarchal
administration. The reigning Inca himself was the
father of his people. He studied their comfort, he
apportioned their work, he arranged their holidays,
all with the assistance and under the rigid supervision
of his officers. His favourite title, and the one of which
he was the most proud, was " The Friend of the Poor."
Markham was provided with letters of introduction
to many eminent men in Cuzco, and these he at once
proceeded to make use of. He made many friends,
all of whom were ready and willing to assist him in
his researches. During the three weeks that he spent
at Cuzco he laboured incessantly to acquire as much
knowledge as it was possible to obtain concerning the
Incas. He inspected every place of historical interest
in the city and its neighbourhood, and paid frequent
visits (often at a considerable distance) to the ruins
which tradition pointed out as the most ancient buildings
of the Incas still in existence. He also devoted con-
siderable time to visiting and writing descriptions of
those structures that were erected by the Spaniards
at the time of the conquest, and subsequently. Finally
he described the state of the city of Cuzco and its in-
habitants at the time of his visit. Needless to say, he
devoured every book and document he could lay his
hands on that was in any way associated with the
traditions of the Incas ; and he constructed from personal
inspection elaborate plans of all the palaces, forts, and
other important buildings visited. In short, he com-
piled, in that detailed and masterly manner which was
always so characteristic of him, an exhaustive history
of the ancient city of Cuzco and its rulers.
1 54 CUZCO TO LIMA [CH. x
Yet with all this important work on his hands he did
not neglect his social obligations. His society was
much sought after, for his friends were many, and all
were desirous of making his visit to Cuzco a pleasant
one. His host, Don Manuel de la Guarda, was untiring
in his exertions. Dinner-parties were frequent, and
there were evening receptions to which all the rank
and fashion of Cuzco were invited. But Markham
was not the man to allow gaieties to interfere with his
more important work, and the thoroughness of his
researches may be gauged by the book which he published
(in 1856) shortly after his return to England. This
volume, entitled " Cuzco and Lima," contains not only
a graphic and absorbing narrative of his travels and
experiences in Peru, but also a concise account of the
history, language, manners, customs, literature, and
antiquities of the Incas, together with a survey of the
history of the modern republic of Peru.
Before leaving Cuzco, he resolved to make an excur-
sion of about three or four weeks' duration to the
country lying north-east of the city, where several
interesting ruins were situated. Taking with him the
two mules which had been his faithful beasts of burden
since his departure from Lima, and engaging the services
of a young Indian named Andres as a guide, he pro-
ceeded down the valley of the Vilcamayu in a northerly
direction. This valley is often alluded to by Peruvian
writers as the " Paradise of Peru," for here, it is said,
' the warmth is not heat, and the coolness is not cold."
As he journeyed along, Markham mixed much with the
country-people, especially in the villages where he had
to pass the nights; and he would sit for many hours
together listening to their native ballads.
The first halt was made at a village named Maras,
where he put up for the night at the residence of a
hospitable Cura. The view from here was magnificent.
To the north were the lofty mountains of Vilcapampa,
rising between the Rivers Apurimac and Vilcamayu.
CH. x] CUZCO TO LIMA 155
To the north-east a plain stretched away into the
distance, ending in a precipitous descent, and beyond
rose the mighty Andes, with their snowy peaks lost to
view in the clouds. The lights and shades on the sides
of the mountains intersected by deep ravines were very
beautiful.
Markham devoted some time to the examination
of Incarial ruins in the town of Ollantay-tambo, ruins
that appeared to him to have been constructed origin-
ally at different periods, some Incarial, some of the
megalithic age. Ollantay-tambo was in reality a
fortress, specially constructed for the defence of the
pass into the valley, against the incursions of hostile
tribes from the Montana region to the north. It is
one of the most interesting places in Peru, whether
from an historical or a legendary point of view. Here
close together, standing erect on a small level piece of
ground, were five huge blocks of stone, with others of
immense size lying scattered round. One of them was
found to measure 15 feet 4 inches by 4 feet 8 inches
by 3 feet. Markham came to the conclusion that these
colossal stones at one time formed part of the interior
of the great hall of this palatial fortress. He succeeded
in piecing the various fragments together in his imagin-
ation, so constructing a plan of what he conceived to
have been the original form of this ancient building.
Numerous other ruins in the neighbourhood were
visited, and he was much impressed with the great
architectural talent combined with the methodical
means of defence that were displayed by the Incas at
such an early period. He found Ollantay-tambo a
most fascinating place, but the means by which these
colossal monoliths were conveyed to the positions in
which he found them always remained a mystery to
him. The descriptions which he gives of the various
ruins visited in this neighbourhood are lengthy and
minutely detailed, and they are especially interesting
in connection with what are known as " the tired stones."
156 CUZCO TO LIMA [CH. x
These are the huge monoliths, accurately shaped, which
lie on the ground in diverse places and positions, as if
too weary to proceed any farther. Some of these were
over 20 feet in length by 15 feet broad and 3^ feet in
thickness.
Thence he pursued his way to Urubamba and Chin-
chero, where more ruins of Inca palaces were seen,
then on to the village of Laris. This devour was
occasioned by his hearing, quite casually, that the best
version of a Quichua drama was to be seen in the
village of Laris, " on the other side of the mountains,"
as his informant airily remarked. He at once set out
for this spot, although it was considerably out of his
way, to obtain if possible a copy of the manuscript.
In this he was successful. It was a task that took him
more than four evenings to accomplish, but the time,
he considered, was not misspent. The document from
which he obtained the copy was an original one, and he
sat up until long after midnight each evening translating
and writing by the light of a small tallow candle. The
old Cura (a descendant of the Incas) with whom he was
staying excused himself from remaining up so late by
pleading a bad headache. At this announcement^ the
attendant suddenly entered, and proceeded to " stick
coca leaves all over the worthy Cura's temples," and
he went to bed, says Markham, " with a green fore-
head." Next morning a magic cure had been effected,
but, alas ! it was only temporary, for the headache
recurred again that evening, and every evening of Mark-
ham's stay ! Nothing, however, could exceed the atten-
tions that the Cura paid to his guest during the day-
light hours, and from him Markham acquired a great
deal of Inca lore.
Travelling by way of Calca and Urubamba, Markham
now set out for Pissac, on his way to the Montana of
Paucartambo. At Pissac there were more Inca remains
for him to examine. By the time he had completed
his examination, darkness had already set in, and it
CH. x] CUZCO TO LIMA 157
suddenly occurred to him that he was ignorant of any
place where he could spend the night. However, his
guide Andres was a lad of resource, and, crossing the
bridge over the Vilcamayu, he soon returned with an
invitation from the Governor of Pissac to stay at his
house, which Markham was glad to accept. The next
day he took his departure for Paucartambo. The road
was rough and mountainous, and it was late before he
arrived at his destination. As he approached the town,
he observed several horsemen coming from various
directions towards the bridge into the town. He
subsequently found that the Prefect, having received
notice of his arrival and the object of his visit, had
invited the neighbouring haciendados to assemble and
bid him welcome. He was very cordially received by
the Prefect and all these local gentry, who were full of
information about the Montana. They were all enter-
tained at an excellent supper, and afterwards Markham
was glad to be able to spend the night in a comfortable
bedroom.
After receiving advice next. morning as to the various
routes that might be followed, he decided on taking
the one which led to the village of San Miguel, for the
sole reason that a certain old friar, Bovo de Revello,
who was a great authority on everything connected
with the Incas, lived there. This route was generally
regarded as a very dangerous one, owing to the presence
of hostile Indians, and he was strongly urged to apply
to the authorities for an armed escort. Considering,
however, that it would be an unnecessary precaution,
he started off, to the consternation of his hosts, with
only one mule and a guide. Crossing the eastern range
of mountains, and reaching an altitude of 13,000 feet,
he commenced a laborious descent into the forest
below by a difficult zigzag path. The route to him
was intensely interesting, for it was the very one by
which the Incas, centuries before, had penetrated into
the Montana, as related by Garcilasso de la Vega and
158 CUZCO TO LIMA [CH. x
Sarmiento. He soon reached a country bright with the
blossoms of a rich subtropical vegetation; and before
dark, so rapid was his descent, he came to the tall
forest trees and palms of the tropical region. That
night he slept in a small ruined hut, in which he had the
curious experience of being attacked by a vampire bat,
which, his hosts said, must have come down from the
rafters. Apparently it had fixed upon Markham's
toe and sucked under the nail, for when he awoke in
the morning one of his feet was covered with blood.
Such incidents, he was told, were not uncommon.
It is said that, while sucking the blood, they fan their
victim gently with their wings. But he suffered no
inconvenience, and was afoot early.
Arriving at San Miguel, he was entertained with the
usual Peruvian hospitality by Friar de Revello and
Senor Pedro Gil, the Administrador . The information
he gleaned from them fully repaid the extra toil of his
journey to San Miguel, for it was here that Markham's
attention was first directed to the value of the careful
cultivation of the cascarilla- trees* with which in later
years his name was to be so intimately associated. His
two friends at San Miguel descanted in glowing terms
on the great future of the Montana, and referred most
hopefully to the cultivation of these trees which grow
so luxuriantly on the slopes of the Andes.
In the Montana region, as was to be expected, he
experienced intense heat, and travelling was rendered
all the more arduous by the dense tropical vegetation
through which he had to cut his way. It was while
struggling through this thick scrub that he obtained
a glimpse his only one of the broad Madre de Dios
River, near the spot where it is formed by the confluence
of the Rio Pinapina from the north-west, the Rio Turo
from the west, and the Rio Cosnipata from the south.
It was a grand sight and aroused all his geographical
enthusiasm.
* Of the genus Cinchona, whence quinine is obtained.
CH.X] CUZCO TO LIMA 159
At length, after an interesting but somewhat fatiguing
journey of thirty-four days, he reached Cuzco. It had
been a profitable excursion. His knowledge of Inca
lore had been largely increased, and he had traversed
a portion of the interior of South America hitherto
but little known to European travellers. He had every
reason to be pleased and satisfied with the results of his
journey. His former host, Don Manuel de la Guarda, wel-
comed him back, and insisted that he should occupy his
old quarters. Dr.Taforo, too, had much to tell him, for
in Markham's absence he had made all the necessary
arrangements for the journey to Arequipa, and thence
onwards to Lima. In addition he had arranged to
accompany Markham to Lima himself, with a party
which consisted of Dr. La Puerta (who was going to
Lima with his daughter Victoria to take up his appoint-
ment as Judge of the Supreme Court), Don Manuel Novoa,
and three youths returning to the college at Lima. It
was a large party, and it promised to be a lively one.
Markham had reached Cuzco on the i6th of May, and
their departure was fixed for the i8th, so that he had
not much time to spare for saying good-bye to the
numerous friends who had received him so kindly.
Probably he would never see them again, and, in the
short time he had been among them, so friendly and
hospitable had they been that he had come to regard
them almost with affection. He was leaving, too, the
zenith of his dreams, the city of the Children of the Sun,
the heart of Inca history and tradition. It was with
a sad face that he took his last look at the Enchanted
City, and his heart was very full as he turned to follow
his companions.
As they rode out of Cuzco, the cavalcade consisted of
no less than twenty- two mules. The route travelled
was new to Markham, who delighted in the magnificent
scenery that surrounded them. Passing the great lake
of Tungasaca, they spent the night at the little town of
Yanaoca, probably the highest town in the world, for
160 CUZCO TO LIMA [CH. x
it is some 14,250 feet above sea-level. It is situated
in the midst of a large grassy plateau on which herds
of llamas and alpacas were grazing. Shortly afterwards
they reached a succession of still more elevated plains,
many of them covered with flocks of the graceful
vicuna. One night the little village of Langui was
selected as their resting-place, for it was historically
interesting to Markham as being the spot where Tupac
Amaru and his family were taken prisoners and carried
off to Cuzco to be tortured to death. As evening closed,
their path lay along the shore of Lake Tungasaca;
waves were breaking at their feet, and the blue water
stretched for miles to the distant mountains. Overhead
a cloudless sky added to the impressiveness of the scene.
Three days' journey brought them to the village of
Ocururo, on the outskirts of the department of Cuzco.
This was the last place at which they were to see the
natives in their picturesque Inca costume. Thence a
steep path covered with snow conducted them over a
pass the summit of which was 17,740 feet above the
sea-level. That night they slept at the little post-hut of
Rumihuasi, reputed to be the highest human habitation
in the world, for it is at a considerably higher altitude than
the summit of Mont Blanc. The cold was intense, all
the mountain streams were frozen; but, in spite of the
severity of the weather and the difficulties incidental to
the cooking of food, their spirits never flagged, and as
they climbed steep mountain-paths, or descended
almost precipitous declivities, they beguiled the time
by singing songs in various tongues. The distance
which they accomplished each day was between
twenty-five and thirty miles, according to the length of
the stages between their resting-places; and, of course,
their daily rate of travelling was largely influenced by
the weather. Frequently their shelter for the night was
an unfurnished hut, but, as they were fairly well supplied
with provisions, they were always sure of a meal.
They were now proceeding due south on the road
CH. x] CUZCO TO LIMA 161
to Arequipa. The following extract from Markham's
journal will give some idea of their journey:
" At last we came to two stone huts and a large
corral surrounded by a stone wall, which was the post-
house of Ayavirini . Victoria (the only lady of the party)
was of the right sort, and game to the last, though the
cold was intense. Directly we arrived she sprang from
her mule, loosened its girths, and began at once to look
about for the means of procuring supper. There was
only one inhabitant, who swore by all his saints that
there was nothing to eat. At length one of our party
discovered a doorway in the other hut blocked up with
stones. We proceeded to pull them down, and were
rewarded by finding potatoes, firewood, and a quantity
of llama skins. Two of our party had collapsed. We
soon had a blazing fire and the potatoes in a fair way of
becoming a very good Irish stew without meat. Under
the superintendance of Victoria and one of the gentle-
men of the party, a fairly good supper was produced,
yet Dr. La Puerta was cross, and even Dr. Taforo was
barely philosophical, certainly not cheerful, for. the
baggage mules were still far behind. As for beds, we
did the best we could with the llama skins. We were
all dead tired, and slept well."
This was more or less the daily routine They usually
started in the morning between seven and eight o'clock,
immediately after breakfast, and halted for about an
hour at midday to rest the mules and have lunch.
The night was passed in any hut they came to between
6 and 1 1 p.m.
From this time the road became a gradual descent,
the snow began to disappear, and the weather became
perceptibly warmer. Lofty cacti rose on each side of
the path, and hardy flowers assisted to make the hitherto
cheerless road look brighter. On the 28th of May
they beheld for the first time Mount Misti,* the lofty
volcanic peak overshadowing the city of Arequipa.
In size, shape, and legendary interest, it is to Peru
very much what Fujiyama is to Japan. On the following
* This volcano is in the shape of a perfect cone. Its summit is
2 0,320 feet above the level of the sea.
162 CUZCO TO LIMA [CH.X
evening they rode into the city, not at all sorry to
exchange the discomforts incidental to such a journey
as they had achieved, for the comforts of civilisation.
Markham became the guest of a family named Lan-
dazuri who resided in a beautiful villa surrounded by a
large garden situated above the city. The remainder
of the party went to their several destinations.
At Arequipa, Markham enjoyed a well-earned rest,
during which time he made all the necessary arrange-
ments for his voyage home. He had noticed during
their recent journey from Cuzco that the muleteer
belonging to Dr. La Puerta was a very trustworthy
man, and invariably kind to the animals placed under
his charge. He therefore made him a present of his
two mules, being anxious that they should have a good
home, " having served him so well over deserts and
mountains in tropical heat and Arctic snows." He was
sorry to part with his old friend and travelling companion,
Dr. Taforo, for whom he had conceived a great affection,
and he was pleased to think that this feeling was re-
ciprocated by so gifted a man. Some years after, Dr.
Taforo was enthroned Archbishop of Santiago in Chile.
On the 1 8th of June Markham left Arequipa with
Dr. La Puerta 's party, who were continuing their journey
to Lima. On this trip there were few or no ascents to
be made; indeed, it was downhill almost all the way.
One portion of it was somewhat fatiguing, for they
were obliged to cross a sandy desert seventy-five miles
in extent. On the 2Oth they reached the little seaport
of I slay, where they embarked on the steamer Bogota,
and arrived at Callao on the 23rd. Thus was brought
to a successful conclusion his long-planned Peruvian
expedition.
Throughout the entire trip he had experienced nothing
but kindness from all with whom he had come in con-
tact, and he was never tired of alluding to the great
hospitality and disinterestedness of his Peruvian friends.
He undertook his expedition, as he informs us in the
account of his travels to Cuzco, solely with a view to the
CH. x] CUZCO TO LIMA 163
examination of Peruvian antiquities, and for the enjoy-
ment of its magnificent scenery; but he found, before
he had been very long in the country, that the unaffected
kindness of its warm-hearted inhabitants was even more
attractive than the fascinating history of the Incas,
and that a journey through the land of the Children
of the Sun was one of the most enjoyable expeditions
that could possibly be undertaken.
On his arrival at Lima, Markham found that H.M.S.
Portland, the flagship of the Pacific Squadron, was at
Callao. On board were many of his old shipmates and
naval friends. He promptly boarded her, and old
friendships were renewed with mutual delight. He
was made an honorary member of the wardroom mess,
and, needless to say, was frequently on board arrang-
ing little excursions round about Lima, in which he
acted as cicerone. He also joined them in many mad
pranks on shore; one, of which it seems he was the
originator, was to run a race in a straight line across the
town over walls and roofs and across backyards, but
without making use of any streets or roads, which were
strictly prohibited. A great number of the officers
entered for this race, and one was handicapped by having
to carry a live kitten in his arms ! The affair created
some disturbance and a good deal of alarm to the in-
habitants; however, those taking part in the race
succeeded in getting home without being identified 1
The name of the winner is not recorded.
Markham had not received any home letters or papers
on his arrival at Lima ; it was therefore a great shock to
him, as well as the deepest sorrow, that in an old copy
of The Times brought to him by one of his friends, he
read the announcement of his father's death. This
naturally hastened his departure for England. He left
Callao on the i2th of August, was at Panama on the
22nd, and arrived at Colon the following day. The
island of St. Thomas in the West Indies was reached
on the ist of September, and on the I7th of the same
month he landed at Southampton.
CHAPTER XI
THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA
THE home-coming of Clements Markham was indeed
a sad one. All, of course, were delighted to see him
back after his long and arduous experiences in the
interior of South America; but his return under the
distressing circumstances of such an irreparable loss
caused by the death of his father was very keenly felt
by him. By his death he had lost one who was in
every respect his Guide, Philosopher, and Friend. His
father had never thwarted his designs, so long as the
consummation of them would not, in his opinion, be
detrimental to the ultimate interests of his son; and
he gave way to Markham 's strenuous appeals to leave
the Navy, though he was personally opposed to such
a measure. They were much attached to each other;
they were companions and friends in every sense of the
term.
There was much for him to do on his return. His
first care was for his mother and sisters. The houses
at Horkesley and Windsor had, of course, been given
up, but soon he had them settled in a comfortable house
in Onslow Square. Yet, with all these family matters
to occupy his attention, he still found time to complete
and publish for private circulation a History of the
Markham Family which his father had been instrumental
in compiling. At last everything was settled, and he
was able to accept the numerous invitations from friends
as well as relations interested in his work. His spare
164
CH.XI] THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA 165
time was occupied in the compilation of a paper in con-
nection with his recent travels which he had been invited
to read before the Geographical Society. He was also
employed in collecting the necessary data from his
journal for the book which he contemplated publishing
on his recent expedition to Cuzco and Lima.
Markham could not afford to lead an idle life, even if
his inclination would have allowed him to do so. The
occupations upon which he was engaged were not of
a highly remunerative nature, and it was therefore
necessary that he should set to work to obtain some
permanent employment. He succeeded at length in
obtaining an appointment as a junior clerk in the Legacy
Duty Office of the Inland Revenue. This carried with
it a salary of 90 per annum, rising to the exorbitant
figure of i 30 per annum after ten years' service ! How-
ever, it was better than nothing, and in December, 1853,
Markham began his duties at Somerset House as a
probationer.
His work was not of an interesting nature, for it con-
sisted chiefly in writing up ponderous registers and
preparing an index for the purpose of reference. Such
duties were anything but congenial to his active mind,
and, as he himself asserts, could easily have been carried
out by the dullest of attorney's clerks. The greater
part of the short time that he filled this appointment
he devoted to the compilation (for his own informa-
tion) of a history and description of Somerset House.
But, in spite of the interest he took in the historical
associations of the place, his immediate surroundings
were anything but pleasing. The office in which he
passed the greater part of the day was begrimed with the
accumulated dust of ages, the windows were impervious
to light owing to layers of London dirt, the floor was
unwashed and uncarpeted, the ceiling was black with
decades of congealed soot, and the shelves round the
room groaned under the weight of massive tomes
smothered in generations of dust, containing the wishes
12
1 66 THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA [CH. xi
of those long dead. This was not the ideal life for an
explorer; for one whose existence hitherto had been
passed in the open air ; nor did it offer sufficient scope to
satisfy the energy and abilities of a man with so active
a mind as Markham's. A wider and more interesting
field of action was evidently essential. Fortunately, a
change came, sooner even than he had anticipated.
His delight may be imagined when, after six months
of this tedious drudgery in Somerset House, he was
offered an appointment in the Department of the Board
of Control, an administrative department which acted in
conjunction with the East India Company in carrying
out the responsible duties of the Government of India.
It ceased to exist when the Company was abolished
after the suppression of the Indian Mutiny, and the
India Office was established in its stead.
It was an offer that Markham gladly accepted, and he
entered upon his new duties with cheerful alacrity. They
were in striking contrast to those that he had so willingly
relinquished. In the Legacy Duty Office the work was
uninteresting and the chance of promotion uncertain,
the remuneration was scanty, and, what was almost
of more importance, few of his colleagues in the office
were men of gentle birth and education. It was far
otherwise in the Board of Control. There the work was
of an exceedingly interesting nature, for he was placed
in the " Secret and Confidential Branch " ; and his duties
consisted in copying letters and despatches, some of
absorbing interest, from India, Persia, Syria, and other
Oriental countries. He was now quite happy, and eagerly
devoted any spare time at his disposal to his own
particular interests, and especially to geography.
On the 27th of November, 1854, he was proposed by
Sir Roderick Murchison and elected a Fellow of the
Royal Geographical Society. Thus began his close
connection with that Society in which he was so greatly
interested, a connection that lasted sixty- two years,
and terminated only with his 'death. On the i2th of
CH.XI] THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA 167
February following, he contributed his first paper.
Prior to the meeting he dined at the Geographical
Club* as the guest of Sir Roderick Murchison, and they
went on to the meeting together. Admiral Beechey
presided, and he had a crowded and appreciative audi-
ence. The subject of his paper was " Sources of the
River Purus " in Peru (another name for the Rio
Madre de Dios). It all passed off very well; he had
a good reception and was much pleased. About this
time he wrote an article for Blackwood's Magazine
on " The Modern Literature of Peru," which was well
reviewed .
But, in spite of these occupations, he did not allow
the friendships formed in his younger days to lapse.
He frequently ran down to Portsmouth to see his
naval friends. On one of these visits he noticed an
engraving in the room of one of his old shipmates.
It represented the Hindoo Princess Sakontala, wandering
through the forest with two fawns licking her hand.
It was so pleasing that it made a great impression upon
him ! He thought of it by day and dreamt of it by
night. In consequence he became an ardent student of
Indian mythology, and consulted all the authorities
that were likely to give him any information regarding
the synthetical history of the beautiful Princess. He
became infatuated with everything appertaining to
the ancient history of India, especially its legends and
literature, and he grew enthusiastic over the poet
Colidas (most renowned of the dramatic poets of ancient
India), who had immortalised the romantic life of the
lovely Princess. Eventually he became as great an
authority on this particular subject as he was on the
folk-lore of Peru.
On another occasion when he was visiting Portsmouth,
he was present at the sailing of the Baltic Fleet from
Spithead, under the command of Admiral Sir Charles
* In those days the members of the Geographical Club held their
dinners at the Thatched House.
1 68 THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA [CH. xi
Napier. This was on the 4th of April, 1855. The
fleet consisted of seventeen ships of the line, with
numerous frigates, sloops, and steamers. It was an
event that caused a great deal of excitement at the time,
and Markham speaks of the patriotic enthusiasm dis-
played by the crowds of sight-seers who lined Southsea
Beach and Common to witness the departure of the
fleet.
As he was much interested at this time in the history
of Mohammedanism, the Moorish history of Spain
attracted his attention. He at once began to study
Arabic under the tuition of a Maronite of Mount
Lebanon, Joseph Churi by name, who had taught and
travelled with his old friend Captain Peel. This last
recommendation alone was quite sufficient for Markham
to engage the man's services for an hour or more every
forenoon. He soon mastered the verbs, and became
much interested in the language.
In the autumn of 1855 ne made a very pleasant trip
up the Rhine accompanied by one of his sisters. As
he had been working hard at his book " Cuzco and
Lima," the holiday was a well-earned one. The book
made its appearance on the 3rd of February, 1856, and
was well received alike by the public and the Press.
Special commendatory notices appeared in the Literary
Gazette, the Examiner, the Critic, and the Morning
Advertiser.
Of course he sent a copy to his friend in the United
States, W. H. Prescott, the gifted author of the " Con-
quest of Peru," who, in acknowledging the book, spoke
so highly of its excellence and historical accuracy as to
cause Markham to value his remarks far more than the
most favourable reviews that appeared in the English
Press.
And now occurred what was to him the greatest
event of his life. On the roth of July, 1856, he met for
the first time Miss Minna Chichester, daughter of the
Rev. James Hamilton Chichester, Rector of Arlington,
CLEMENTS MARKHAM (AGED 25).
To face page i6g, _ *>
CH.XI] THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA 169
and niece of Sir Bruce Chichester, of Arlington Court in
Devonshire. It seems to have been a case of love at
first sight, for he notes in his journal that on the third
day after their introduction, he took her to see St.
Paul's Cathedral ! On the i8th of November he pro-
posed and was accepted, and they were married at
Arlington on the 23rd of April, 1857. Thus commenced
a period of unalloyed happiness, a lifelong companion-
ship terminating only with his death, nearly sixty years
later. It was an ideal union. Not only were they
devoted to one another, but, to use a common expression,
they were suited to each other in every possible respect.
They had common interests and the same tastes, both
were excellent linguists, they were never so happy
as when in each other's company, and were seldom
parted, participating in each other's pleasures, mutually
sharing together their troubles and sorrows, and of the
greatest help to each other in countless ways. In the
translation of many of his works, especially those of a
Spanish or Dutch origin, she it was who brought him
greatest aid, and by her sympathetic understanding
encouraged and materially assisted him in many of
his literary ventures. They settled down in a house
in St. George's Road, and here on the 4th of October,
1859, to the great joy and delight of the parents, was
born their only child, May.
During all this time,.Markham continued to carry out
zealously his duties at the India Office. He was much
interested in the special department in which he was
employed, and his work was never of so arduous a nature
as to prevent him from getting away for short periods
at a time, so as to enable him to pay visits and to
occupy himself in other pursuits unconnected with his
official duties. For instance, in August, 1857, ne wrote
a paper on M'Clintock's search for, and discovery of the
fate of, Sir John Franklin, which he read before the
Geographical Section of the British Association in
Dublin.
1 70 THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA [CH. xi
Ever since his return from Peru, his thoughts reverted
frequently to the cinchona-trees* that he had seen on the
slopes of the Andean Cordilleras, and he pondered much
on the information given to him by his two friends at
San Miguel, regarding the immense value and impor-
tance of quinine as a febrifuge. The reckless extrava-
gance with which the quinine-bearing trees in South
America had been cut down, stripped of their bark, and
ruthlessly destroyed, by adventurers intent only on
making their own fortunes, without interference by the
Governments of either Peru or Bolivia, gave him much
food for thoughtful reflection .
No attempt had been made by the authorities of the
cinchona-growing districts to conserve or otherwise pro-
tect the trees, and it was obviously desirable that some
measures with this end in view should be taken, since the
world was dependent upon South America alone for its
supply of the drug. The experiment of transplanting
the trees had already been made by the Dutch, who had
attempted their culture in Java. But the result was
not altogether a success, owing to the introduction of
an indifferent species of cinchona, and to mistakes made
in the cultivation of the plants. In spite of these
failures, Markham felt certain that it would be possible
to cultivate the trees successfully in some of our own
tropical possessions, where the climate closely ap-
proached that of their native habitat.
His connection with the India Office afforded him
the opportunity of becoming acquainted, in all its
details, with the terrible scourge of fever so preva-
lent in India, affecting European and native alike. He
deemed it of the utmost importance to combat this
widespread evil, and came to the conclusion that the
only way to do this effectually was to take immediate
steps to introduce and cultivate quinine in those districts
' The name cinchona was bestowed by Linnaeus, the famous
Swedish botanist, in honour of the Countess of Chinchon, who was
one of the first to derive benefit from the use of this invaluable drug.
CH.XI] THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA 171
in which its use would be most beneficial. In India,
he argued, it would be possible to find a climate and
localities favourable to the growth and propagation of
the plants. So intense was his desire to carry out this
project that he formulated plans for collecting cinchona
trees and seeds from their natural homes in Peru,
Bolivia, and the region of the upper waters of the
Amazon, with the object of transporting them to selected
sites in India.
These plans he was permitted to lay before the Revenue
Committee of the India Office with a view of their being
adopted, if approved. So highly important were they
regarded by the authorities, that in the latter part of
1859 Markham was selected by the Secretary of State
for India, to carry out all the arrangements for the
collection in South America of cinchona plants and
seeds, of those particular species known to be of medicinal
value, and to superintend their transportation and
introduction into India.
This was an important mission to be entrusted to
so young a man he was but twenty-nine at the time
and to one who had been so recently appointed
to the India Office; but, as events turned out, a
better choice could not have been made. That he was
eminently fitted for the purpose by his recent travels
in Peru, his knowledge of the interior, and his acquaint-
ance with the language, could not be questioned. But
the task that was being entrusted to him required not
only zeal and ability for exploration, but considerable
tact. The Peruvian authorities, as well as the natives,
were not likely to permit freely such a valuable com-
modity as quinine to be exported on a large scale for
cultivation elsewhere, especially as they possessed prac-
tically the monopoly of its supply. In other words, it
would be necessary to smuggle the plants out of the
country without arousing suspicion in the minds of the
local authorities. This being accomplished the plants and
seeds would have to be conveyed to India and Ceylon,
i;2 THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA [CH. xi
where they would be distributed in certain districts
specially selected for their cultivation.
Of the national importance of the project it is unneces-
sary to dilate. The successful introduction of products of
the vegetable kingdom into lands far distant from their
indigenous soil, has been one of the greatest blessings
vouchsafed to mankind. By his individual exertions
in promoting and carrying out this enterprise, Clements
Markham brought relief to a fever-stricken population,
and assured to the world a plentiful supply of an indis-
pensable drug, while providing a new industry and
source of wealth to our great Dependency. It cannot
be doubted that in so doing he raised a monument to
himself " more durable than the proudest monuments
of engineering skill."
The region in South America in which the cinchona-
trees flourish extends, roughly, from about 20 South
latitude to 10 North latitude, following very closely
the almost semicircular curve of the Andean range
for a distance of about 1,700 miles of latitude. They
grow in a fairly cool and equable temperature (even in
the equatorial regions) on the slopes and in the valleys
of the Andes, as high as 9,000 feet, and never below
2,500 feet, above the sea-level. The enterprise was
admittedly a difficult and hazardous one. It necessi-
tated a laborious journey with a train of baggage animals
and men through a country which, in many parts,
had not been hitherto visited by English travellers.
They would be compelled to force their way through
almost impenetrable forests covered with dense under-
growth, and would have to conceal from the natives,
as far as possible, the real object of their journey.
There would also be hardships and privations of no
ordinary nature to be borne and overcome.
The organising of the expedition needed careful
thought. Markham was to be assisted by four English-
men, specially selected for their experience of the cinchona
plants and their knowledge of the country. One of
CH.XI] THE QUEST FOR^CINCHONA 173
them, Mr. Spruce, was an experienced botanist who had
spent many years in the wilds of South America. To
his zeal and untiring efforts in carrying out the duties
entrusted to him, a large share of the success of the
enterprise was due. Markham determined at the outset
on dividing the expedition into three separate parties.
One, under the leadership of Mr. Spruce, was to proceed
to the cinchona forests situated in Ecuador. The
forests of the Peruvian province of Huanuco were
allotted to a Mr. Prichett, who was well acquainted
with that particular district, while Markham undertook
to explore the forests of Caravaya, and if necessary
those situated in Bolivia also. His principal object
in employing his agents in regions so widely removed
from each other was to secure as many different speci-
mens of the most valuable species as possible; and he
also wisely considered that it was preferable to have
more than one string to his bow in the event a not
unlikely one of the failure which might possibly con-
front a single-handed attempt. By means of these three
independent expeditions he hoped, not unreasonably,
that success would reward the efforts of at least one of
them. It was a well-conceived idea, and, as it turned
out, a wise one; for they were able to procure a greater
variety of the cinchona than otherwise they could have
done, if the collection had been limited to only one
region.
Having completed all his arrangements, and accom-
panied by his wife and a Mr. Weir, a botanical expert
specially selected to assist him, he left England on the
1 7th of December, 1859, and, crossing the Isthmus of
Panama, arrived at Lima on the 26th of January, 1860.
The moment he landed, he found himself surrounded by
old friends, delighted to welcome him back again to
Lima, and eager to extend the same hospitable reception
to Mrs. Markham which they had always proffered to
him. A month was spent in Lima organising the
party and arranging for supplies and their transport, a
174 THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA [CH. xi
somewhat formidable undertaking. This done, they
proceeded to the port of Islay, which was more con-
veniently situated than Lima for the beginning of their
journey into the interior of Peru.
On the 6th of March, the transport animals having
arrived safely, and everything being in readiness, a
start was made for Arequipa along the same route as
Markham had travelled seven years before. But under
what different circumstances had that journey been
made ! Then, he was returning to Lima after accom-
plishing a remarkable journey which he had undertaken
on his own account and solely in his own interest;
now, he was the trusted and responsible agent of th^
British Government, despatched on a mission which, if
brought to a successful issue, would not only redound
greatly to his credit, but prove of priceless benefit to
humanity.
Arequipa* was reached on the nth of March, and
here they remained for ten days, resting the baggage
animals and making their final preparations for the
long journey into the interior. As it would have been
quite out of the question for Mrs. Markham to accom-
pany her husband further, arrangements had to be made
for her stay at Arequipa during his absence. Through
the kindness of friends who were all eager to have the
pleasure of entertaining her in their houses, this was
easily arranged. At early dawn on the 23rd of March
Markham left on his long, toilsome journey to Puno,
travelling along the same route which he had taken in
1853. But after a few days, instead of continuing along
the Cuzco road, the party branched off to the east-
ward, and, still ascending, they soon experienced the
unpleasant effects of the icy blasts which are so prev-
alent in the upper region of the Cordilleras. Drizzling
mists and cloudy weather added to their discomforts.
* The name Arequipa is reputed to be derived from the Quichua
words Aric quipa, signifying " behind the sharp peak " namely,
Mount Misti.
CH.XI] THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA 175
On reaching Apo, which is 14,350 feet above sea-
level, the majority of the party, including the mule-
drivers and even the transport animals, were attacked
by mountain sickness, a malady that not infrequently
terminates fatally. Markham describes the symptoms
from which he suffered :
" It began with a violent pressure on the head, accom-
panied by acute pain and aches in the back of the neck,
causing great pain and discomfort, and these symptoms
increased in intensity during the night at the Apo
post-house, so that at 3 a.m., when we recommenced our
journey, I was unable to mount my mule without
assistance."*
The post-houses erected for the benefit of travellers
in the desolate mountain passes between Arequipa and
Puno were invariably of the same character. They
consisted of low stone buildings, so constructed as to
form the three sides of a courtyard, and were each
divided into five small rooms with mud floors. The
furniture consisted of a rough table in each room, and
there was a raised platform of dried mud and stone on
one side on which the weary travellers reposed. The
roof was either thatched or indifferently tiled, and the
doors so roughly made that it was impossible to close
them I
As they pursued their way, they saw many herds
of vicunas browsing peacefully on the slopes of the
mountains, or galloping along at great speed, with
their noses close to the ground, as if scenting out
the best pastures. The mountain streams and they
were numerous were often a source of delay to the
travellers. So winding were they that in one day
* When travelling from Arequipa to Puno in 1881, the writer also
suffered from this so-called sorochi or mountain sickness, when he had
reached an altitude of 15,000 feet, and can testify to the accuracy of
the symptoms here related, except, he would like to add, that violent
sickness is also a very prevalent symptom. The effects in his case
did not wear off until some days after he had reached sea-level.
1 76 THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA [CH. xi
their path led them across the same river about a dozen
times !
After travelling over an extensive plain in almost
continuous snowstorms, they reached the " Alto de
Toledo," the highest part of their route, 15,590 feet
above sea-level, and shortly after came to the post-
house of Cuevillas, where they halted for the night. In
the immediate neighbourhood were two large lakes,
from one of which a river flows direct into Lake Titicaca,
thus conclusively showing that they were passing the
watershed between that great lake and the Pacific
Ocean. The scenery, though desolate and sterile, was
grand and impressive, and in some of its aspects it
reminded Markham of similar prominent scenic features
observed by him in the Arctic Regions. The tempera-
ture at this stage of their journey was generally at or
about freezing-point, though it rose slightly during
the day, as the power of the sun gradually asserted
itself.
The plains into which they descended were often so
swampy as to be almost impassable, and it was with
the greatest difficulty that they could persuade their
animals to cross them. The poor beasts splashed
through the water, sometimes sinking so deeply into
the tenacious mud that it was only by desperate exer-
tions they could extricate themselves.
They had now passed the highest point of their
journey; thence the route led them steadily downwards.
The vicunas had all disappeared, for they confine them-
selves to the loftiest and wildest parts of the mountains ;
but the feeling of solitude caused by their loss was
somewhat compensated for by the increased number and
variety of birds, and by the quantities of wild-flowers
that grew in the vicinity of their route. Plovers were
seen in great numbers, uttering their discordant notes
as they flew overhead or skimmed near the ground in
circles. Green parroquets were also seen, and brightly
coloured finches, also partridges, but what delighted them
CH.XI] THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA 177
most was the glorious coraquenque* the royal bird of
the Incas, the black and white wing feathers of which
were invariably used to surmount the imperial llautu,
or head-fringe, of the reigning sovereigns of Peru.
On reaching the banks of the River Tortorani, they
found it to be so swollen as to be impassable. Following
its course for some distance, they came to a magnificent
waterfall, its waters plunging in a glorious cascade down
a sheer declivity of about 250 feet. A few miles farther
on they crossed by a bridge, and obtained their first
sight of the great lake Titicaca, with the snow-clad
mountains behind it. A steep zigzag path led them
down to the city of Puno, the capital of the department
of the same name. The town is situated on the shores
of the lake, and is hemmed in, like an amphitheatre,
by a wall of silver-yielding mountains.
Lake Titicaca has the reputation of being the highest
lake in the world, at any rate of its size, as it is un-
doubtedly the largest in South America. It is eighty
miles in length, and forty miles wide, and is 13,000 feet
above the level of the sea. In Markham's time the only
vessels, or rather conveyances, that sailed upon it were
* This is evidently the condor the Vultur Gryphus of Linnaeus,
and the Sarcoramphus Gryphus of Cuvier. Its black-and-white
wing feathers correspond to the description given by Garcillasso
de la Vega in his " Commentaries of the Yncas," translated and
printed by the Hakluyt Society in 1871, who, describing the head-
dress worn exclusively by the reigning Inca, writes: " Besides the
red fringe which he wore across his forehead, from one temple to
the other was another device peculiar to himself, consisting of
wing feathers of a bird called ' Coraquenque.' The feathers are
white, with a black patch taken one from one wing, and the other
from the other, so as to match. The birds whence these feathers
are taken inhabit the wild region of Vilcafiota, 32 leagues from the
city of Cuzco, in a small lake at the foot of those inaccessible snowy
mountains. Those who have seen them declare that more than a
couple, male and female, are never seen at a time. It is not known
whence they come, nor where they breed." It is a more handsome
and imposing bird than the common condor; its head feathers are
of a brilliant scarlet hue, the body is black, and it has long wing
feathers of spotless white.
1 78' THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA [CH. xi
large bundles of reeds tied together, called balsas, which
were impelled, when the wind was favourable, by a reed
sail. They were unsinkable, but their progress was neces-
sarily somewhat slow. Now steamers of considerable size,
specially constructed for lake navigation, are employed
both for carrying passengers and cargo to the various
ports on the lake, which, by the way, abounds with fish
of very peculiar forms. Close to Puno are the silver-
bearing mountains of Cancharani and Laycaycota, while
away to the south-east, in the State of Bolivia, is situated
the town of Potosi, celebrated for its argentiferous
deposits.
After much anxious consideration regarding the
political state of affairs between Peru and Bolivia, and
the immediate possibility of war breaking out between
these two nations (which, of course, would have enor-
mously increased the difficulties of his enterprise),
Markham resolved to confine his attention solely to the
Peruvian province of Caravaya. This to his mind
insured the greater prospect of success so far as regards
the transportation of his collections to the coast. He
therefore decided to relinquish all idea of going to
Bolivia, and to proceed at once to the forests of Caravaya.
This was a wise decision, for he discovered subsequently
that the Bolivian authorities were exceedingly jealous of
the monopoly they undoubtedly possessed regarding the
exportation of quinine, and, it was whispered, the nature
of Markham 's mission was already suspected by them.
During his stay at Puno he found time to visit some
old ruins in the immediate neighbourhood, and succeeded
in gathering much information concerning the ancient
history of the country and its interesting inhabitants.
He left Puno on the 7th of April, 1 860. He experienced
some little trouble at starting with his mules. He thus
describes the incident :
" Four vicious-looking brutes accordingly made their
appearance, and we started; but no sooner had we
reached the plain at the top of the zigzag path leading
CH. xi] THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA 179
out of Puno to the north, than they all ran away in
different directions, kicking violently. After hours of
this kind of annoyance, I at last got one of the brutes
into a corner of a stone-fenced field, but just as I was
about to catch him he gave a kick, jumped over the wall,
and went off again. It ended in our having to drag the
mules by their lassos until our arms were nearly torn
out of the sockets, and thus we ignominiously entered
the village of Paucarcolla late in the evening, only twelve
miles from Puno. As for the scenery, I can remember
nothing but vicious mules with their hind-legs kicking
up in the air."
This little incident, one only of many similar occur-
rences, is a sample of the difficulties and worries atten-
dant on the journey of a party in such a country, before
the introduction of railways. They had not even the
benefit of properly constructed roads. Occasionally
they came upon streams that had swollen into broad
rivers, but devoid of bridges, and with no fords that were
passable. The only way was to ferry men and baggage
across on the reed balsas aforementioned; the mules, of
course, had to swim. Nor was rest always to be had
at the huts where they spent the night. At one of the
post-houses at which they stopped they found that a
poor little child had just died. Its body was laid out
on the table, with candles burning before it, while the
friends of the post-master were holding a wake singing,
fiddling, and drinking. Many hailstorms were experi-
enced, and the weather altogether was atrocious. The
mules, too, were a source of continuous trouble. Mark-
ham had no experienced muleteer with him, for, on the
score of economy, he had declined to engage one, think-
ing he would be able to manage the animals him-
self. He soon found out his mistake. Whenever the
brutes had the chance, they would bolt off the road in
different directions, bumping their packs against the
rocks or endeavouring to roll, which, of course, would
soon have smashed everything they were carrying.
In this way Markham was kept constantly employed
1 80 THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA [CH. xi
galloping after the runaways, thus materially adding
to the fatigues of a very fatiguing journey. On more
than one occasion the mules obtained at the post-houses
to make good the casualties incurred on the way proved,
after travelling some little distance, so weak and unfitted
for the work as to necessitate Markham's return to the
post-house to have them exchanged. Altogether it was
a most annoying and difficult journey, but with it all he
was never despondent, always cheery, even in the most
trying circumstances.
From the town of Lampa, where he was hospitably
entertained by the Subprefect, he pursued a northerly
course along a path covered with recently fallen snow,
and up a steep mountain range called Chacunchaca.
The path was a long and dangerous one, with little
mountain torrents running down the slopes and pouring
over it. At Pucara, where he rested for the night, he
passed the evening in the company of the aged Cura,
Don Jos Faustino Dava, who was famed for his know-
ledge of the Quichua language. From him Markham
obtained some valuable information regarding the
antiquities of the Incas and the Quichua tongue.
From Puno to Pucara he had kept on the main-road
to Cuzco, where post-houses were systematically es-
tablished at which he had been able to obtain changes
of mules; but from Pucara this convenience ceased,
and henceforth he was obliged to depend on the kind-
ness of anyone who could be induced to sell or hire their
animals to him.
After a weary ride downhill for several leagues, he
came to the little town of Azangaro, the capital of the
province of that name. He put up for the night at
the house of Don Luiz Quinones, one of the principal
inhabitants, who, as was the invariable custom of the
country, gave him a very cordial welcome. On leaving
Azangaro, the party crossed the river of the same name
by the aid of balsas, the mules swimming alongside,
and thence passed over the rocky range of Paco-bamba
CH.XIJ THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA 181
to the little village of San Jose. Here the transport
animals completely broke down, but by great good
fortune they were able to hire four ponies to take them
as far as Crucero, but on the distinct understanding that
they should be taken no farther. From San Jose" the
road lay up a long ravine for several leagues. This was
the Pass of Sunipana, the height of the summit of which
Markham computed (by means of a boiling-point ther-
mometer) to be 16,700 feet. It was bitterly cold,
but the scenery was magnificent. Here the end of their
journey came in sight, for in the far distance they caught
a glimpse of the mountains of Caravaya. The province
of Caravaya has long been famed as a gold producing
district. The old Inca historian Garcilasso de la Vega
writes :
' The richest gold-mines in Peru are of Collahuaya,
which the Spaniards call Caravaya, whence they obtain
much very fine gold of 24 carats, and they still get
some, but not in such abundance."
The same evening they reached Crucero, so named
from the cross-roads which branch off here to the
various forest villages.
Although the capital of the province of Caravaya,
Crucero is but a collection of comfortless mud houses,
with a small dilapidated church in the (so-called)
plaza. It was intensely cold, and they experienced
heavy snowstorms during the night. Markham records
that while he was there the inhabitants sat wrapped
up in their ponchos without fires, shivering in a dreary,
helpless .way until sunset, when they all retired to bed,
that being the only comfortable and warm place to go
to. In spite of the cheerless dreariness of the place,
he had perforce to remain there a day or two in order
to rest his beasts. On the i8th of April he set out on
his way to the cinchona forests.
The first night after leaving Crucero was spent in
a shepherd's hut. It was built of loose stones, with no
13
1 82 THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA [CH. xi
plaster or mud to fill the chinks, so that the piercingly
cold wind blew right through it. The entrance was
partially screened by a sheepskin hung across the door-
way. The Indian family inhabiting the hut, however,
were most kind and hospitable, and provided them with
plenty of fresh milk. Next morning the party con-
tinued their journey, a hard white frost covering the
ground. At the hut which they reached that evening,
Markham met a red-faced and apparently choleric old
gentleman named Don Martel, who informed him that he
had been a Colonel in the Peruvian Army, and had
suffered persecution for allegiance to his party. He
said that he had lost much money in the quinine trade,
and had a good deal to say, not very complimentary,
about the Dutch agent who had come over to obtain
cinchona plants in 1854 for cultivation in Java. He
went on to say that if the Dutchman, or anyone else,
ever attempted to take cascarilla (cinchona) plants out
of the country again, he would stir up the people to
seize them and cut off their feet ! Markham shrewdly
suspected that all this bluster was intentionally directed
at him, and that by some means or other the quondam
Colonel had received a hint regarding the object of his
journey, and was endeavouring to dissuade him from
proceeding farther. He was not sorry to bid him fare-
well.
The scenery as they passed through the deep and
narrow gorge of Cuyo-cuyo was magnificent. Terraced
gardens, some abandoned, some under cultivation,
rose on either hand where the sides of the gorge were
not too precipitous. Rising at the head of the ravine,
the River Sandia pursued its course past the village of
Cuyo-cuyo, bordered by ferns and wild-flowers. Here
and there a cluster of huts could be seen nestling together
on the terraces above, seemingly suspended in the air.
On the morning of the 2oth of April, they reached
the confluence of the Rivers Sandia and Huaccuyo.
Thenceforward the stream became a roaring torrent,
CH. xi] THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA 183
dashing over huge rocks in its course towards the
village of Sandia. Cascades poured down the sides of
the mountains in every direction. It was a wonderful
scene, and its wild beauty unquestionably assisted
very materially in directing their thoughts from the
execrable and often perilous road along which they
were travelling. The descent from the summit of the
pass over the Caravayan Andes to Sandia is a consider-
able one, for it is nearly 7,000 feet in a distance of about
thirty miles; and the climatic conditions change from
Arctic to subtropical. The pass is 13,600 feet above
sea-level, while Sandia is but 6,930.
On arrival in Sandia (where he remained a couple
of days), Markham discovered that his choleric friend
Don Martel had already communicated with several
of the influential inhabitants of the district, advising
them to raise every obstacle in their power to prevent
him from procuring cinchona plants or seeds with the
object of transplanting them out of the country. He
also found that Don Martel was instigating the people
of all the other villages bordering the cinchona forests
to the same effect. This necessitated an alteration in
Markham 's plans. He had contemplated examining
the forests carefully and leisurely before making his
principal collection, which would be in August, when the
seeds were ripe. He now decided that his only chance
of success, his mission being known, was to collect the
plants as speedily as possible, and thus anticipate any
obstruction that might be contemplated against him.
He was obliged, therefore, to make all his preparations
for the journey into the forests before leaving Sandia, as
there would be no possibility of procuring supplies of
any kind after he left that town. A stock of bread
was procured to last for about a month. This had to
be toasted in the Cura's oven, for it was the only one
in the place. This, with some cheese and chocolate,
formed the provisions for himself and his companion,
Mr. Weir. The remainder of the party was composed of
1 84 THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA [CH. xi
Pablo the mestizo, four Indians, and two mules. Alto-
gether the supplies consisted of tea, sugar, chocolate,
toasted bread, cheese, candles, concentrated beef-tea, a
change of clothes each, instruments, powder and shot, a
tent, ponchos, with maize and salt meat for Pablo and
the Indians. Most of these articles were packed in six
leathern bags and carried by the mules and the Indians.
One of the latter traitorously deserted on the first day
out, leaving only three men, who were barely able to
carry the surplus stores and provisions that could not
be packed on the mules.
They left Sandia late in the afternoon of the 24th of
April. The road led down the ravine along narrow
ledges overhanging the river, which flowed for the most
part between perpendicular cliffs. The path was very
narrow and dangerous, but the scenery was magnificent,
and the vegetation became richer and more tropical
as they descended. The few scattered huts which they
passed possessed no doors, a striking testimony to the
confidence of the inmates in the honesty of the passers-
by. At one part of the road the mountains rose per-
pendicularly on the opposite side of the ravine, only
about 60 yards off, yet the river at the bottom of the
gorge was many hundreds of feet below. This will
give some little idea as to the precipitous nature of the
sides of the ravine. It was here they came across the first
traces of cinchona plants, but not in sufficient quantities
to induce them to begin collecting. Markham, however,
noted and marked down all likely-looking specimens, so
that he would have no difficulty in finding them, if
necessary, on the return journey. The party then made
for the forest-covered valley of Tambopata, a veritable
plantation of cinchona trees.
On reaching the banks of the River Huari-huari they
halted, and camped under a large rock, for there was
no room to pitch a tent. This was their first experience
of camping out, for hitherto they had been able to pass
the nights in the roadside tambos. It was not, however,
CH. xi] THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA 185
a very pleasant experience, for a drizzling rain com-
menced to fall shortly after midnight, and continued
until the morning.
Crossing a rude and somewhat primitive bridge over
the Huari-huari, they made their way next morning
up the face of the steep mountain opposite their camp,
through a dense forest, and into the grassy highlands.
The day was spent in searching for plants, but with
indifferent success. Proceeding, they forced their way
through the forest, their progress being much retarded
by closely matted masses of ferns, fallen bamboos,
and the roots of enormous trees, with an exceedingly
tenacious yellow mud underfoot. In many places,
so overgrown was the forest and so dense the foliage,
that it was almost dark, even at noon, except where a
few gaps in the forest admitted the interrupted rays
of the sun, which shed a pale light across their gloomy
surroundings. It was a weird, uncanny scene.
But it would be wearisome to follow Markham day
by day in his search for plants. One day was almost
the counterpart of another. Suffice it to say that his
labours were crowned with complete success; it was,
however, a success attained only by undaunted per-
severance accompanied by many hardships, 'but always
with that cheerfulness with which he invariably kept his
men in good spirits, while husbanding their strength
and efficiency.
The natives have a habit of rolling up coca leaves
into a ball and chewing it whenever they are engaged
in arduous work. Markham soon adopted this habit,
and found that, in addition to the soothing effect which
it produced, it enabled him to endure longer abstinence
from food with less inconvenience than he would other-
wise have felt, and he was able to climb steep mountains
not only without losing breath, but with a feeling of
lightness and elasticity.
Before attempting to penetrate the depths of the
virgin forest, Markham had succeeded in procuring
1 86 THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA [CH. xi
a guide named Martinez, who was thoroughly ac-
quainted with all the different species of cinchona-
trees, besides being an expert woodman, intelligent,
active, and obliging. On the ist of May they entered
the dense entangled forest where, it was generally
believed, no European had ever before penetrated. The
party was now seven in number, and all were provided
with machetes, or long knives, with which to clear the
way. Martinez went in front; the rest followed in
single file. The trees were of great height, and the ground
choked with creepers, masses of fallen bamboos, and
long tendrils which twisted round their ankles and
tripped them up at almost every step. In many places
they had to scramble through this primeval forest along
the verge of giddy precipices overhanging a violent,
rushing river. Frequently they came upon small clear-
ings where some gigantic tree had fallen, bearing all
before it as it dashed over the cliff into the surging
torrent below. Sometimes it took them more than a
quarter of an hour to cut their way through a space of
perhaps only 20 yards in length.
For more than a fortnight they were actively engaged
examining the cinchona region and collecting plants.
The magnitude and variety of the forest trees were very
striking. The imposing character of the scenery in
those vast solitudes was a source of constant enjoyment
to Markham, and lightened materially the fatigues
of a very arduous journey. The torments they suffered
from biting and stinging insects were maddening.
There was one special kind of fly which in a moment
raised swellings and blood-red lumps, causing great pain
and irritation. Even the butterflies and moths were
so numerous and so devoid of fear as to become a
perfect plague.
One evening, on his return to camp dead-beat and
drenched to the skin, Markham found his Indians in
a state of mutiny. They declared that they had been
away long enough, that they had no maize or coca left,
cn.xi] THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA 187
and that they must return at once to their homes.
It required all his persuasive eloquence to induce them
to change their minds. He told them, in their own
expressive language, that if they deserted him they
were liars, thieves, traitors, and children of the devil,
whose punishment would soon overtake them; while
if they were true, and remained loyal to him, they would
be well rewarded. His great effort in the Quichua
tongue had the desired effect, peace was restored, and
harmony reigned once more.
On the jth of May they found to their dismay that their
provisions were entirely expended ; only a few bread-
crumbs remained in a corner of one of the provision
bags. As famine was staring them in the face, a hasty
retreat became an absolute necessity. The plants
were carefully packed in layers of moss, and sewn up in
matting brought specially for the purpose. Altogether
about 200 cinchona plants were collected and packed.
Their start was not made under pleasing conditions.
It was pouring with rain, the forest was saturated,
they were soaked to the skin, their hands wrinkled like
a washerwoman's after a hard day's washing, and their
gunpowder was so damp as to be useless. On reaching
the precipice of Ccasasani, they scrambled up its slippery
sides in the rain, and were fortunate in securing 2 1 good
specimens. The following day they obtained no less
than 172, and on the succeeding day they gathered 109.
They had now collected a sufficient number of cinchona
plants to warrant their return, quite enough to fill the
Wardian cases* which were awaiting their arrival at the
port of Islay.
Residing in the valley of Tambopata was an old
Bolivian named Don Juan de la Cruz Gironda. He had
been most obliging and helpful to Markham, and had
* Cases specially designed and constructed for the conveyance
of the cinchona plants during long journeys. They were filled with
soil to a depth of 9 or 10 inches, in which the specimens were planted,
"nd kept well watered during the voyage.
1 88 THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA [CH. xi
supplied him with his guide Martinez. Without his
aid, Markham and his party would have been exposed
to much suffering from want of food . On the 1 1 th of
May, the packing of the plants being nearly com-
pleted, Gironda received an ominous letter from the
Alcalde Municipal of Quiaca, ordering him to prevent
a single plant from leaving the district, and to arrest
Markham with his guide Martinez and send them to
Quiaca !
This was somewhat disconcerting. It appeared that
an outcry against the Englishman's proceedings had
been started by Don Manuel Martel, the red-faced gentle-
man whom Markham had met on the road to Sandia,
and that the people of that town and Quiaca had been
excited and perturbed by assertions that the exportation
of cascarilla seeds would certainly result in the financial
ruin of themselves and their descendants. Gironda,
though friendly and hospitable, feared the anger of the
people, for, he thought, they would always regard him as
the man who had been instrumental in permitting a
stranger to injure his countrymen. In his own defence,
he suggested that the plants should be thrown away,
with the exception, perhaps, of a few that might be
smuggled out of the country unknown to the authorities.
This, however, was not Markham 's view, after all the
trouble he had taken to obtain them ; but he realised the
necessity of an immediate retreat. It was the only hope
of saving the plants, which he was prepared to defend by
force, if necessary. At the same time he addressed a
letter to the Alcalde of Quiaca informing him that his
interference was an unwarrantable step which he could
not tolerate, and reminding him that his office was
purely consultative and legislative, conferring upon him
no executive powers whatever. He concluded by ex-
pressing his sense of the Alcalde's patriotic zeal, while
regretting that it should be accompanied by such mis-
guided and lamentable ignorance of the true interests
of rnV country [!
CH.XI] THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA 189
Nevertheless, in spite of the delay which he hoped to
procure by this somewhat grandiloquent effusion, he felt
that it was imperative to leave the district immediately.
The urgency of his decision was accentuated when he
learnt, from the Indian who had brought the letter from
Quiaca, that Martel's son with a party were approaching,
and that they were only the vanguard of a large body
of mestizos* who were coming down the valley to seize
him and destroy his collection of plants. Accordingly,
early on the morning of the i2th he took leave of his
kind old friend Gironda and set out. As he writes in his
journal, " The most melancholy part of travelling is
the parting with friends never to meet again."
After an exceedingly laborious ascent through the
forest, they unexpectedly came across Martel's son and
his party, who were, apparently, lying in wait for them.
No attempt was made, however, to oppose or otherwise
impede their passage; but Markham made an osten-
tatious display of his revolver, which, as he remarks,
" may have been very efficacious, though perfectly
harmless, as the powder was quite damp." Young
Martel asked the Indians how they dared to be so
unpatriotic as to assist in conveying the plants out of
the country, at the same time informing them that
they would certainly get no farther than Sandia, where
the plants would be seized and confiscated. He was,
however, very civil to Markham, and permitted him
and his party to proceed on their way without further
molestation. They were not a little apprehensive,
however, as to the turn affairs might take on their
arrival at Sandia.
Crossing the same country they had traversed on the
outward journey, and still adding to their collection
of plants whenever opportunities offered, they reached
Sandia on the 1 5th of May, where Markham found a some-
what alarming state of affairs existed. The people were
* Mestizo, a. half-caste, born of a Spaniard and a South American
native.
190 THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA [CH. xi
wildly excited, consequent on the receipt of letters and
reports from Quiaca, and they were resorting to tactics
which would undoubtedly have succeeded in their object,
but for a great piece of good luck. Difficulties were
placed in the travellers' way to prevent them from
purchasing or hiring mules, except to go to Crucero,
where they knew Martel was stationed with the in-
tention of delaying them until the plants had all been
killed by the frost. Markham was in despair, and even
contemplated the mad project of setting out on foot
by himself, with the four bundles of plants on his own
mule. In this dilemma he was approached by Don
Manuel Mena (a member of the municipal body whose
acquaintance he had made on his first visit to Sandia),
who confidentially informed him that, if he would give
him his gun, he (Don Manuel) would find an Indian
who could supply him with beasts and accompany him
to Vilque, on the road to Arequipa.
Markham readily consented to this arrangement,
only too glad to have the difficulty solved. He then
despatched Mr. Weir and Pablo to Crucero, so as to
throw Martel off the scent, while he hurried the plants
down to the coast by a most difficult but unfrequented
line of country. The tidings, however, had been
promulgated, and effectual measures had been taken
to prevent his return to Caravaya for plants and seeds
in August, as he had previously arranged. Martel
had also written to all the towns and villages between
Crucero and Arequipa to put obstacles in the way of
his retreat, so it was necessary for him to avoid passing
through all populous districts. He determined, there-
fore, to shape a direct compass course over the Cor-
dilleras from Sandia to Vilque.
This was a hazardous and difficult journey, but no other
way appeared to offer a better prospect of success. He
was well aware of the stupendous difficulties and dangers
that his scheme involved, but he had confidence in
himself, and trusted to his own energy and good luck
CH.XI] THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA 191
to bring it to a successful issue. He left Sandia early
on the morning of the i;th of May, mounted on his
trusty mule, and driving before him two others laden
with the plants. He was accompanied only by an
Indian as a guide, named Angelino Paco, who was the
owner of the two mules. Mr. Weir started for Arequipa
on the same day by way of Crucero.
Passing through Cuyo-cuyo without stopping, Mark-
ham had ascended a mountain gorge by the side of the
river, when he discovered, to his dismay, that Paco
had never been away from the valley of Sandia, knew
nothing of the country through which they travelled,
and was therefore useless as a guide. He was in con-
sequence obliged to trust entirely to himself and his
compass to find his way across the Cordilleras. Night
coming on, they encamped ; but there was no fuel, and on
opening the bag they found that all their food and
matches had been stolen in Sandia. The situation was,
to say the least, awkward, and Markham had to rely
entirely on Pace's parched maize for sustenance. It
proved uncommonly hard fare 1 The cold was intense
during the night.
They resumed their march at daybreak, and, reaching
the summit of the snow-covered Cordillera of Caravaya,
continued their journey over lofty grass-covered plains
where the ground was frozen hard. As they advanced
all signs of life disappeared, and when evening set in
Markham looked round on the desolate scene, and
realised that to make a direct cut across the mountain
range to Vilque entailed a very disagreeable and danger-
ous journey. They had been eleven hours in the saddle,
when Paco fortunately found a deserted shepherd's
hut built of loose stones, about 3 feet high, and thatched
with wild-grass, in which they spent the night. The
temperature was as low as 20 F.
Next morning they found that the mules had wan-
dered away, and three hours were spent in finding and
catching them. These beasts gave them much trouble
192 THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA [CH. xi
and required constant supervision. If left to themselves
for a moment, they would attempt to lie down and roll,
which, needless to say, would have been fatal to the
plants that were strapped on their backs.
On the third evening out from Sandia they arrived
unexpectedly at a rather well-to-do estancia, or sheep
farm. It was occupied by a family of good-tempered
Indians, who gave them unlimited supplies of milk
and cheese, thus enabling them to relieve the great
hunger from which they had suffered since leaving
Sandia. The next day they reached Lake Arapa, a
large sheet of water which had no existence on any
map. Markham states that he was the first English
traveller who had ever visited it. It was the resort of
immense flocks of flamingoes, and there were also
ibises, ducks, and cranes, in great quantities. On the
22nd of May they reached the little town of Vilque,
where they enjoyed a thoroughly well-earned rest after
their long and fatiguing journey. During all this time
Markham had taken the greatest care of his precious
plants, wrapping them up carefully every night in his
own poncho so as to protect them from the frost.
Their stay at Vilque, however, was brief. Pushing
on as rapidly as possible, they rode into the city of
Arequipa on the 27th of May, with the treasured plants
intact, and apparently none the worse for their somewhat
severe usage on the journey. Here Markham had the
happiness of rejoining his wife, who had been anxiously
awaiting news of him for some time. The distance
from Sandia to Arequipa was nearly 300 miles. Two
days after his arrival his colleague Mr. Weir rejoined
him from Crucero. As Markham had anticipated, he
had found Martel in that town; but the Colonel's
designs had been completely baffled by Markham 's
astuteness and ingenuity. No opposition was made to
his departure from Arequipa, and on the 3rd Of June,
to his immense relief, his plants were all safely deposited
in the Wardian cases by Mr. Weir at the port of Islay.
CH.XI] THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA 193
But the difficulty of getting the plants out of the
country had not yet been finally overcome. The
Custom-house at Islay declared it to be illegal to export
cascarilla plants, and refused to allow them to be
shipped without an express order from the Minister
of Finance and Commerce. Markham did not hesitate.
He went straight to Lima, obtained the necessary
permission from the Minister of Finance, not without
some delay and trouble, and hurried back to Islay by
the first steamer, arriving there on the 2$rd of June.
Meanwhile, since the plants had been placed in the
Wardian cases, they had begun to bud and throw out
young leaves, satisfactory proof that they had quite
recovered from the severity of their journey across
the Andes.
On the evening of the 23rd the cases containing the
plants were hoisted into a boat, ready to be taken on
board the steamer the following morning. That night
attempts were made to bribe the man in charge to bore
holes in the cases and kill the plants by pouring in
boiling water ! Fortunately, this scheme was dis-
covered in time and frustrated, and on the following
morning they were safely shipped on board the steamer
bound for Panama. It was disappointing, however,
that there was no ship available, man-of-war or other-
wise, to take the plants direct from Peru to Madras,
and so avoid the long voyages, numerous transhipments,
and the intense heat of the Red Sea, before this most
valuable collection of plants could reach its destination
in Southern India.
After all the extraordinary difficulties that had been
so successfully surmounted the hardships and dangers
that had been experienced and overcome, the scarcity
of the plants in the forests, the difficulty in finding
them in the dense underwood, the efforts that had
been made, first to prevent their exportation, and then
to destroy them his success could not be otherwise
than a source of great gratification to Markham. He
194 THE QUEST FOR CINCHONA [CH. xi
could now afford to look back on all these attempted
impediments to success that had been placed in his way
with complacency, and confidently realise that it was
only by his own individual courage, energy, and ability,
that the enterprise had been brought to such a satis-
factory conclusion.
The arrangements for the carrying out of what may
be called the subsidiary expeditions have already been
alluded to. It is sufficient here to state that the results
were eminently satisfactory. Markham's wisdom in
the disposition of his forces was clearly established: an
admirable collection of plants and seeds was made and
safely exported to the Neilgherry Hills in Southern
India.
After a sojourn of a few days at Lima, Markham and
his wife took a final farewell of the Land of the Incas,
and on the 29th of June, 1860, proceeded on their way
to England.
CHAPTER XII
WORK IN INDIA
ALTHOUGH Markham's work in Peru had terminated,
there still remained the completion of his task in India.
Plants and seeds of every species of cinchona valuable
to commerce, had been brought down from the forests
in the interior of South America, and shipped to Madras.
Botanical specimens of all the species had also been
collected and sent to the herbarium at Kew for verifi-
cation, so that their identity could be placed beyond
the possibility of doubt. In conveying the plants to
the coast, however, only half the difficulties of the
enterprise had been surmounted; the long journey to
their eventual destination had now to be made, part of
it through an intensely hot climate. Every little detail
regarding the care of the plants during their transit
had been carefully considered and arranged, and at
length all was satisfactorily accomplished. When we
consider the length of the voyage, the changes of tem-
perature, and the numerous transhipments, it cannot
but be acknowledged that it is little short of marvellous
that these plants should have been so successfully trans-
ported through thousands of miles, in varying climates,
from the slopes of the Andes to the Ghauts in Southern
India.
Markham had no sooner landed in England than he had
to start off again at once (still accompanied by his wife),
to superintend the landing of the plants in India. He
decided to land at Calicut, on the coast of Malabar, a
spot which he describes as the garden of the Peninsula,
where " Nature is clad in her brightest and most in-
195
196 WORK IN INDIA [cfl. xn
viting robes; the scenery is magnificent, the fields and
gardens speak of plenty, and the dwellings of the people
are substantial and comfortable."
They landed on the /th of October, 1860, and found a
carriage drawn by two white bullocks awaiting their
arrival. This had been kindly placed at their disposal
by Mr. Patrick Grant, the Collector of Malabar. In
the evening they embarked in a long canoe, propelled
by four wiry-looking Indians, which had been specially
prepared to take them up the river to Beypur. They
journeyed throughout the night, the boatmen singing
noisy glees as they paddled along. In the morning
they reached the landing-place at Ediwanna, forty
miles from Calicut.
Thence they continued their journey in hammocks
slung on bamboos, each carried by six men who kept
on uttering unearthly discordant yells during the
whole of the way to the village of Wundoor, a distance
of six miles. From here they gradually ascended until
they reached Ootacamund, the chief station on the
Neilgherry Hills, situated at an altitude of 7,300 feet
above sea-level. Thus they passed in a few hours from
a tropical to a temperate zone. The face of Nature
assumed a different aspect; and when they arrived at
the door of their hotel, it was difficult to persuade
themselves that they were not in England. The garden
in front of the hotel was bountifully stocked with
mignonette, wallflowers, and fuchsias all in full bloom,
while the immense bushes of heliotrope rose to a height
that they could never have attained in England. Roses
and geraniums grew in profusion ; ponds were to be seen
bordered by white arums; and there were thickets of
rhododendrons, with many other shrubs and flowers
which one associates with English gardens. Markham
declared that this charming spot was more like an
English watering-place in summer than India. He
was delighted with it; for he felt assured that the
climate would be suitable for the growth and cultivation
CH.XII] WORK IN INDIA 197
of the cinchona, while, for those species that required
a warmer climate, suitable areas could be found on the
forest slopes that overlooked the plains.
In selecting the sites for the cinchona plantations,
many things had to be taken into consideration. Apart
from climatic conditions, it was necessary to select
a soil, and shade, closely approaching their native
habitat. The supply of labour had also to be taken
into account, not only for their cultivation, but also for
the transportation of the quinine-bearing bark to the
sea-coast. This was a work entailing much time, much
examination of suitable properties, and a great deal of
travelling. The latter, however, was of a much more
easy and pleasant nature than Markham had experienced
in his search for the plants in the untrodden forests of
Caravaya, and he thoroughly enjoyed it, being greatly
interested in all he saw.
It would be out of place here to give a lengthy de-
scription of the country through which Markham
travelled in his search for the most appropriate sites for
the cinchona plantations. He had, of course, the
assistance of the best authorities, and the subsequent
results were sufficient evidence of the wisdom of their
conclusions. It must not be forgotten that different
regions had to be selected for the various species of the
cinchona plants. Some would grow only at a high
altitude, whilst others flourished at a lower elevation.
For some a tropical climate was necessary; others
required a temperate zone. Again, some few required
much moisture for their well-being, while many would
only prosper in a dry climate. Much therefore had to
be thought of, much debated, and many decisions of
the utmost importance arrived at.
The work necessarily entailed a great deal of travelling.
Markham journeyed considerable distances in Southern
India, visiting the districts of Mysore, Seringapatam,
Coorg, the Deccan, Madura, and Trichinopoly. In
addition he made arrangements for the introduction of
14
198 WORK IN INDIA [CH. xn
the cinchona plants into Burma and Ceylon. After much
anxiety, and frequent disappointments, he was glad to
be able to record " that this great and important
measure, fraught with blessings to the people of India,
and with no less beneficial results to the whole civilised
world, should have been finally attended with complete
success, in spite of difficulties of no ordinary character."
In carrying out this invaluable work, it would have
been a source of great regret to him had it been attended
by any injury to the people of Peru, Ecuador, or Bolivia.
But he had no apprehensions on that score. The
general demand for quinine was, and would remain,
invariably in excess of the supply obtained from those
countries. The trade of South America in this com-
modity has in no way been impaired. Indeed, Mark-
ham's work was productive of much good to the countries
concerned. Hitherto, with short-sighted recklessness,
the people had destroyed a large number of the trees,
thus causing more injury to their own interests than
could possibly have arisen from commercial competition.
But the fact that the product could be obtained else-
where necessitated the introduction of a strict con-
servancy. In spite of the numerous obstructions that
had been placed in his way by local officials, and such
meddlesome busybodies as Don Martel,Markham strongly
emphasised the fact that he had full permission from
the Peruvian Government to tranship the plants, a per-
mission which he had received in writing from the
Minister of Finance. It cannot, therefore, be said that
he acted in defiance of the laws of the country. There
was at that time no Peruvian law prohibiting the
exportation of cinchona plants and seeds. He was
convinced that the cultivation of the plants elsewhere
would not onlybenot detrimental, but would be beneficial,
to the interests of Peru ; for it would teach the people
to cultivate the valuable trees that grew wild in their
forests, and not submit to their destruction. With
this object in view, Markham wrote a pamphlet in
CH.XII] WORK IN INDIA 199
Spanish, giving a full account of the various methods
adopted in the cultivation of the plants in British
India, and he expressed the hope that the day was not
far distant when the slopes of the Andes would be
covered with carefully supervised cinchona plantations.
He returned to England with his wife in 1861, landing
at Folkestone on the 24th of April. Shortly afterwards
he was appointed private secretary to Mr. Baring (after-
wards Lord Northbrook), who was then Secretary of
State for India, and therefore ruled over the depart-
ment in which Markham was serving. Markham im-
mediately commenced writing an account of his work,
which was published in 1862, under the title of " Travels
in Peru and India." This was followed by " Peruvian
Bark," which appeared in 1880, illustrating the steady
and ever-growing prosperity of the enterprise, during a
period of nearly twenty years, in fact since the introduc-
tion of cinchona into India. At that time he writes:
" The annual bark crop, from Government plantations
of British India alone, is already 490,000 pounds.
In 1879-80 the quantity of bark sold in the London
market from British India and Ceylon was 1,172,000
pounds. The East India source of bark-supply is now
the most important but one as regards quantity, and
by far the most important of all as regards quality.
On the Neilgherry Hills the whole expenditure has been
repaid with interest, by the sale of bark in the London
market, and the Government is now (1880) deriving
large profits of many thousands a year from the bark
harvests. In Sikkim the true object of the undertaking
has been better understood, and the plantations are
utilised for the supply of a cheap and efficacious febri-
fuge to the people of India by which it is placed in
the hands of the poorest ryot in that great Empire."
By way of rest and recreation after his recent arduous
journeys in both Eastern and Western Hemispheres,
he now made two interesting trips with his wife one to
Spain and one to Denmark.
But his work in India was not yet completed. He
200 WORK IN INDIA [CH. xn
soon returned there to assure himself that the plantations
were well and properly looked after, and that everything
was progressing satisfactorily. He found the planta-
tions in splendid order, and the plants thriving in
such a manner as to afford him the liveliest satisfaction.
He had the pleasing conviction that his efforts and
energies for the benefit of mankind had not been thrown
away, but, on the contrary, would prove of even greater
value than he had hitherto anticipated.
On his return he was directed to draw up elaborate
instructions for the care and cultivation of the plants,
for the guidance of those under whose charge they were
placed. He also submitted exhaustive reports to the
Secretary of State for India, on the general features of
his work, and the instructions that should be circulated
regarding the culture of the plantations, with numerous
other minor details regarding their management. Sir
Charles Wood, who had succeeded Mr. Baring as Secre-
tary of State for India, expressed his entire satisfaction
with the admirable way in which Markham had dis-
charged his duty a duty of great public importance
and at having brought to such a successful issue so
arduous a task.
If Clements Markham had done nothing else during
his long and active life, his work in Peru and India
alone would have sufficed to hand his name down to
posterity as a benefactor to his fellow-men. Apart
from all humanitarian considerations, he had created an
industry that brought no small wealth to his country.
In this connection it is, perhaps, not surprising to be told
that Markham should have felt that those who had
borne the heat and burden of the day, who amidst perils
and hardships of no ordinary kind had steadily per-
severed in bringing the work to a most successful issue,
should be entitled to some consideration. A fair re-
compense for their valuable services was in justice due.
But it was not forthcoming. Markham was indignant
with the authorities, for what he considered to be the
CH. xn] WORK IN INDIA 201
mean and unjust manner with which, in spite of his
urgent representations, his colleagues had been treated.
Monetary recompense, he pointed out, need not be paid
from revenue provided by the tax-payers of India, but
could be taken out of the profits of the work, which
had been so successfully accomplished by the very men
to whom a just reward was denied. These men, whose
cause he was advocating so strenuously, had laboured
zealously and willingly, and their duties had been of
a nature that required special qualifications. Some had
forfeited their health, all had risked their lives, in the
service of their country, and they had nobly earned
the gratitude of the Government and people of India.
Their high sense of honour prevented them from
making any individual representation directly or in-
directly on the subject. They left the matter entirely
in Markham's hands, and he took up the cudgels on their
behalf with his usual characteristic energy. One who
had partially recovered from a severe attack of fever,
and threatenings of paralysis, received, for an ex-
haustive and elaborate report on his work, the sum of
27 ! Markham made an earnest appeal for a small
pension, but this was refused. It must be borne in
mind that the whole cost of the expedition, which in
1880 was yielding to the Government an annual income
of many thousands of pounds, was 857 ! Markham
then brought the case to the notice of the Indian
Government, but they merely transmitted his letter to
the Secretary of State in London, without any recom-
mendation or mark of approval, and it was, conse-
quently, again rejected. The others were treated in
a similar manner. No wonder that Markham, who
knew their worth and the value of their services, was
indignant at the treatment meted out to his fellow-
workers. They had loyally supported him throughout
the enterprise which had been entrusted to his guidance,
and should have been correspondingly recompensed.
It was a great work to have achieved. Markham was
202 WORK IN INDIA [CH.XII
in sole charge of the enterprise from its initiation. He
superintended the collecting of the plants in South
America; he arranged the details connected with their
transportation to British India ; he selected the sites for
their reception when they arrived; he supervised their
planting; and afterwards, for a period of fifteen years,
he had personal supervision of everything connected
with them at the India Office in London. He also made
repeated visits to India to satisfy himself that everything
was progressing satisfactorily. Needless to say he,
at any rate, received the thanks of the Government
for the excellent way in which he had accomplished the
duty that had been entrusted to him. It is, perhaps,
not too much to say that by the complete success of his
enterprise he has earned the gratitude of the whole
civilised world, and more especially the natives of
India and our military and other forces stationed in
that country. It may be interesting to relate that,
as a result of his labours, the price of quinine has been
reduced from twenty shillings an ounce to only a few
pence, and one of the greatest blessings that could
possibly be conferred on the fever-stricken East is now
within the reach of the poorest of the poor. For his
great services in this important enterprise the Govern-
ment awarded him a grant of 3,000.
Throughout his travels in Peru and India, Markham
had not confined himself solely to acquiring a scientific
knowledge of the cinchona. He in addition interested
himself in the study of the growth and cultivation of
coca in Peru ; of cotton, coffee, pepper, and caoutchouc,
in British India, and of India-rubber in the Valley of the
Amazon on all these questions he submitted elaborate
reports and suggestions to the Government. He also
submitted a report on coffee production in the Wynaad
district, and one on the condition of the public roads
and thoroughfares in the various districts through
which he travelled, submitting at the same time a
CH. xii] WORK IN INDIA 203
memorandum suggesting a scheme by which improve-
ments could very easily be effected at a trivial expense.
He likewise drew up a design for the construction of
a simple contrivance by which the rivers might be crossed
with ease and safety during the monsoon, when they
were usually swollen and almost impassable. Such a
bridge as he contemplated would be inexpensive, and
the outlay for its construction could easily be recouped,
if necessary, by the exaction of a small toll.
Another matter on which he reported fully was the
growth of ipecacuanha in Brazil: this with a view to
its cultivation in our Indian possessions, where climatic
conditions were, in his opinion, favourable to its growth.
He also submitted an exhaustive memorandum to the
Indian Government, on the introduction of the Peruvian
cotton plant into certain districts in the Province
of Madras, which appeared to him to be peculiarly
adapted for its cultivation. He supported his contention
by immediately procuring a supply of seeds from Peru,
which (by permission of the Secretary of State) he dis-
tributed among the collectors of those districts in
Southern India who were most likely to interest them-
selves in the experiment.
On his return to England, he was directed by the
Indian Government to report at length on the oyster
fishery at the mouth of the River Colne. This, it was
considered, might be the means of gaining important
information for reviving the rapidly diminishing fortunes
of the Tinnevelly pearl fishery. Having acquired as
thorough a knowledge of the subject as was possible
in the limited time at his disposal, he was despatched
to Tuticorin that he might discuss with the Super-
intendent the various points connected with the Ex-
perimental Pearl Oyster Nursery established there.
The Tinnevelly pearl industry has from time im-
memorial been famed for the beautiful pearls that it
produces. They have the " right Orient lustre," and,
from their sphericity and water, are among the most
204 WORK IN INDIA [CH.XII
valuable to be found, although they rarely exceed
4 carats in weight. During the middle of the nineteenth
century, however, the oysters were recklessly destroyed
for the sake of immediate gain. This had the effect of
depleting the beds of their rich products to such an
extent as to necessitate a strict and judicious system of
conservancy, in order that the industry might be re-
vived. It was then that Markham's assistance was in-
voked, and he was instructed not only to report, but
also to advise as to the best means for the resuscita-
tion of the trade, by which a regular and unfailing
source of revenue would be restored to the State.
The only way by which he could reach Tuticorin
was by taking passage in a native schooner sailing from
Colombo in Ceylon. It was not a very dignified or comfort-
able mode of travelling. Arrived at Tuticorin, he made
a thorough investigation of the existing state of affairs.
Not only was he able to report fully and satisfactorily
on the pearl fishery, but he was able to make many
suggestions for the necessary steps that should be
taken to revive the industry. He also issued instruc-
tions for the management of the aquaria which, it had
been arranged, should be sent out from England.
During this visit Markham devoted much time and
attention to the important question of coolie immigra-
tion. He prepared a long report on this subject, which
was duly submitted to the Secretary of State in Council.
All the time that he had been in India, he had given
a great deal of thought to the subject of irrigation,
especially in the Madura district. He now addressed
a long memorandum to the Government, calling their
attention to this most important question. The scarcity
in some places the complete absence of water was
a subject of the first magnitude. He pointed out
that large districts of waste, and therefore unprofit-
able, land could, by the introduction of a system of
irrigation, be converted into a valuable and profitable
region which would eventually benefit the inhabitants
CH. xn] WORK IN INDIA 205
of millions of square miles, besides becoming a source
of increased revenue to the State. From careful
personal observations made during his travels in India,
while superintending the cultivation of his cinchona
plants, he was made aware of the enormous districts
that were lying fallow, owing to the absence of irrigation.
Vast regions, which might otherwise have yielded
excellent crops, were nothing but arid uncultivated
wastes. By irrigating these dry regions, he firmly
believed that extensive tracts would be fertilised, that
prosperity would thus be insured to the native population
of those districts, and that a large sum would be added
to the revenue ; while the whole cost of carrying out the
scheme would be repaid in a couple of years from the
income derived from this source.
Thus, it will be seen that his sympathies, whether in
India or South America, were invariably directed towards
the amelioration of the conditions of life of the natives.
Their interests and their happiness were ever uppermost
in his thoughts. Even when visiting the various
plantations, he was always careful to point out to the
natives the importance of the use of quinine to them-
selves and the districts in which they resided, as well as
the great benefits to be derived from it as a febrifuge.
But perhaps the great versatility of his mind is best
shown by the fact that in the midst of all his work he
was able to find time to submit long and exhaustive
memoranda to the India Office on such diverse matters
as the public works connected with the district of
Travancore; the new dock at Suez, constructed by the
French; an alternative route to India; the proposed
scheme for the improvement of the anchorage off
Aden; the desirability of increasing the dock accom-
modation at Bombay and Mazagong, and a highly
technical report on the tides in the harbour of Bombay.
These and many other reports of a similar nature will
show the great activity of his mind, his hunger for work,
his thirst for knowledge, his capacity for acquiring it,
206 WORK IN INDIA [CH. xn
his energy in prosecuting research, all helped by that
wonderfully retentive memory which he retained un-
impaired to the end of his life.
In 1 863 he accepted the position of Honorary Secretary
of the Royal Geographical Society, an office that he
held for twenty-five consecutive years, retiring in 1888,
when the Society, in recognition of his valuable services,
awarded him their Founder's gold medal. It is a curious
coincidence that the year of the birth of Clements
Markham coincided with the foundation of this Society,
which he served so well and truly, both having occurred
in 1830.
CHAPTER XIII
THE ABYSSINIAN WAR
ON Markham's return from India, his time, as may
readily be imagined, was fully occupied in framing his
various reports. In addition to picking up the threads
of his duties at the India Office, he was kept busy
arranging, for official and general publication, the
result of his work in connection with the cultivation
of cinchona. He was also busily engaged in translating
from the Spanish " Expeditions into the Valleys of
the Amazon," " The Embassy of Clavijo to the Court
of Timour," " Travels of Cieza de Leon," " The Life
of Alonzo de Guzman," and other works for the Hakluyt
Society, of which he was a very prominent and active
member.
About this time affairs in Abyssinia were causing
some anxiety, and a rupture with King Theodore seemed
imminent. So little was known then regarding the
geographical situation and boundaries of that country,
that to many persons, reference to a map was necessary
in order to ascertain its accessibility, or otherwise, in
the event of hostile operations becoming necessary.
The early history of Abyssinia dates back to a very
remote period, and its rulers claim that their records can
be traced without a break to the time of " the Queen
of Sheba and her son Menilek, who brought the Ark
of the Covenant from Jerusalem and deposited it in
Axum." Whether or not this claim can be substanti-
ated, there is no doubt that for many centuries it
had the reputation of being the only Christian nation
in Africa. As a matter of fact, Christianity was estab-
207
208 THE ABYSSINIAN WAR [CH. xm
lished there as the national religion about A.D. 320,
so that it may certainly be regarded as one of the most
ancient Christian Churches in the world.
The country abounds with interest. It is the land
of " Prester John," that legendary Christian monarch
who is reported to have changed his title from King
to Priest ; its regions give birth to the fertilising sources
of the mighty Nile; and it is a country abounding in
mythical traditions, which naturally create a romantic
interest in its history both past and present. During
the period of which we are writing namely, the nine-
teenth century the Abyssinians were Christians in
more than name, for they were thoroughly imbued with
everything appertaining to Christianity, and especially to
monastic legends and chronicles. From their exclusive-
ness and long isolation from what we regard as the civil-
ised world, and owing to the anarchy that invariably
prevailed throughout the country, their rulers became
avaricious, cruel, and turbulent. It was the exercise
of these barbarisms that brought them into conflict
with us.
The trouble originated, apparently, in the neglect
of England to acknowledge a letter written by King
Theodore, containing a proposal by His Majesty to send
an Ambassador to London. It was an important and
at the same time a very proper letter. For some reason
best known to our Government, the King's proposal
does not appear to have been considered; at any rate
no notice was taken of it, and its receipt was not even
acknowledged. Theodore, as may well be imagined,
was furious at this neglect, which he could only regard
as a studied insult. That his letter, suggesting a closer
relationship between the two countries, should be
treated with contemptuous silence was not only a
breach of good manners, but in his opinion was a public
indignity which he did not merit. He had no intention
of submitting meekly to what he regarded as the in-
solent behaviour of the British Government. Accord-
CH. xm] THE ABYSSINIAN WAR 209
ingly he seized our Consul, Captain Cameron, with all
his suite, imprisoned them in chains, and went so far
as to inflict torture upon them. These were strong
measures for a ruling Sovereign to take in respect of
the representative of a friendly Power, but it appeared
to the King to be the only course open to him, and,
unfortunately for himself, he adopted it. These arbi-
trary proceedings, however, were not taken until the
beginning of 1864, when more than twelve months had
elapsed since the despatch of the King's missive.
King Theodore's action caused a great sensation in
England. Though somewhat late in the day, it was
decided to send a pacific reply to the King's letter
forthwith, signed by the Queen, but at the same time
remonstrating against his arbitrary action in confining
our Consul, and demanding Captain Cameron's im-
mediate release. This was entrusted to a Special Envoy,
Mr. Rassam (well known in connection with the Nineveh
discoveries of Mr. Layard), who was selected for this
delicate duty, mainly in consequence of his knowledge
of Arabic and his experience with the natives. He was
accompanied by Dr. Blanc and Lieutenant Prideaux,
R.E., who had recently been serving as Political Agent
at Aden.
The only effect that the arrival of this mission had
on King Theodore was to cause him to seize the members
of it and send them to join the Consul, the English
missionaries, and the others in captivity ! Theodore's
mind was made up : he resolved to uphold and justify his
action by the arbitrament of the sword. It was a brave
decision, but doubtless he considered himself secure
in his mountain fastnesses, where he thought the long
arm of England could not possibly reach him. Un-
fortunately, there can be no shadow of a doubt that the
principal, if not the sole, cause of Theodore's original
action towards our representatives, and the unheard-
of treatment to which they were subjected, was the
extraordinary and unpardonable omission of our Govern-
210 THE ABYSSINIAN WAR [CH. xm
ment to reply to the King's letter. Had a courteous
answer been returned, there would have been no necessity
for the subsequent punitive expedition, and its attendant
expenditure of several millions of money. However,
it was now too late, and the only possible course to secure
the release of our countrymen, and to avenge the insult
that had been offered to our flag, was the despatch of
an expeditionary force.
The intelligence of the new outrage was received in
England during the autumn of 1866, but owing to the
vacillation of the Government many months elapsed
before energetic measures were taken for the despatch
of the expedition. They hoped to attain their object
by conciliatory means, and were much averse to plunging
the country into war if it could possibly be avoided.
All efforts for liberating the captives having failed, in
spite of the persistent exertions of Colonel Merewether,
our Political Resident at Aden, whose services were
invaluable, a letter was despatched to King Theodore
in April, 1867, and this was supported by presents of
the value of 3,500. It demanded the immediate and
unconditional release of the captives, and, in case of
refusal, prompt and decisive action, he was informed,
would be taken to enforce compliance.
Preparations for the despatch of a strong mobile force
were immediately commenced, but it was not until July,
1867, that a final decision was arrived at. General
Sir Robert Napier, the Commander-in-Chief of the
Bombay Army, was appointed to the supreme command,
and Clements Markham was selected to accompany him
as geographer to the expedition. He was to be em-
ployed on the headquarters staff to superintend the
general survey of the country, and to act with Colonel
Merewether in selecting the most convenient passes
through the mountainous districts over which the troops
would have to march on their way to Magdala. His
selection for these important duties was a very wise one.
He had already proved himself to be an experienced
CH. xm] THE ABYSSINIAN WAR 211
geographer, practical as well as theoretical; his energy
was boundless, his courage and endurance had been
thoroughly tested during his recent travels, and he was
kind and sympathetic to natives; in short, he was a
practised campaigner. Needless to say, he was delighted
at having been chosen for such an important and
interesting service ; the only regret that he could possibly
entertain was that it would entail a prolonged separation
from his wife and daughter.
The expeditionary force consisted altogether of 32,000
men. This figure included the troops transported from
England and India, the land transport, and the camp
followers, which latter are inseparable from a force
comprised largely of Indian soldiers. The actual fight-
ing force was composed of 4,000 British and 10,000
Indian troops. The distance from the port of dis-
embarkation to Magdala was about 400 miles, necessi-
tating a long line of communications, which of course
had to be well protected. It was estimated that the
actual striking force on reaching Magdala would not
exceed four or five thousand rifles. This was con-
sidered sufficient for the purpose, a decision fully
justified by the result. It was reported that Theodore
was at this time in command of an army numbering
40,000 fighting men, but although large in numbers it
was regarded as a somewhat undisciplined rabble.
It was arranged that Colonel Mere wether should be
placed in command of a small advanced detachment
consisting of about two or three thousand Indian
troops, with the object of selecting a convenient place
for the disembarkation of the main force. This accom-
plished, he was ordered to explore the passes leading into
the interior and reconnoitre in advance of the main body.
This detached party sailed from Bombay on the i6th
of September, 1867, and anchored in Annesley Bay
off a small village called Mulketto, which had been
selected as being specially suitable for a base of opera-
tions. Here piers were rapidly constructed, sea-walls
212 THE ABYSSINIAN WAR [CH. xm
came suddenly into existence, and a tram-line was laid
for conveying the stores from the wharves to the camp.
By the beginning of January, 1868, the entire force
had been disembarked. Sir Robert Napier now arrived
and assumed command. At this time the latest news
from the captives was that they were still alive, but
subjected to inconceivable cruelties and indignities.
Occasionally, as a change of treatment was considered
beneficial to their health, their hands were fettered
with short chains attached to their ankles, so that they
were unable either to stand erect or to lie down in a
recumbent position !
The region that had to be traversed by the troops con-
sisted of a series of mountains and plateaux at an average
elevation of 9,000 feet above sea-level. A number of
pools and a few springs furnished a scanty supply of
water ; but this fortunately increased in quantity as they
got farther from the coast, owing to the greater rainfall.
Animal life was plentiful along the line of march and on
the high land ; the large Egyptian goose abounded, and
many were shot. Lions and leopards were not met with,
but hyenas literally swarmed, making horrible noises
during the night. As a rule they are cowardly brutes,
but they have been known to attack a solitary human
being, first uttering their peculiar cry which it is believed
brings the pack to their assistance. Large flocks of
monkeys were occasionally seen, the males with immense
manes, the females carrying their young on their backs.
They would scamper across the road uttering dis-
cordant cries. Markham was not only geographer to
the expedition, but also acted as naturalist. He made
numerous valuable notes on the physical geography and
the geology, as well as on the natural history, of the
regions through which they marched.
It is not within the scope of this biography to give
a detailed account of the proceedings of the expedition,
except in so far as they relate to the personal experi-
ences of Clements Markham; nor is it the object of the
CH.XIH] THE ABYSSINIAN WAR 213
writer to criticise the strategy that governed the move-
ments of the force, even were he inclined to do so: his
object is simply to place before the reader, as briefly
as possible, the most important incidents relating to
the connection of Clements Markham with the campaign
that are likely to prove of interest.
The most formidable, as it was also the most im-
portant, work that demanded attention was the organi-
sation of the transport. It was impossible to rely on
the country through which they passed to supply
them with provisions. Everything had to be carried
with them, and they were obliged to prepare, not only
for the advance to Magdala, but for the return journey
as well. Base camps for supplies of all sorts were
formed at Senafe, about forty-five miles from the
main camp at Annesley Bay, and at Adigrat, some
thirty-five miles farther on. The latter place was con-
sidered of such importance that it was converted into
a strongly entrenched position. The carriage of the
artillery and ammunition was also a difficult problem;
but it was eventually overcome with the aid of an
enormous number of mules and a few elephants. The
delays, consequent upon these difficulties, kept the
advanced brigade inactive at Senafe* for some time;
but it was time well spent, for it had the effect of
establishing a friendly feeling between the invaders
and the native inhabitants of the surrounding country.
It was assumed that our advance on Magdala, a
distance of 400 miles, would be entirely through
hostile country. As a matter of fact, the reverse
was the case. The troops were received with open
arms by the inhabitants of the districts through which
they marched. The whole country had risen against
Theodore. His army of 40,000 men had dwindled,
by desertion and other causes, to less than a fourth
of that number; and this was due entirely to his
tyrannical behaviour. In addition to perpetrating the
most barbarous acts of cruelty and oppression, he had
15
THE ABYSSINIAN WAR [c
deliberately planned wholesale massacres. His whole
nature appears to have undergone a change ; for he had
become suspicious, proud, and intemperate.
But, although the country was in a state of insurrection
and the people antagonistic to the King, it would have
been a dangerous policy to trust too much to the good-
will of the inhabitants for the supply of provisions and
other requirements for our troops. Hence the necessity
for the huge transport, which added so materially to
the difficulties of the advance. Strong working-parties
were daily occupied in the construction of roads, and
nothing was omitted that could be thought of to facili-
tate the progress of the expedition. Everything went
well. The weather was perfect, the advance was un-
opposed, and there was no hitch in the commissariat
arrangements. The natives, too, rendered great assist-
ance, not only in the provision of food, but also in the
transport of stores and munitions. They were well
paid, and only too glad to be of use, so long as they
were remunerated for their labour.
The line of march was across plains and through
passes at an average altitude of about 8,000 feet. On
one occasion they reached a height of 10,500 feet above
the sea. Markham gives an excellent description of
the country through which they travelled, in the
" History of the Abyssinian Expedition," which he
published on his return to England. Even at the great
altitudes to which they ascended, the vegetation was
similar to that of the temperate zone. The scenery was
magnificent, and he makes interesting allusions to the
botany of the country, its general resources, and the
manners and customs of the people.
On the ist of February the pioneer force, consisting of
about 600 men, left Adigrat for Antalo. It was followed
at short intervals by the remainder of the attacking
column. No opposition was made to its progress. It
is true that, at first, supplies did not come in from the
country-people as quickly as was hoped; but when the
CM. xm] THE ABYSSINIAN WAR 215
natives discovered that they were well paid for every-
thing they brought into camp, there was no lack of
supply. Assistance was also obtained from some of
the chiefs who were in arms against King Theodore.
Time was of the utmost value, as it was essential that
the operations should be brought to a close before the
commencement of the rainy season.
In some places, where the scenery is described as
" magnificent," the marching was very severe; but the
beauty of their surroundings did much to lessen the
fatigue of the men, who, like true Englishmen, swore
at the mountain passes while secretly enjoying their
grandeur. " They tell us this is a tableland," grumbled
one of the soldiers; " if it is, they have turned the table
upside down, and we are scrambling up and down the
legs !" As the long column of troops with all its
necessary paraphernalia of transport passed along, the
inhabitants turned out with their priests, and sat by
the wayside to see the audacious strangers who were
going to attack the dreaded Theodore in his stronghold
at Magdala.
On the 26th of March they reached the high altitude
of nearly 11,000 feet above sea-level, and here they
camped. The night was not passed in comfort. It was
intensely cold, and a heavy rainstorm burst upon them
with great fury, so that the camping-ground soon
became as muddy as a ploughed field. Thence they
descended into the valley of Takkazye, where the force
halted for some days to allow the brigade in the rear to
come up. It had taken them seventeen days to march
the last 1 20 miles, which gives an average of about
seven miles a day over very formidable ranges of
mountains. It was a severe experience for the majority
of the troops, hampered as they were with a vast and
ponderous transport, and they were deserving of much
credit for the excellent way in which it was accomplished.
The neighbourhood of Magdala was at length reached,
and the preliminary military operations for its capture
216 THE ABYSSINIAN WAR [CH. xm
were begun. The region is described as being like the
interior of one of the Orkney Islands. There was an
entire absence of trees and bushes, except for some
clumps of juniper which were observed, usually in the
vicinity of the churches, where they appeared to thrive.
The hills were covered with grass. Wheat and barley
were cultivated in great quantities on the plateaux.
Magdala itself is an isolated flat-topped mountain,
the summit of which is about two miles in length and
half a mile in breadth, and it is about 9,000 feet above
sea-level. It was in this stronghold, on the summit of
this mountain, that the representatives of Great Britain
were detained in chains.
The sight of Magdala was hailed with the keenest
delight by every member of the force. They were glad
that their long and tedious march was at an end, and
all were longing to get at close grips with Theodore.
The object for which they had endured so much fatigue
and so many privations was at last within their reach.
By the 3ist of March, 1868, the whole of our attacking
force, numbering slightly over 4,000 officers and men, was
assembled on the Wadela plateau ready for the attack.
To resist this force, Theodore, it is surmised, had about
6,000 trained soldiers, besides a vast host of camp
followers, whose fighting qualities, however, although
armed, could not be relied on. In order to take up a
position favourable for assaulting the fortress, Sir Robert
Napier was obliged to march his force an additional
distance of about thirty-five miles. This occupied the
best part of three days. He then halted his troops for
five days on the Dalanta plateau, so as to rest the men,
to accumulate provisions, and to concentrate his force
for the attack. The last day's march was a very long
and fatiguing one, for it necessitated the crossing of a
formidable chasm, involving a steep descent and a
still steeper ascent on the other side. The camp was
pitched on a grassy plain in close proximity to water,
but it was long after midnight before the last of the
CH. xm] THE ABYSSINIAN WAR 217
rearguard arrived. No attempt was made by Theodore
to oppose the occupation of the position selected.
On the morning of the loth of April the two forces
faced each other, the one ready and eager for the attack,
the other prepared to defend themselves to the death;
the former highly trained and disciplined, armed with
the latest inventions of modern science, and confident
in their success; the latter discouraged by the previous
harassing attacks of rebels, with a waning confidence
in their leader, and but little heart for the coming
contest.
The result of that day's fight is a matter of history.
How the Abyssinian Army, obedient to the command
of their King, rushed out from Magdala and impetuously
attacked the advancing English, and how they suffered
an overwhelming defeat, is well known; nor need we
dwell at much length upon the death of King Theodore,
who on witnessing the discomfiture of his army, with its
complete rout and dispersal, rather than surrender himself
to his enemies, put a pistol into his mouth, fired it, and
fell dead on the spot : Markham's doings alone concern us.
During the whole of that fateful day he was in attendance
on the Commander-in-Chief, and has given us a thrilling
description of the events which led to the death of
Theodore. He shall relate it in his own words:
" The King ran up the rocks and over the hedge to
the right of the second gate. As he reached the hedge, he
turned round behind a huge boulder, looking as if he
was in a pulpit, and threw up both arms as a gesture of
rage and defiance to the red-coats who were swarming
up. By crossing the hedge at this point, Theodore
reached the plateau about a hundred yards from the
second gate. Here he dismissed all his followers except
his faithful body-servant, telling them to leave him
and save their own lives. The King then turned to his
servant, and said: ' Sooner than fall into their hands,
I will shoot myself.' He put a pistol into his mouth,
fired it, and fell dead, the ball passing in at the palate
and out at the back of the head. The English soldiers
were then running up between the first and second gates,
218 . THE ABYSSINIAN WAR [CH. xm
some of them climbing over the second hedge. At the
same time Sir Charles Staveley* and I, followed by
several officers, came through the second gate. A man
ran up to us, and said that a dead body was lying near,
which they declared was that of the King. Sir Charles
called out: ' Bring him here dead or alive.' The body
was put into a hammock and brought to us, when it
was identified by one of the captives, after looking at
the fingers, one of which had been broken. Mr. Rassam
soon after came up, and at once identified the remains.
' The body was that of a man of medium stature,
well built, with broad chest, small waist, and muscular
limbs. The hair was much dishevelled, crisp, and
coarse, and done in three plaits with little stumpy tails.
But it had evidently not been dressed or buttered for
days. The complexion was dark for an Abyssinian,
but the features showed no trace of negro blood. The
eyebrows had a peculiar curve downwards and over the
nose, and there was a deep-curved furrow in the centre
of the forehead. The nose was aquiline and finely cut,
with a low bridge, the lips very thin and cruel, the face,
though thin, rather round than oval . The once changeful
eyes had lost their meaning one closed, the other
staring. The scanty beard and moustache contained
many grey hairs. Theodore was in his fiftieth year
and in the fifteenth of his reign."
Markham sums up his character in the following
words :
" Thus ended the career of the most remarkable
man that has arisen in Africa within the present century.
His misdeeds had been numerous, his cruelties horrible,
but he was not without great and noble qualities. He
was a grand, not a contemptible, tyrant. He feared no
man. His greatest and most powerful enemies were
not, as a rule, put to death when they fell into his hands.
His indomitable energy and perseverance, his military
skill and his dauntless courage, command respect, while
his cruelties are execrated. He preferred death to
lingering out a contemptible existence after his true
career was over, and he died like a hero."
* Major-General Sir Charles Staveley, K.C.B., 2nd in command
of the Expeditionary Force.
CH.XIII] THE ABYSSINIAN WAR 219
Thus was Magdala taken. The objects of the expedi-
tion had been attained, the King was dead, and the
captives (for whose release King Theodore had given
orders before committing suicide) were rescued. The
recovered European captives alone numbered sixty-
seven, of whom some had been in captivity for more
than four years.
These things accomplished, it would seem that
nothing now remained but to march the force back
again to Annesley Bay, re-embark the troops, and send
them back to their several destinations. But the death
of Theodore and the destruction of his power entailed
grave responsibilities on his conquerors. At Magdala
people had congregated from all parts of Abyssinia to
be near their great King ; and it was necessary to make
arrangements for the safe-conduct of this vast unarmed
multitude through an unsettled (if not actually hostile)
country. Provision also had to be made for the family
of King Theodore, for his chiefs, his political prisoners,
his soldiers (now disarmed), their families, and the
widows and orphans of those who were killed in the
attack. The disposal of the guns and plunder had also
to be attended to. All these things had to be considered
and dealt with. Sir Robert Napier's lot was not an envi-
able one : it required time, investigation, and patience,
to deal satisfactorily with all these knotty points.
The body of the King, at the express wish of the Queen,
was quietly interred in Magdala by Abyssinian priests.
Very few attended the ceremony, though all the chiefs
had received invitations to be present. The remains
were carried into the church on an old bedstead, the
priests muttered a few prayers, and the body was
lowered into the grave without further ceremony. The
Queen (who was only twenty-six years of age) with her
little boy had taken refuge in the hut in which Mr.
Rassam had y been imprisoned. She was anxious to
return to her native country of Semyen, of which her
father was hereditary chief, and said that her husband's
220 THE ABYSSINIAN WAR [CH. xm
last wish was that her son should be taken charge of
by the English. It was arranged that she and her son
should accompany the expedition so long as their
roads led in the same direction. But, alas ! the poor
young Queen did not survive her husband many days.
She was taken ill shortly after leaving Magdala, and died
before they reached Antalo. Her son, who was about
ten years of age, was brought to England, in accordance
with the earnest wish of his father, and was educated
under the auspices of the English Government.
The royal household disposed of, the numerous
chiefs had then to be settled with. The best and bravest
had already fallen in their first furious onslaught on
our troops, and the survivors wished to transfer their
allegiance to the Queen of England. This, of course,
could not be considered without the annexation of
Abyssinia. So they were told to return quietly to their
homes and avoid meddling in politics. Many of them
were given arms with which to defend themselves on
their journey, and mules to assist in carrying their
baggage. The political prisoners were released from
their fetters and allowed to return to their homes.
Sir Robert Napier decided to burn Magdala, to blow
up the principal gates of the fortress, and to destroy
the guns. The inhabitants, estimated to be about
30,000 in number, were allowed to proceed to their
native provinces, the majority being escorted by British
troops. This protection was absolutely necessary in
order to defend them from the gangs of ruthless native
robbers that infested the country and murdered all
stragglers they could lay their hands on. The camp
of these people presented an interesting sight. It
consisted of hundreds of black tents pitched in no
regular order, covering two hills and the intervening
valley. At night time, when lit up by thousands of
lights, it had the appearance of a large city. In wander-
ing through the tortuous lanes between these tents,
Markham thus expresses himself :
CH.XIII] THE ABYSSINIAN WAR 221
' We came upon many forms of human misery men
in cruel pain with undressed wounds, helpless old people
stripped by robbers on the road and exhausted by the
fatigues of the march, children crying for food, their
mothers with no means of satisfying their hunger.
Many were gently nurtured ladies, wives and daughters
of chiefs, women who had been made widows and orphans
by the fell slaughter of the loth of April. They had
never known what it was to want, but now the poor
things were eager to sell their personal ornaments,
their sacred pictures and books, all their most cherished
possessions, for the means of buying bread. In the
English camp there was no misery save such as was
caused by rather tough beef and the absence of grog."
Such are the fortunes of war !
On the 1 7th of April, Magdala was burnt to the ground
(together with the church in which the remains of King
Theodore had been so recently deposited), the gates
were blown up, and the guns destroyed. On the
previous day the liberated captives with a sufficient
escort had begun their march to the coast, and two days
later they were followed by the whole expeditionary
force. The troops marched in three divisions at short
intervals. The road had not been neglected by those
who had been guarding the line of communications, so
the travelling was a good deal easier than it had been
on the outward march. Consequently, longer and less
fatiguing daily marches were the rule. The return to
Mulketto was effected without any noteworthy incident.
The last division arrived at the end of May, the embarka-
tion of the troops was speedily effected, and by the first
week in June the majority of the force had departed
from Annesley Bay. The Commander-in-Chief with
his staff reached Suez, on his way to England, on the
1 8th of June, and by the end of the month the last
man had departed from Annesley Bay.
Thus ended the Abyssinian War. Doubtless from
our standpoint it may be regarded with unmixed
satisfaction. It was undertaken in the cause of
222 THE ABYSSINIAN WAR [CH. xm
humanity, to uphold the honour of our flag and dignity
of our country, and to punish a truculent and tyrannical
ruler, and in all these it was eminently successful. Yet
there was much to admire in the character of Theodore,
as Markham shows. With limited powers, and some
restraint to bridle his evil passions, his strength of mind
and determination were such as might have enabled
him to secure lasting good for his country.
With the exception of the loss of life consequent on
the assault and capture of Magdala, the inhabitants
of the country gained rather than suffered by the presence
of the expeditionary force. In addition to the trade
which they drove with it in the matter of daily supplies,
they heartily welcomed the arrival of the foreigners
who had marched so far into the interior of their country
to rid them of the tyranny of the upstart Theodore.
There can be little doubt that the people of Abyssinia
entertained at that time a kindly feeling for our soldiers,
and heartily regretted their departure.
Sir Robert Napier was created a peer on his return,
was decorated with the Grand Cross of the Order of
the Bath, and was awarded a handsome pension for
life. Honours and rewards were lavished on those who
served under him. Markham received the war medal,
and on the i7th of May, 1871, he was created a Com-
panion of the Bath for services rendered in this campaign,
as well as for his great work in India. Never was a
distinction more deservedly earned and conferred.
CHAPTER XIV
GEOGRAPHY AND ARCTIC EXPLORATION
AFTER the strenuous and exciting life he had been
experiencing in Abyssinia, it is perhaps not unreason-
able to suppose that Clements Markham would apply
for leave of absence. He needed a complete rest, both
mentally and physically. But such a proceeding was
contrary to his nature. Work was the all-absorbing
element of his life. Without work, and work of an
interesting character, he would have been miserable.
On his return to England, his greetings with his family
and relations over, he at once resumed his duties at
the India Office, devoting the evenings and much of
his spare time to the compilation of his " History of
the Abyssinian War." This was published in 1869,
a few months only after his arrival in England. It is
a very complete account of the campaign; not only
relating every important incident that occurred, but
giving a fascinating description of the country, with
its history from remote times to the present day.
Though denouncing the tyranny and cruel despotism
of King Theodore, he could not help but admire many
of the sterling qualities possessed by that monarch,
especially his heroism and the broad views he maintained
regarding the development of his country and the in-
creased prosperity of his subjects. But, in spite of
the good in his nature, he certainly possessed many
vicious qualities which the more noble side of his char-
acter failed to redeem.
In the following year (1870) Markham brought out his
223
224 GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION [CH. xiv
" Life of the Great Lord Fairfax." This was a detailed
account, in a connected narrative, of all those important
events in the General's career which hitherto had been
either completely disregarded, or misunderstood and
misrepresented. It was with the laudable object of
doing full justice to the memory of this great man that
Markham undertook a labour involving infinite trouble
and research. He shows that the battles, marches,
and sieges of various important towns in Yorkshire,
carried out by the General, had a direct and important
influence on the main result of the Civil War.
Markham 's connection with the Geographical Society
also provided him with plenty of employment. It was
work in which he took a great interest, for he had
always possessed a natural predilection for the science
of geography. In the excellent obituary notice of Sir
Clements that appeared in the Geographical Journal for
April, 1916, Dr. Keltic, who was Secretary of the Royal
Geographical Society at that time, alludes especially to
his pleasant and intimate association with the officers
of the Society during his long tenure of office as
Honorary Secretary. This period Dr. Keltic regarded
as a very important epoch in the history, not only of
the Society, but in that of geography generally. When
the position of Assistant Secretary became vacant, it
was Markham who selected Mr. H. W. Bates, the
talented South American traveller and naturalist, for
the appointment undoubtedly a wise and excellent
selection.
During Markham 's secretaryship the exploration of
the Dark Continent was pressed with much vigour
and success; and no one was more active in en-
couraging those great pioneers of African exploration,
and assisting them in every possible way so far as the
resources of the Society would admit, than the Secretary
himself. A reference to the old publications of the
Society will show the enormous amount of geographical
work that was accomplished by explorers generally,
CH. xiv] GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION 225
either under the auspices, or at any rate with the
sympathy and encouragement, of the Society during
the long period (over forty years) of Markham's official
connection with it. It was in a great measure due to
his initiative that schools of geography were founded,
and placed oh a solid foundation, at the Universities
of Oxford and Cambridge. In the success of these
schools he took the deepest interest, and served at
various times on the Geographical Boards of both
Universities.
The internal administration of the Society naturally
occupied much of his thought and time, and he was
especially active in regard to the library and map
collections. Dr. Keltic writes:
" Another and a very important department, the
growth and success of which was largely due to Mark-
ham's zeal, is that for instruction of surveying, which
before the war broke out had grown to almost embarrass-
ing dimensions. During the many years that this
department has been at work, a very large number of
men, military officers, travellers, and colonial officials,
have been sent out with a practical knowledge of survey-
ing, many of them having taken the Society's diploma
testifying to the holder's qualifications as trained
surveyors."
It is pleasing to be able to add the testimony of such
an old and valued official of the Society as Dr. Keltic
(who was its Secretary during the whole period of
Markham's presidency) as to' the excellent work in-
augurated by Clements Markham during his tenure of
office. Perhaps there is no one in a better position to
judge of the value and importance of Markham's work
for the Geographical Society.
That the Society largely increased in popularity and
in strength since his official connection with it goes
without saying. He lived to see its membership grow
from about a thousand to more than five times that
number.
From almost the first days of his official association
226 GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION [CH. xiv
with the Society, he had established a strong belief in
his mind regarding the necessity for the continuance of
Arctic research. He was obsessed with the value of
exploration in high northern latitudes, and lost no
opportunity in his public addresses, and writings, of
urging the despatch of an expedition, directly under the
auspices of the Admiralty, to explore the unknown
regions in the North Polar area. His object was of a
twofold nature. Geographical knowledge was, of course,
the primary consideration; but he held that service in
the ice-covered seas of the Polar Regions was an excellent
school for officers and men of the Royal Navy during
the piping times of peace. It is a service that calls
for courage, endurance, constant vigilance, determin-
ation, and prompt action. All these qualities, he averred,
were developed by the handling of ships amid heavy
icefloes, and by sledge-travelling in unexplored regions.
For these important reasons he advocated the work
being undertaken by officers and men of the Royal
Navy, acting under the orders of the Admiralty.
He was always most emphatic in his views regarding
what he was accustomed to stigmatise as " senti-
mental and popular exploration," such as a rush to the
North Pole or the search for a North- West Passage;
for such " discoveries," he maintained, would be of
no substantial or commercial value or utility. What he
desired, and so strenuously advocated, was the correct
mapping of every portion of the world, known or un-
known, in the interests of geography generally. In
these views he was warmly supported by such Arctic
authorities as that splendid old veteran Sir George
Back, and his intimate friends Sherard Osborn and
Leopold M'Clintock.
But his geographical work, great as it was, did not
absorb the whole of his time and attention. He could
still afford to employ his energies in other directions. As
far back as 1858 he had been elected a member of the
Hakluyt Society, which had been called into existence
CH.XIV] GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION 227
some twelve years before, with the laudable object of
printing English editions of rare and remarkable works
on geography, travels, and history, from as early a period
as possible anterior to the time of Dampier's circum-
navigation of the world. It was named after Richard
Hakluyt, an English clergyman who made a wonderful
collection of travels and voyages which he published
in 1589 in three folio volumes under the title of " The
Principall Navigations, Voiages, and Discoveries of the
English Nation." He was born about the year 1552,
and died in London on the 2$rd of November, 1616.
Into the projects of this new Society, Markham, with
his characteristic impulsiveness, threw himself heart
and soul. He accepted the secretaryship, which was
offered to him almost as soon as he became a member,
and it is not too much to say that no one has done
more to contribute to the success and prosperity of
that Society than Clements Markham. He was in-
dividually responsible for the editing of twenty-nine
volumes in its series of publications, twenty-two of these
being translations by him from the Spanish. The first
work which he brought out for the Society was " Ex-
peditions in the Valley of the Amazons." This was in
1859, when he had been a member only a few months.
He continued to act as Secretary for about thirty con-
secutive years, and was President for nearly twenty.
The Society has done much excellent work in the pro-
duction of many interesting and important voyages
and travels, which otherwise would have remained
buried in obscurity ; and its great success is due mainly
to the inspiring influence which Markham exercised over
others, and to the great personal interest he took in the
welfare of the Society. He was actually engaged in
preparing a couple of volumes for publication at the
time of his death.
On the fiftieth anniversary of the foundation of the
Society (December i5th, 1896) Sir Clements Markham,
being then its President (and, we believe, the oldest
228 GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION [CH. xiv
living member of the Society at the time), delivered an
interesting address, in the course of which he remarked
that the Society had " been doing steady work for half
a century without much stir, without attracting any
large share of attention, but diligently, usefully, and
successfully."
In 1 86 1 be became a Fellow of the Society of Anti-
quaries, and served on its Council for many years. We
must not omit to record, also, that on his return from
the cinchona expedition he was honoured by being
elected a member of the Athenaeum Club under Rule II.,
without ballot. In 1867 he received the Grand Prix
of the Paris Exhibition of that year; and in 1873 he
was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. The follow-
ing year he was created a Commendador of the Portu-
guese Order of Christ, and a Chevalier of the Order of
the Rose of Brazil ; he was also made a member of the
Imperial Academy of Germany (Naturae Curiosorum),
and of the Royal Society of Gottingen. Thus were his
services to mankind recognised by foreign nations as well
as by his own country.
After a period of nearly ten years, during which
Markham had persistently pleaded the desirability
of despatching a Naval Arctic Expedition to explore
the unknown regions, and to continue the work that
had already been accomplished in that direction, his
labours were rewarded with complete success. The
Royal Geographical Society, under the presidency of
Sir Henry Rawlinson, strongly advocated the promotion
of the scheme, and papers were read at that Society by
Admiral Sherard Osborn, Clements Markham, and others,
urging the necessity of acquiring further knowledge of
the North Polar area. These views were unanimously
supported by the Press. The Geographical Society
appointed a committee to confer as to the best route
for an expedition to take, and to discuss the probability
of the results that might fairly be anticipated from the
adoption of such a course.
CH. xiv] GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION 229
The proposed enterprise having now attained such
importance in the eyes of the public, it was resolved to
approach the Government on the subject, and it was
arranged that a deputation, headed by the President
of the Geographical Society, should request an interview
with those Ministers who would be primarily responsible
for all the details connected with the despatch of such
an expedition. These would be the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, who would be liable for the financial arrange-
ments, and the First Lord of the Admiralty, who would
be responsible for the personnel and all the necessary
details regarding ships, equipment, and route. This
request was acceded to, and in December, 1872, Sir
Henry Rawlinson, accompanied by Admiral Sherard
Osborn, Clements Markham, and a large deputation
representing the Geographical Society, naval officers
(especially those who had served in the Arctic Regions),
eminent men of science whose particular branches would
be benefited by North Polar research,, and others
interested in geographical discovery, were received by
Mr. Lowe and Mr. Goschen at the Admiralty. After
the subject had been introduced in general terms,
Admiral Osborn entered into the details regarding the
ships and number of men that would be required, the
amount of provisions that would be necessary, the
estimated cost, and other matters relevant to the
subject. The Ministers listened attentively, asked
several questions relative to the points raised, and
appeared sympathetic. The deputation expressed their
thanks for the reception and withdrew.
The reply came in a fortnight's time, but, alas ! it
was unsatisfactory.
Sherard Osborn succeeded in ascertaining that the
refusal was based on the alleged difficulties and dangers
of ice navigation. His active mind at once set to work
to overcome the opinions thus formed, and to prove to
the authorities, in a practical manner, how, by the use
of steam in ships navigating ice-covered seas, these
16
2 3 o GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION [CH. xiv
supposed difficulties and dangers had been very materi-
ally minimized, and that some of them no longer existed.
In order to demonstrate his views in a practical and
convincing way, he arranged for a naval officer to embark
in one of the Dundee whalers and proceed to Baffin's
Bay and Davis Straits during the summer months,
returning with a detailed report of his experiences.
For this important service he selected a young Com-
mander in the Royal Navy who had always taken the
keenest interest in the renewal of Polar exploration,
and had always been an ardent and persistent volunteer
for Arctic service.
Meanwhile a joint committee of the Royal Geo-
graphical and Royal Societies had been formed with
the object of drawing up an exhaustive memorandum on
the scientific results that would undoubtedly accrue
from the despatch of an Arctic expedition. Out of
the eight members representing the Geographical Society,
six were Admirals who had all seen service in the Arctic
Regions, the seventh was Clements Markham, and the
eighth a civilian. The Royal Society was represented
by eight of the leading scientists of the day, including
the Presidents of several of the learned Societies.
The report presented by the naval officer on his return,
fully corroborated Osborn's view, and justified his
action. It demonstrated very clearly the enormous
advantages possessed by steamers specially constructed
for ice navigation over the old sailing vessels hitherto
employed in Arctic exploration, and the corresponding
elimination of danger by the introduction of steam as
a motive power. Fortified by this report, together
with the arguments submitted by the joint committee,
the Presidents of the two Societies, accompanied by
Admiral Sherard Osborn, interviewed the Prime Minister
(Mr. Disraeli) on the ist of August, 1874. The result
was most satisfactory. Realising the importance of
England taking the lead in Arctic exploration, the
Premier gave them an encouraging view of the
CH.XIV] GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION 231
Government's attitude towards Arctic research. How-
ever, it appears to have taken some little time for the
authorities to arrive at a favourable decision, for it was
not until the following i7th of November that the
Prime Minister addressed a letter to Sir Henry Rawlin-
son, as President of the Geographical Society, announcing
the fact that Her Majesty's Government had resolved
to lose no time in organising a suitable expedition for the
purpose of exploration in the region of the North Pole.*
Markham was delighted that his exertions, extending
over so many years, should at last be crowned with
success, and he began immediately to interest himself
in working out all the details connected with the equip-
ment of men and material necessary for the expedition.
The Admiralty very wisely appointed a committee
consisting of three naval officers (Admirals Richards,
Sir Leopold M'Clintock, and Sherard Osborn), all pos-
sessing great Arctic experience, to settle the details
regarding the choice of ships, the stores and provisions
to be provided, and all those multifarious arrangements
essential for the equipment of such an enterprise.
Captain Nares, himself an old Arctic explorer, who was
in the Resolute in 1852-54, engaged in the search for Sir
John Franklin, was specially selected to command the
expedition, and he was ordered home from Hong-Kong,
where he was in command of H.M.S. Challenger, engaged
in a scientific voyage round the world.
The ships selected for the expedition were the Alert and
Discovery. They were to be fitted out at Portsmouth
under the immediate superintendence of Sir Leopold
M'Clintock, who was at the time the Admiral Superin-
tendent of the Dockyard at that port. Officers and men
were specially selected and appointed to the two ships.
Prior to its departure, the expedition sustained a great
* This reference to the North Pole did not at all harmonise with
the views of Clements Markham, who would gladly have substituted
" High Northern Latitudes " or "Arctic Regions " for the last six
words in the sentence.
232 GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION [CH. xiv
loss in the sudden death of one of its earliest promoters,
and stanchest supporters, Admiral Sherard Osborn. He
died quite suddenly on the 6th of May, after a busy
day in London. The funeral took place on the loth,
at which, it is needless to say, the expedition was well
represented. To Markham the death of his friend was
a very serious blow. He had known him ever since
his midshipman days in the old Collingwood, when he
had learnt to regard him as a true friend. Service
together in the search for Sir John Franklin in 1850-51
had renewed and cemented that friendship; while their
co-operation to obtain the despatch of the expedition
in 1875 served to illustrate the indissolubility of their
attachment to each other. Without his wise advice
and vigorous assistance, it is probable that Markham 's
exertions to secure the despatch of the expedition would
not have succeeded until a later period. He was con-
stantly at Portsmouth during the time the ships were
fitting out. His bright and cheery smile and encouraging
words will long be remembered, not only by officers and
men of the Alert and Discovery, but by all who had en-
joyed the pleasure of serving with him. His loss could
only be regarded as a great calamity, not only to the
expedition, but also to the Navy which could ill afford
to lose so talented and experienced an officer.
By the end of May the ships were ready to start.
Everything had worked smoothly, and under the
superintendence of Sir Leopold M'Clintock every device
fer the comfort and welfare of the members of the ex-
pedition, that could be thought of, had been carefully
considered and adopted. When the day of departure
drew near, the officers of the Alert invited Markham to
accompany the expedition as far as Greenland as their
guest. They felt that one who had done so much to
promote the despatch of the expedition, who had taken
such a keen and lively interest in its equipment, and had
contributed so largely to its prospects of success, ought
to remain with it until the last moment. There was no
CH. xiv] GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION 233
hesitation on Markham's part to avail himself of this
privilege, and he cordially accepted the invitation; but
he knew very well that, although his welcome would be
a warm one, his accommodation on board would not
be conducive to comfort. It had been arranged that
H.M.S. Valorous, an old paddle-wheel sloop, should
accompany the expedition as far as Godhavn in Green-
land, to complete the two ships with coal and stores,
and thus the return of Markham to England would be
assured.
As he had anticipated, his accommodation on board
was not very palatial or cheerful. It consisted of a
swinging cot in a space outside the wardroom, of about
5 feet square, which had been specially screened off
for him. When there was much motion (which was
practically the normal state of affairs during the whole
voyage), the cot had to be taken down, for with every
roll of the ship it swung violently from side to side,
thus taking complete charge of the entire space that
had been allotted to him. Of course, the wardroom,
the Captain's cabin, and every single cabin in the ship,
was at his disposal whenever he liked to make use of
them, which he frequently did ; but for sleeping and
dressing he always used his own particular niche.
Prior to the departure of the ships, the friends of
the officers especially their female friends sent them
plum puddings of various dimensions to be eaten on
Christmas Day. The greater part of these delicacies,
wrapped in their cloths, were, for want of a better
place, hung up to the hammock hooks in the beams
immediately over Markham's " bed." As the height
between-decks was only about 6 feet, it not infrequently
happened that Markham's head, when he was standing
in his bath, came into contact with a plum pudding,
which in consequence would become detached from the
hook and fall into the bath. But when Christmas
Day arrived, the number of puddings did not appear
to have diminished, in spite of their immersions.
234 GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION [en. xiv
The ships left England on the 29th of May, 1875.
The passage across the Atlantic was much hindered
by bad weather. Gale succeeded gale, and on more
than one occasion the vessels were compelled to " lie
to " under very reduced canvas. During one of these
gales, not only was a boat washed away from each of
the exploring ships, but all the fowls in the hen-coops
were drowned by the heavy seas that broke on board.
The manner of their death, however, did not in any way
prevent their appearance for several days on the ward-
room table at dinner ! In these violent gales the Alert
laboured very heavily, causing her seams to open, and
she began to leak a great deal. This occurred especially
in the small space appropriated to Markham, who,
however, treated these discomforts in a most philo-
sophical manner. He was supremely happy, and would
have endured any discomfort, however disagreeable it
might be, so that he could have the happiness of
accompanying the expedition even for a short time. He
was an immense favourite with everyone on board,
always ready to impart information, never tired of
giving advice and assistance, especially in connection
with Arctic matters, so that he was regarded as a most
delightful and valuable acquisition to the wardroom
mess. As one of his messmates very truly remarked,
he was a " peripatetic encyclopaedia."
Of course, it was not long before he made the ac-
quaintance of every man in the ship, no matter what his
rank or rating. So long as he belonged to the expedition,
that was sufficient for Markham, and he soon had a
complete history of every soul on board : where they
had served, where they lived, whether married, and, if
so, the extent of their families, their religion in fact,
everything that concerned them. He entered so sym-
pathetically into every little incident connected with
their lives, that they soon confided to him all their
woes and all their troubles, just as they would do to a
father or a brother. Sailors love to be taken notice of,
CH.XIV] GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION 235
so that he soon became as great a favourite with the crew
as he was with the officers.
So boisterous was the weather, that for ten consecutive
days it was impossible to bake any bread or to cook
at the officers' galley; so they had to be content with
the prescribed rations of beef and pork as cooked in
the ship's galley. One day, in consequence of an un-
usually heavy lurch of the ship, Markham had a nasty
fall, causing very severe bruises. Fortunately, no
bones were broken, though he was much shaken and
very sore for some days; but he made light of the
incident, and, as the seas subsided, was soon able to
indulge in his customary walks on deck again.
Having passed the latitude of Cape Farewell, the
most southern point of Greenland, they encountered
their first ice on the 28th of June, just a month after
their departure from Portsmouth. Soon after, they
sighted the high snow-capped hills in the neighbourhood
of Cape Desolation, so named by that sturdy old navi-
gator, John Davis, in 1587, who writes:
" The lothsome viewe of the shore and irksome noyse
of the yce was such as that it bred strange conceipts
among us, so that we supposed the place to be wast
and voyd of any sencible or vegitable creatures, where-
upon I called the same Desolation."
On the 4th of July they crossed the Arctic Circle,
and, working up along the coast of Greenland, enjoyed
to their hearts' content the magnificent scenery charac-
teristic of that sterile and barren continent. Here were
to be seen mountains rising to the height of 3,000 feet,
so steep and pointed as scarcely to admit of the snow
resting on their summits, while the line of coast was
intersected by grand fiords penetrating as far as could
be seen into the interior. A bold and inhospitable-
looking coast. To seaward they saw many huge
icebergs of every imaginable size and form, while
occasionally the ship would have to be carefully navi-
gated through streams of loose ice.
236 GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION [ CH - xiv
Godhavn, in the island of Disco, was reached on the
6th of July, after an unusually protracted passage
across the Atlantic of thirty-four days. Here the
exploring ships filled up with coal, provisions, and stores
from the Valorous, while Markham thoroughly enjoyed
himself, joining in every expedition that was arranged for
the exploration of the neighbouring country. Whether
it was the ascent of a lofty hill whence a good view
could be obtained of the movements and condition of
the pack-ice, or whether it was to join parties in walks
along the shore or in boating expeditions to various
prominent headlands along the coast, it was all one to
him. Everybody wanted to have him with them,
no expedition could be considered complete without
him; and his company was as much in request by the
Captains and officers of the other ships as, it was by
the officers of the Alert, who were selfish enough to wish
to keep him as much to themselves as possible. A race
in cutters had been arranged between ten officers of the
Alert and a corresponding number of officers belonging
to the Discovery. Every day, and sometimes twice a
day, they were sent away to be trained, and of course
Markham was selected as coxswain and " coach " of
the Alert's boat's crew. No one entered more into the
spirit and enjoyment of the match than he did, but,
after many days' training the event fell through, in
consequence of the two crews being unable to arrive
at a satisfactory agreement regarding the length and
direction of the course !
The ships left Godhavn on the isth of July, and on
the following day reached the little Danish settlement
of Ritenbenk, which is situated on the southern side of
the island of Disco. Here Markham took leave of his
friends, which comprised every soul in the expedition.
They knew very well that it was entirely due to Mark-
ham's persistent advocacy that the expedition had been
brought into existence. Since he had been with them
he had endeared himself to " all hands," and it was
CH.XIV] GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION 237
with a sad and sorrowful heart he bade them all farewell.
He remained until the last moment on board the Alert,
when, after drinking a parting glass of champagne
with the officers in the wardroom, he was pulled on board
the Valorous in a whaleboat manned by the Com-
mander and the four Lieutenants of the Alert, receiving
three hearty cheers, as he left, from the crew, who had
manned the fore rigging. The following entry appears in
his journal :
" I never had a happier cruise, and the interest I
always took in the expedition is now increased by a warm
feeling of personal friendship for my messmates. A
nobler set of fellows never sailed together."
His departure was the severance of the last link that
connected the expedition with home. It was midnight
when he left the Alert, and shortly afterwards the
Valorous got under way and proceeded to a somewhat
open anchorage on the Disco side of the Waigat Strait
(the narrow channel separating the island of Disco
from the mainland of Greenland). She was in close
proximity to a coal-bearing seam in the cliffs, from which
the ship was to take sufficient coal for her voyage
back to England. This anchorage was a very exposed
one, and necessitated a constant and vigilant watch
on the part of those on board, so as to be ready at a
moment's notice to evade the numerous icebergs, some
of gigantic dimensions, as they drifted past. On
occasions it was necessary for the ship to slip her cable
in order to elude them. In consequence steam had to
be available at a moment's notice, so the fires had always
to be kept going and steam up for an immediate move.
Streams of heavy ice were constantly drifting past, and
these had to be avoided. It was a great error in judg-
ment on the part of the Admiralty to despatch a paddle-
wheel steamer into ice-encumbered waters.
Markham was now the guest of Captain Loftus Jones,
commanding the Valorous, who was in a position to
offer him rather more comfortable accommodation than
238 GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION [CH. xiv
he had enjoyed (?) on board the Alert. But in spite
of the great kindness and hospitality which Captain
Jones went out of his way to show him, Markham missed
his good friends of the Alert, and would willingly have
exchanged his comfortable quarters in the Valorous
for the old screened niche, with its array of plum
puddings, in the Alert !
After filling up with coal at Ritenbenk, Captain
Jones, in pursuance of instructions from the Admiralty,
proceeded to carry out deep-sea soundings and dredgings
on a line of some 200 miles in a southerly direction,
between the south end of the island of Disco and the
latitude of Holsteinborg. With this object in view, the
ship, before leaving England, had been specially pro-
vided with the necessary apparatus; and Mr. Gwyn
Jeffreys and his assistant, Mr. H. Carpenter, had been
attached to the Valorous for the purpose of super-
intending and examining the results of the dredging
operations.
On the 27th of July, while engaged in this work of
dredging, the Valorous struck an uncharted sunken reef
of rocks in the immediate neighbourhood of Holstein-
borg, and remained fast. Fortunately, her speed was
not very great at the time (only about four knots), but
as the tide rose she commenced bumping heavily. As
the Captain was not quite certain regarding his position f
and no rock was marked on the chart by which he might
be guided, he despatched one of his boats, under the
command of a Lieutenant, with instructions to make his
way to Holsteinborg, obtain the services of a pilot,
and give notice of the accident. Markham at once
volunteered to accompany the officer, and, as he spoke
Danish, his services were gladly accepted. So imminent
was the prospect of the loss of the ship, that Markham
before leaving stuffed his few valuables into his pocket,
including his journals, the pages of which he hastily tore
out of their bindings for convenience of carrying.
On leaving the ship their movements were much
CH. xiv] GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION 239
hampered by fog, and they were only able to steer in
the direction of Holsteinborg by aid of the compass.
Fortunately, they fell in with three kayaks containing
Eskimos, one of which was at once sent off to the ship
to act as a pilot in the event of her being afloat and able
to move, while the others guided the boat through a
labyrinth of islets and rocks to the settlement which
they shortly reached. Holsteinborg consisted of five
very neat wooden houses, a church, and some Eskimo
huts, all very neat and tidy. The houses were painted
black and white, and stood in patches of light green
grass. To Markham it had the appearance of a village
made of Dutch toys !
The Governor, Mr. Lassen, when informed of the state
of affairs, was most obliging and sympathetic, and re-
turned with them at once to the Valorous, accompanied
by his most experienced pilot. They found that the
rising tide had floated the ship, but she had sustained
serious injuries, and was making water at the rate of
about 8 inches an hour, so the pumps had to be kept
constantly going. Later in the evening they succeeded
in getting her safely anchored off Holsteinborg. Divers
were immediately sent down to examine and report
on the damage. They reported that several feet of
the main keel had been torn away, and that she had
sustained other equally serious injuries. The divers
and shipwrights at once set to work to repair the damage
temporarily, so far as they could, so as to enable the
ship to return to England.
While this work was being executed, the Captain
and the Navigating Officer made a very complete survey
of the approaches to the settlement, which they found
were very incorrect in the charts then in use. Markham
was always ready to render assistance whenever and
wherever he could, and he made large collections of
the flora and fauna of that particular region when
opportunities offered. He also formed a valuable
geological collection, working with Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys
240 GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION [CH. xiv
and Mr. Carpenter. On his return he wrote full de-
scriptions of these collections.
On the 8th of August, the divers having completed
their labours, the Valorous sailed for England. Captain
Jones, however, undeterred by the injuries that his
ship had sustained, determined to carry out his in-
structions to the utmost of his ability, and succeeded
in taking a very important line of soundings down
Davis Strait and across the Atlantic. Some of these
soundings were at depths of nearly 2,000 fathoms
(12,000 feet). Dredging at this great depth was also
carried out with satisfactory results.
The Valorous arrived at Devonport on the 29th of
August, exactly three months after her departure from
England with the Alert and Discovery. She had done
excellent service, so much so that the Admiralty, in
recognition of the arduous character of the work,
granted the officers and men double pay from the day
the ship left Spithead until her return to Devonport.
As Markham writes in his account of the cruise: " The
results are a collateral benefit derived from the despatch
of an Arctic expedition, and have been looked upon and
rewarded as the first fruits of that great national enter-
prise."
He was greatly shocked on reaching home to hear of the
sad death of his lifelong friend, Commodore Goodenough,
who was killed by the natives of the Santa Cruz Islands
in the Pacific, while Commodore in command of the
Australian Station. They had been old schoolfellows
at Cheam and Westminster, and their mutual love and
admiration for each other had increased, if possible, as
the years went by. In less than a year Markham had
lost the two best friends, outside his family circle, he
had ever had Sherard Osborn and James Goodenough.
Both were men of marked ability, of pre-eminent pro-
fessional reputation, and always true and steadfast in
their friendship to him. Their loss to him, as to many
others, was irreparable.
CHAPTER XV
ARCTIC INTERESTS, THE MERCHANT SERVICE, AND
OTHER MATTERS
IMMEDIATELY on his return to England, Markham set
to work to prepare for the despatch of a relief ship the
following year. He brought the matter to the notice
of the public through the Press, and warned the Ad-
miralty and his colleagues at the Geographical Society
that it was the duty of the country to despatch a vessel
in the ensuing year in order to communicate with Captain
Nares, so as to ascertain if his ships were safe, to bring
home any sick or disabled men, and otherwise to afford
relief and assistance if necessary.
With the fate of Sir John Franklin so recently before
their eyes, the Admiralty, he considered, would be guilty
of a grave neglect of duty if they omitted to despatch
a relief expedition.
The catastrophe of the Franklin expedition was con-
stantly in his mind, for he was always of opinion that
the loss of life on that occasion was entirely due to the
fact that proper precautions to avoid disaster had not
been taken by the responsible authorities at home.
He was firmly convinced of the necessity of despatching
a ship (call it a relief ship, a communicating vessel, or
any other appellation) in order to establish communica-
tion with the expedition the following year.
Fortunately, the Admiralty held the same views,
and on the return to England of Captain Allen Young
in his ship the Pandora, it was arranged that he should
proceed in that vessel the following year to the entrance
241
242 ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS [CH. xv
of Smith Sound, there to meet the sledging-party that
Captain Nares had been instructed to send to that locality
in the summer of 1876. This decision was a great relief
to Markham, who certainly, \vould not have rested
content unless some such arrangement had been satis-
factorily made.
It will perhaps be remembered that Allen Young
had purchased the old steam-sloop Pandora from the
Admiralty, and had prepared her for Arctic service at
his own expense, at the same time as the Arctic expedi-
tion was fitting out. His object was to examine the shores
of King William Land for traces of the lost Franklin
expedition, and to make a thorough search for records,
and especially for the logs, of the Erebus and Terror. It
was also his intention to take his ship through the North-
West Passage, if it were found practicable to accomplish
this in one season. The Pandora sailed a month after
the departure of the Alert and Discovery from England.
Allen Young failed in effecting his object owing to the
large amount of heavy ice that was tightly packed
across Peel Strait; though he succeeded in getting
within about 150 miles of King William Land. He
decided, therefore, to return to England for the winter,
and to make another attempt the following year. On
his way back, knowing how anxious the people in
England would be to get the latest news of the Arctic
expedition, he resolved to make an attempt to search
for letters or records that might have been deposited
by the Alert and Discovery at the Gary Islands. This
he succeeded in doing, to the great delight and gratitude
of those who had friends and relatives in the ships.
On his arrival in England, the Admiralty unfolded to
him their proposal that he should attempt to com-
municate with the expedition the following summer.
To this he readily assented, although it meant the
abandonment of the objects upon which he had set his
heart, and had gone to considerable expense to achieve
namely, to establish the certainty of the fate of the
CH. xv] ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS 243
Erebus and Terror, and to successfully achieve the North-
West Passage.
Being assured that everything had been done that
was possible for the despatch of the relief expedition,
and happy in the knowledge that every conceivable
precaution had been taken to insure the safety of Captain
Nares and his party, Markham could now rest content
for the time. In the event of calamity overtaking the
expedition, all that could possibly be thought of had
been done to insure, at any rate, the news becoming
known as rapidly as possible. He could therefore
begin with a quiet mind to polish off the long arrears
of work that had accumulated during his absence from
England. In addition to the pile of letters awaiting
his attention at the India Office, there was, of course,
an account of his recent voyage to Greenland to be
written, another edition of his " Threshold of the Un-
known Region " to be brought out and also his " Voyages
of Sir James Lancaster " and " The Hawkins Voyages "
(for the Hakluyt Society) to be completed. Besides
these, there were his " Missions to Tibet," his " Memoir
of the Indian Surveys," and his " Moral and Material
Progress " (India both published by order of the Secre-
tary of State for India), to be finished and presented to
Parliament. It must be confessed that this was a
goodly amount of work to fall to the lot of one man,
but, with Markham, the more he had to do the happier
he seemed to be. Truly has it been said of him by the
President of the Royal Geographical Society, that his
" only idea of recreation was a fresh piece of work."
This was characteristic of the man; he could never be
overwhelmed with too much work, especially if it was
connected with geography or ethnology, or other similar
subjects in which he was interested.
During the early months of 1876 he was in constant
communication with his friend Allen Young, in con-
nection with the forthcoming cruise of the Pandora,
and on more than one occasion he visited that vessel
244 ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS [CH. xv
at Southampton, where she was being fitted out for her
second trip to the Arctic seas. This time, however,
she was to be on Admiralty service. Although Allen
Young was acting under orders of the Admiralty, their
Lordships, very wisely, left all the details of the cruise
to his judgment, based on his wide experience of Arctic
matters. He was instructed to take such steps as he
considered most advisable for carrying out their general
views.
The Pandora sailed from Plymouth on the 2nd of
June. It is unnecessary to follow Allen Young on his
errand of mercy to the Arctic Regions ; suffice it to say
that he fulfilled his mission, and carried out the duties
entrusted to him, to the complete satisfaction of their
Lordships, and of everyone else who was interested in
the safety and welfare of the expedition. He succeeded
in finding the cairn erected by Captain Nares the
previous year on Cape Isabella, and brought home all
the letters and documents found there, ascertaining
beyond doubt that no member of the expedition had
visited the place during the current year. As there
was nothing further for Allen Young to do, he decided
to return to England.
By a curious coincidence, in the middle of the Atlantic,
on the 1 6th of October, two vessels bound in the same
direction were sighted from the Pandora. They proved
to be the Alert and Discovery. Communication, how-
ever, was practicable only by signal. Allen Young
congratulated the expedition on the success it had
achieved and gave them the latest news. The ships
then separated. The Alert and Discovery arrived at
Valentia on the 2 7th of October, when the news of the
success of the expedition was at once telegraphed to
England. Needless to add, by none was the intelligence
received with greater joy than by Clements Markham.
On the arrival of the ships at Spithead, he was almost
the first man to visit the Alert, where he received a right
hearty welcome from all on board. Every soul was glad
CH.XV] ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS 245
to see him, and his arms must have ached from the
continuous hand-shaking he had to undergo.
Markham sums up concisely the successful results of
the expedition as follows:
1 . The creation of a young generation of experienced
Arctic officers.
2. The discovery of 300 miles of new coast-line.
3. The attainment of the highest latitude ever reached
by man.
4. The discovery of a large section of the Polar
Regions.
5. A year's magnetic observations at two separate
stations, situated farther north than had ever been
previously taken.
6. A year's meteorological observations at two
stations in high latitudes.
7. A series of tidal observations.
8. Valuable observations on the movements and
formation of ice in a very high latitude.
9. The geology of a vast region hitherto unknown.
10. The discovery of a fossil forest in 82 North
latitude.
1 1 . Observations on the mammalia and birds of a new
region, also on the most northern fishes in the world.
12. Various collections of insects, Crustacea, mollusca,
echinodermata, polyzoa, etc., and a complete collection of
the flora of the most northern known region in the world.
He was well satisfied with these results, although
disappointed that the outbreak of scurvy should have
necessitated the return of the ships so much sooner
than he had expected. He had hoped that they would
have been able to spend another season in the far north.
Captain Nares had, however, exercised a wise judgment
and a rare courage in deciding to bring the ships home,
and by his action undoubtedly prevented the further
sacrifice of valuable lives. Another winter in the Arctic
Regions, with scurvy prevalent in the ships, would in
all probability have had a disastrous result.
246 ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS [CH.XV
On the return of the expedition, Captain Nares
received the special thanks of Her Majesty Queen
Victoria. His proceedings were fully approved by the
Admiralty, and appreciated by the Navy, especially by
the old Arctic officers. He was created a K.C.B.,
and was awarded the gold medal of the Royal Geo-
graphical Society. The senior officers in their re-
spective ranks obtained promotion, and a medal was
conferred on every member of the expedition. Naturally,
Markham devoted his energies to the compilation of
an account of the excellent work that had been accom-
plished by the expedition. He gave many lectures
on the success that had been attained, and pointed out,
with great lucidity, the terrible effects of the disease
which had prevented an even greater success. He
disagreed strongly with the absurd decisions arrived at
by the committee appointed by the Admiralty to investi-
gate the cause of the outbreak of scurvy. It reported
that the outbreak was due to the absence of lime-juice
on the sledging journeys. As, however, it was abund-
antly proved that many of those attacked by the disease
were never employed on sledging duties at all, and con-
sequently had their daily allowance of lime-juice on
board the ship, this decision was certainly open to criti-
cism. Moreover, the majority of those who did not
suffer from the outbreak were officers and men who had
not partaken of lime-juice for lengthened periods. This
certainly pointed to other causes for the outbreak.
However, this is not the place to labour the question
for and against the use of lime-juice. Its efficacy as
an antiscorbutic in tropical and warm climates is un-
doubted; possibly it does not possess the same prophy-
lactic qualities in colder climates or under Arctic
conditions. It was, however, a subject in which Mark-
ham was keenly interested.
In the summer of 1878, and also in the following
year, he made extensive tours in Holland, visiting many
places of interest in Friesland Groningen, Zutphen,
CH. xv] ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS 247
Utrecht, Arnheim, Breda, Antwerp, and other localities
which would aid him in the preparation of certain
works which he contemplated writing. With his usual
thoroughness, he wished to be personally acquainted
with the geographical and architectural features of
every place he would have to describe. His descriptions
of these historical places are entered in minute detail
in the journal containing the account of his travels,
and are most interesting.
On his return to England, he wrote an article for the
" Encyclopaedia Britannica," on the Progress of Geo-
graphical Discovery. In August of the same year we
find him presiding over the Geographical Section of
the British Association at Sheffield, at which he delivered
the opening address, and then read a paper dealing with
the River Basin of the Don. For the benefit of the
reporters he wrote abstracts of all the numerous papers
read in that section. Ten of these papers were written,
or rewritten, by him, and many were actually translated
into English by him from various languages.
During this period he contributed many interesting
papers to the Royal Geographical Society; and, at odd
intervals, he visited countries abroad, particularly Hol-
land and Flanders, for the purpose of collecting material
for works on which he was engaged, or about to take
in hand.
The variety of subjects to which his versatile dis-
position led him was truly extraordinary. Prior to
leaving England with the Arctic expedition, he published
a " History of Persia," a work of formidable propor-
tions containing much interesting and hitherto unknown
matter. It professed to be a condensed narrative of
Persian annals, and included a chapter on the geography
and history of the Persian Gulf. It was a vast under-
taking, necessitating much laborious research in musty
documents and other manuscripts hitherto buried in
the archives of the India Office and other places. Being
unacquainted with the Persian language, he was depeu-
248 ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS [CH. xv
dent in a great measure on translations. Before utilising
these, however, he took care to have them checked by
competent and trustworthy authorities. In his preface
he remarks that
" he undertook the task because, in translating and
annotating Clavijos' ' Embassy to Timur,' he had
occasion to refer to nearly all the translated Persian
authorities and to the European writers on Persia,
and he had amassed a large number of notes and memo-
randa chronologically arranged. He thought that the
preparation of a connected historical sketch based on
these materials would be acceptable at a time when
Persia is receiving much attention from politicians,
and would serve a useful purpose in time to come, seeing
that Persia will always continue to be a most important
neighbour State with reference to British India."
This amassing " of notes," to which he alludes, was
an habitual practice with him. He never went on any
expedition, or any journey, without taking voluminous
notes and making pencil sketches of everything of in-
terest he saw and heard. Every little incident that was
brought to his notice, no matter how insignificant it
might at the time appear, was scrupulously entered in
his notebook for future reference. Nothing was omitted,
nothing was too trivial ; in fact, in many cases the triviali-
ties were entered at greater length and were more
conspicuous, than those of a more important and perhaps
scientific character.
As an illustration of his wonderful assiduity, mention
may be made of a volume which we came across recently
in looking over some old journals and other documents
in his library. It is a book containing biographical
notices of every single officer and man that served in
the Arctic expedition of 1875-76. They are not brief
records of naval life, but complete accounts of ancestry
and careers in the Navy, giving full descriptions of each
man, his appearance, weight, chest capacity, and all
particulars connected with him. One of them is men-
tioned as having " a cicatrix on his left big toe " 1 He
CH. xv] ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS 249
also records when, and to whom, they were married, the
dates of the births of their children, and in some in-
stances even the names of their offspring. Nor was he
satisfied in dealing only with the ship's company of the
Alert (in which he crossed the Atlantic to Greenland),
but every man in the Discovery also receives similar
attention. In the case of the officers, their coats of arms
and sledge flags are emblazoned in correct colours over
their respective histories; while in the case of several
of the men Markham has painted some device typical
of their surnames or of the special duties allotted to them
on board the ships. Sir George Nares has no less than
ten pages devoted to a recapitulation of his services;
another officer is accorded nearly twenty-four pages;
while in several instances some of the men have each
been conceded two, three, or even more pages. These,
of course, have all been compiled from the " amassed
notes " that he took during the time he was with the
expedition; but how he succeeded in adding to the
biographies, and bringing them up to a more recent date,
is somewhat mysterious. He also records the characters
they impersonated in the theatricals held on board their
ships while in winter-quarters, and the songs, senti-
mental and comic, which they sang. In many cases,
even, he refers to the politics they professed to hold !
During the year 1 880 Markham completed and edited
for the Hakluyt Society " The Natural and Moral History
of the Indies," by Father de Acosta, " The Voyages of
William Baffin," and the second edition of the " Ob-
servations of Sir Richard Hawkins." He also wrote,
at the request of the Council of the Royal Geographical
Society, a comprehensive history of the work of that
Society during the fifty years of its existence. About
this time, too, he lectured at the Literary Institute at
Hull (by invitation of that Society) on " The Siege of
Hull," where he had a large and appreciative audience.
From Hull, he was obliged to hurry back to London to
make all the necessary arrangements for the reception
ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS [CH. xv
of Baron Nordenskjold on his return in the Vega. News
had been received that he had successfully navigated
the North-East Passage, sailing along the north coast
of Siberia to Behring's Strait. Markham's arrangements,
however, were sadly interfered with by the non-arrival
of the Vega on the day indicated, the ship having been
delayed by adverse winds. On the arrival of the
distinguished explorer, he was met by Markham and
many delegates from the Geographical and other learned
Societies, who did their best to render his short stay in
London agreeable. He was feted wherever he went,
and received a hearty welcome from the general public,
wherever and whenever he was recognised. The Geo-
graphical Society entertained him lavishly, and he was
also on various occasions the guest of Allen Young,
Clements Markham, and Lord Northbrook. Markham
also took charge of him during his free hours, and
showed him the sights of London. After staying for a
week in England, the Baron left for Paris, thereby setting
Markham at liberty to return to his literary labours.
At this time Markham was engaged on a book on
Peru, which was to constitute one of a series of volumes
dealing with foreign countries. He was also very busy
preparing a new edition of his history of the introduction
of cinchona into India. This work, entitled " Peruvian
Bark," recorded the great progress made by the cinchona
plants in twenty years, and clearly demonstrated the
complete success of the enterprise. It was with un-
feigned satisfaction that he was in a position to proclaim
to the world at large the prosperous issue of his work
in this direction. He was content to know that the result
of his labours in that particular field of enterprise was
now an assured success.
On the 20th of July, 1880, he celebrated his fiftieth
birthday. He and his wife were travelling in the
Netherlands at the time, and on that day they reached
the town of Venloo, situated on the River Maas, in the
province of Limburg. He thus quaintly refers to this
CH. xv] ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS 251
event in his journal: " Walked from the station into
the town, and as we entered it I became fifty years of
age a great weight of years." He could look back,
however, with pride and pleasure to the good use he
had made of his half-century of existence.
His tour of the Low Countries was undertaken with
a view to making himself acquainted personally with
the scenes of the operations and battles conducted
by Sir Francis and Sir Horace Vere, while supporting
the Netherlands against the encroachment and tyranny
of Spain. This was in anticipation of his work " The
Fighting Veres," which he brought out eight years later.
His descriptions of the struggle, and of the battles fought
during this campaign, as set forth in his journal from
first-hand local information, are most vividly described ;
but they are all fully embodied in the above-named book.
On a subsequent occasion he visited Ypres and
Tournai, and the country in their immediate neigh-
bourhood. In the light of recent events it is interesting
to read in his journal the detailed descriptions which
he gives of these places. The Cloth Hall at Ypres,
now, alas ! a mass of ruins, engages, as might be ex-
pected, his critical attention; he criticises the general
style of its architecture and the absence of an imposing
base to the structure, the walls rising, as it were, directly
from the ground. The Cathedral of St. Martin he
describes at length, and especially alludes to the shady
walks about its ancient walls, and the broad moat
covered with beautiful water-lilies. What a contrast
to its state to-day ! Courtrai, too, he describes in
similar manner; but many of its ancient buildings had
been spoilt even then, though by a vastly different
agent ! They had come under the ruthless hand of
the so-called " restorers " of that day " destroyers,"
Markham calls them 1 The choir of Tournai Cathedral
he likens to Westminster Abbey on a small scale; and
he records that Rubens' famous picture " The Adoration
of the Magi " once hung in the Church of the Capuchins.
252 ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS [CH. xv
During one of the many sieges to which Tournai was
subjected, this picture was injured by a bullet, and in
1815 it was taken to the Louvre by order of Napoleon.
When the looted pictures were restored, as it was
unclaimed by the people of Tournai, it was sent to
Brussels, where it now reposes in the Musee de Peinture.
Markham was particularly attracted by this picture.
He purchased what he supposed to be a copy of it,
but afterwards found that it was the original study
painted by Rubens for his picture. Mons he describes
in some detail, and relates interesting legends con-
nected with this and other places which he visited.
From Mons he proceeded to Malplaquet, thence on to
Brussels. Having obtained all the information that he
wanted, he returned to England.
In the early part of that year (1883) he accepted the
invitation of the Yorkshire Archaeological Association
to read a paper on the Battle of Wakefield. He also
contributed chapters on Peru and Chile to the History of
America then in course of preparation at Cambridge
(U.S.). His work for the Geographical Society included
a paper on the Exploration of the Amaru-Mayse and
Beni Rivers and the adjacent country to the east of
Cuzco and La Paz.
In the summer he went over to Holland to bid farewell
and wish Godspeed to the officers and crew of the
little Dutch exploring schooner Willem Barents, then
about to sail on her sixth voyage of exploration to the
Arctic Seas in the vicinity of Novaya Zemlya and Franz
Jozef Land. He was accompanied on this occasion by
Allen Young and Leigh Smith. They received a great
ovation from the Utrecht students, and altogether had
a most festive time. After the departure of the vessel,
the students insisted on carrying Markham off to
Utrecht, he, not unwillingly, consenting ! We may be
sure that during the time he was at Utrecht he was
well looked after, for he was entertained in regular
student fashion, which means " fun and jollity " up
CH.XV] ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS 253
to the small hours of the morning. The daylight hours,
however, were devoted to visiting the most interesting
historical buildings in the city, and the most important
places connected with the University. He also witnessed
the annual boat-race of the three Universities, Leyden,
Delft and Utrecht, and on his return to England he
wrote an account of this Dutch University boat-race, for
the Field newspaper.
With regard to his official work in England, Markham
records an incident which markedly illustrates the absence
of geographical knowledge at that time in one of our
important Government departments and one that deals
especially with the salaries of our consular officers abroad.
The department in question was informed that a decision
had been arrived at by the Foreign Office to establish a
Consul at Resht, the centre of a large silk-producing
district in Persia. The Treasury, however, objected
to the appointment on the plea of expense, and refused
to grant the necessary salary. There was a great deal
of correspondence on the disputed question, which
resulted in a representative of the Foreign Office being
despatched to the Treasury, to discuss the matter with
the official who had objected to the payment of the
salary that would be attached to the proposed consul-
ship. He failed, however, to make any impression
on the functionary at the Treasury. At last, in despair,
he said: " Do you know where Resht is?" "No,"
said the official, " and that is the reason why a Consul
is not required there 1" This from a man drawing a
salary of 2,500 per annum, and the recipient of high
honours for his valuable (?) services !
Apropos of this incident, Markham once received a
note, written to him privately from the Foreign Office,
requesting information concerning a place called Casa-
blanca. Apparently we had a representative there in
the person of a Vice-Consul, but the officials at home
did not know where it was, and supposed that it was
in Italy ! The information was required as speedily
254 ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS [CH. xv
as possible, as some odious questions were about to be
asked in Parliament regarding the consular official
stationed there, and the Foreign Office was ignorant
as to its locality ! There must have been some sur-
prise at Markham's reply that Casablanca was the
Spanish name for Dar-el-baida, which is situated on
the coast of Morocco.
At this time the Arctic Regions were again engrossing
much of his attention. Lieutenant Schwatka (an Ameri-
can) had recently made an interesting journey to King
William Land, where he picked up what subsequently
proved to be unreliable stories from the Eskimos regard-
ing the missing Franklin expedition. Then there was
the necessity for instituting a search for Leigh Smith,
no news of his whereabouts having been received since
his departure from England the previous year. He
had proceeded in his steamer the Eira, specially con-
structed by him for ice navigation, to the Barents
Sea, with a view of endeavouring to reach the North
Pole, or at any rate a high northern latitude, along the
west coast of Franz Josef Land. Markham formed one
of a deputation, headed by Lord Aberdare (the President
of the Royal Geographical Society) to the Admiralty,
to urge the necessity of sending a ship to Franz Josef
Land to search for the Eira. The deputation met with
a very encouraging reception, and an offer of 5,000
towards the expenses of the search. Allen Young was
selected by Mr. T. K. Smith (brother of Leigh Smith)
to carry out this duty, and he sailed in the Hope, a steam-
whaler that had been specially chartered for the purpose.
At Mr. T. K. Smith's request, Markham drafted the
instructions for the relief expedition.
In August news was received in England of the
return of Allen Young with the pleasing report of the
safety of Leigh Smith and all his people. His ship
the Eira had been crushed by the ice off the coast of
Franz Josef Land, but the men had all succeeded in
reaching the shore in safety, where they had passed the
CH.XV] ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS 255
winter without undue hardship, and with no loss of
life. They were rescued by the Hope the following
summer. The news of this success was received with
much public rejoicing, and it was a great relief to Mark-
ham, whose anxiety for the safety of the Eira was
perhaps increased by his personal acquaintance with
the dangers incidental to Arctic exploration.
But this was not the only Arctic adventure that had
been occupying his mind. No news of Lieutenant
Greely and his party had been received for some time.
This expedition had followed in the footsteps of the
recent British expedition, and had proceeded up Smith
Sound with the intention of trying to reach the North
Pole. They had disembarked from their ship in August,
1 88 1, in Discovery Harbour, Lady Franklin Bay, where
H.M.S. Discovery had passed the winter of 1875-76.
They were well supplied with provisions, and provided
with huts in which to live. A relief expedition was
despatched from the United States the following year,
but the ice was so impenetrable that they were unable to
effect communication. However, they left a large supply
of stores and provisions with a boat near Cape Sabine.
Another relief expedition was despatched the following
year, but, unfortunately, the vessel was crushed by
the ice at the entrance of Smith Sound, and so another
year had to pass without communication. The next
year, however, a vessel succeeded in reaching Cape
Sabine, where the survivors of the expedition had arrived.
It was only just in time, for they were on the verge of
collapse from weakness and starvation. They had
undergone inconceivable hardships and had suffered
cruel privations, and some of the party had already
succumbed to starvation and scurvy.
The safety of the various Arctic expeditions being
now satisfactorily assured, Markham was able to turn
his attention to other matters. He was a frequent
visitor at this time to Portsmouth, where he had many
friends. He was much interested in everything apper-
256 ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS [CH.XV
taining to the town, not only from old associations when
he was in the Navy, but also because his great-uncle,
Admiral John Markham, had represented the borough
in Parliament during the early part of the nineteenth
century for a period of twenty-three years, being for a
portion of that time a member of the Board of Admiralty.
Markham collected a vast amount of interesting matter
connected with the old town, having obtained the
necessary permission to consult the archives and other
documents preserved at the Town Hall. Many of our
Sovereigns had either embarked or landed at the old
port ; many historic episodes had been enacted within its
immediate vicinity; and it was essentially the most
important naval arsenal in England, if not in the world.
Markham thoroughly enjoyed his visits to Portsmouth,
for they gave him opportunities of renewing acquaint-
ance with many old friends who were serving in the
ships that visited, or were stationed at, that port.
Wherever he went, Markham invariably carried with
him his own writing materials and books of reference,
so that he was never idle when circumstances, such as
bad weather or perhaps a touch of the gout from which
he occasionally suffered, prevented him from going
out. He also took advantage of these so-called holidays
to write the many lectures and reviews of books that
demanded so much of his time. He wrote papers and
articles on the missing Polar expeditions, including the
American expedition of De Long in the Jeannette*
* The Jeannelte sailed from San Francisco under the command of
Captain De Long on the 8th of July, 1879, and passing through
Behring's Strait, she was crushed in the ice-pack on the iath of
June, 1881, and sank in Lat. 77.15 N. Her crew dragged the ship's
boats over the iceto Bennet Island, where they arrived on the 29th
of July. On the loth of September they reached one of the New
Siberia Islands, and two days later set out for the mouth of the River
Lena. The same evening the three boats became separated in a
gale. De Long perished with two of his boat's crew from starvation
and exhaustion; three survivors only of this party succeeding in
reaching a village in Siberia. The second boat with its crew also
reached civilisation, but the third was lost.
CH.XV] ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS 257
suggesting the desirability of sending a vessel to search
the coast of Siberia from Cape Chelyuskin to the east.
It was along this route that the survivors were eventually
discovered and rescued.
He lectured in Yorkshire on the Battle of Towton,
and in the same county delivered another lecture on
" The Original Home of the Potato " (namely, the
Andes), in which he explained the influence that the
trade-wind exerted on the growth of vegetation generally
and on the potato in particular. The versatility of his
literary productions was amazing, and he always wrote
and spoke with a full knowledge of the matter upon
which he was writing or lecturing.
During a visit he paid to Bristol for the purpose of
delivering a lecture on the Basque Provinces and on the
old but now obsolete Whale Fishery, which formed one
of the chief industries of Bristol as early as the fourteenth
century and as late as the seventeenth, he obtained
much information from the shipmasters and ship-
owners whom he met there, regarding the lamentable
ignorance of geography exhibited by the men engaged
by the Board of Trade to examine candidates in navi-
gation for the merchant service. In consequence of
this information, Markham took the matter up with
that energy with which he invariably dealt with matters
that he considered should be reformed. He at once
wrote letters to the different examiners stationed at the
various seaport towns along the coast, inquiring if
navigation classes and schools for instruction existed,
and, if not, what facilities there were for obtaining
instruction. After acquiring all the information possible
from these sources (which was extremely unsatisfactory),
and being of opinion that the Royal Geographical
Society should take the lead in encouraging and foster-
ing the study of nautical astronomy, navigation, and
kindred subjects, in our mercantile marine, he brought
up the question before the Council of the Geographical
Society and the Board of Trade.
258 ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS [CH. xv
This action bore good fruit. His views regarding
the nautical education of the young officers of our
merchant service were fully concurred in by the Board
of Trade. They were also recognised and adopted at
the South Kensington examinations, which tended very
materially to render the certificates thus obtained of
practical value, and not the shams they had hitherto
been considered. This, it must be confessed, was a
gigantic stride in both the moral and material pro-
gress of our mercantile marine; for it tended to raise
the officers of that service from the slough of ignorance
and incapacity, to the acme of perfection in nautical
science and navigation. The mere fact of acquiring
such knowledge imparted a better tone to the young
officers; and Markham's energy certainly assisted in
making the officers of our merchant service what
they now are, the finest and most cultured in the
world.
It was while carrying out his investigations regarding
the nautical training of these young officers, that Mark-
ham became personally interested in the welfare and
instruction of the cadets on board the training ships
Worcester and Conway. These vessels, old men-of-war
presented for the purpose by the Admiralty, were organ-
ised, controlled, and financed by various shipping com-
panies, and others interested in our merchant service,
with the object of educating and providing efficiently in-
structed and properly qualified officers for the mercantile
marine. These two schools the Worcester lay at Green-
hithe, the Conway on the Mersey near Liverpool were
intended to be to the merchant service very much what
the old Britannia was to the Royal Navy. It was an
excellent scheme, brilliantly thought out, and splendidly
inaugurated ; but further development was necessary to
increase its utility, and to make the ships thoroughly
fulfil the requirements for which they had been estab-
lished. Both were controlled by local committees con-
sisting of merchants and shipowners, who took the
CH. xv] ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS 259
greatest interest in the work, and devoted much of their
valuable time to insuring their success.
At the time these institutions were first brought
to Markham's notice, each ship had about 150 cadets
under instruction. They were fine, well-conditioned
lads between the ages of fourteen and eighteen. Many
of them were the sons of captains of merchant ships,
and all were gentlemen. They had a uniform somewhat
similar to that worn by our Naval Cadets. They were
instructed (as they still are) in all the different branches
of seamanship, and they lived under the same conditions
as they would on board an ordinary merchant ship at
sea, except that a great portion of the day was devoted
to instruction, both practical and theoretical. They
sleep in hammocks, work the three masts, and bend,
reef, and furl the sails, just as would be done in a ship
at sea. School, at which they are thoroughly instructed
in nautical astronomy, navigation, and other cognate
subjects, is conducted on the main-deck under the
superintendence of duly qualified instructors.
Markham paid many visits to the two ships, and
from that time he formed an affectionate attachment
for them both. He was especially concerned in the
welfare of the cadets, and took an interest in their
tuition and subsequent careers which never abated,
but, on the contrary, increased as time went on. This
interest lasted to the end of his life. His presence was
always welcome, and he became persona grata to all on
board.
His house soon became the resort of the Worcester
boys. They loved running up to see him, and he for
his part as dearly loved to have them about him. In
his company they were as happy as the day was long,
and he entered into all their fun, listened sympathetic-
ally to all their woes, always gave them good advice, and
invariably warned them against committing, although
perhaps unwittingly, any breach of discipline. We
strongly suspect that the wildest ones were his especial
26o ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS [CH. xv
favourites ! One of his most particular friends on board
the Worcester he describes as a particularly engaging
boy from his frankness of character and total absence
of any affectation; but, he concludes, " he was the
cheekiest youngster I ever met." We are inclined to
think that this cheekiness was not without encourage-
ment.
There was nothing Markham would not do that could
conduce in any way to their pleasure, their happiness,
or their instruction. He would spend whole afternoons
in their company, taking them to the Tower of London,
the Zoological Gardens, Westminster Abbey, the
Aquarium, or any Exhibitions that might be open;
then home to tea and dinner, winding up the day with
a theatre. These excursions were a source of constant
delight to him, and he almost spoilt the boys with the
kindness and generosity that he lavished on them. He
wrote special lectures for them, and would go down
to the Worcester to deliver them. Among other
subjects, he lectured on " Sebastian del Cano,"
" Columbus," " Drake and Hawkins," " Prince Henry
the Navigator," " The Life of Akbar," " Sebastian
Cabot and Drake," " The Early Discoverers of
Australia," " Mercator and his Projection," " The
Early History of Signals," and many on the Polar
Regions. He selected purposely subjects which he
thought would be of use to the boys in their future
careers. Besides being full of information, he always
took care that his lectures should be amusing, and they
were never an aid to somnolence ! These lectures
were also repeated to the boys on board the Conway
in the Mersey. The result of this close association with
the Worcester was, as might naturally be foreseen, his
election as one of the governing body of that vessel;
and certainly no better selection could have been made
in the interests of the institution.
It is little short of marvellous how he could find time
to complete all the literary work in which he was engaged,
CH.XV] ARCTIC AND OTHER INTERESTS 261
for during the time that he was busying himself with
these matters, he was also writing articles, principally
on Peru, for the " Encyclopaedia Britannica"; he was
translating from the Spanish the second part of the
Chronicles of Peru by Ciesa de Leon, for the Hakluyt
Society; he was correcting the proof-sheets of his ac-
count of the War between Peru and Chile; and he was
searching Admiralty records and the State Paper Office
for information regarding Admiral John Markham,
whose Life he was engaged in compiling. He was
also preparing a paper on Recent Arctic Exploration
for the Geographical Section of the British Association
to be held in York, and was writing an essay on the
Life of Akbar ! It is really wonderful, with all this
work, how it was possible for him to find any time to
devote to children; but he loved the young, especially
if they were boys. As an instance of his devotion to
them, he relates in his journal that in the course of a
single day he took one of his favourite Worcester boys to
the following places : to a hatter, a hosier, a tailor, and
then to the New Gallery to see the pictures; luncheon
at the Criterion; then to the United Service Museum,
Westminster Hall, the Courts of Law, Westminster
Abbey, the Aquarium, where they had tea ; then home
to dinner, and a theatre afterwards 1 Not a bad day's
work for a busy man who had reached the allotted
age of three score years and ten !
CHAPTER XVI
THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES
CLEMENTS MARKHAM was always a stanch friend to
those in distress; and no trouble was too great for him
to take in assisting to alleviate their sufferings, whether
physical or mental. The following incident demonstrates
his sympathy and warm-heartedness in this direction.
It came to his knowledge that a young seaman,
belonging to one of our men-of-war on the Pacific
Station, had been sentenced by court-martial to five
years' penal servitude for striking, in a fit of temper,
his superior officer, a gunner's mate. The offender
was only eighteen years of age, a strong, hard-working
lad, but possessing a quick and passionate temper.
When Markham heard the details of the case, he was
shocked at what he considered the cruel severity of
the punishment for an offence that was purely one against
naval discipline. He regarded the punishment as in-
human and unjust, and he set to work actively to en-
deavour to obtain a remission of the sentence. He
onsulted the authorities at the Home Office, and even
wrote a pathetic appeal for clemency to the Home
Secretary. The letter was referred to the Admiralty for
reconsideration, but their Lordships declined to inter-
fere in the matter.
After the lapse of five or six weeks, Markham received
a private letter from the first Sea Lord, saying that he,
personally, saw no objection to a mitigation of the
sentence by the Home Office. This was encouraging,
for it was evident that some member of the Board of
Admiralty was somewhat conscience - stricken. Still,
262
CH.XVI] THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES 263
no action was taken by the authorities. Markham
then wrote out a detailed report of the facts, and sent
a copy to every member of Parliament, bringing the case
also to the notice of other prominent public men. He
dwelt particularly on the monstrous system established
in the Navy, in sending young lads of unblemished
character to penal servitude (where they would be
obliged to associate with the very worst of criminals)
for a purely military offence committed in a fit of temper ;
and he urged those who were members of Parliament
to take action in the House of Commons. The replies
were invariably sympathetic, and there were many
who went so far as to promise to consider how his
suggestions could best be utilised. He succeeded also
in getting the case brought up in the House of Lords,
where, however, in a thin house, the members of the
Government, urged no doubt by party considerations,
succeeded in talking the question out without arriving
at a satisfactory conclusion.
He then obtained an order from the Home Secretary
to see the lad in the convict prison, at Chatham. This
was the first time he had ever met the youth. Markham
was much impressed with his personal appearance, in
spite of the prisoner being clothed in the garb of a
convict, with his hair closely cropped. He describes
him as a good-looking, strongly built young fellow,
with an honest, bright face. In the course of conversa-
tion the man expressed his regret that his temper
should have got the better of him, and attributed it
to the fact that he had but recently partaken of his
daily allowance of grog, which had so affected him as to
cause him to resent the abuse he was receiving from his
instructor. He assured Markham, however, that he
would face the inevitable as bravely as he could, and
strive to maintain his good character to the bitter end.
He spoke feelingly about his parents, and the disgrace
which he had brought on them. He was well-mannered,
and altogether Markham formed a very favourable
264 THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES [CH. xvi
opinion of the lad, a judgment that was borne out by
the doctor and other officials in the prison whom he
interrogated. This interview had the effect of strengthen-
ing Markham's determination to do all in his power to
obtain an abatement of the sentence.
Markham was not the man to take no for an answer,
especially when he had set his heart upon righting a
wrong, which, if not righted, would probably have a
baneful effect upon the young manhood of the country.
He wrote again to every important member of Parlia-
ment, of both Houses, whom he thought likely to help,
and sent strongly worded letters to the Morning Post,
St. James's Gazette, and other papers, recounting the
facts of the case, and urging the Press to exert its influ-
ence on behalf of the young man. He also drafted a
petition for the parents to sign and forward to the
First Lord of the Admiralty. Nor did his energies rest
here. He wrote a complete history of the case, in which
he carefully analysed the returns of naval punishments
during the past twelve years, accompanied by ample
notes on the general question of naval discipline, and
sent it to the proprietor of the Morning Post. The result
of this was the appearance of a powerful article in that
paper urging the necessity for punishment reform in
the Navy.
At this time there was evidence of the desire of the
Admiralty to climb down from the position they had
at first assumed; for they now submitted the whole
case to the prisoner's recent Captain for his views and
report. This was regarded as a distinct concession in
favour of mitigation of the punishment, but, alas !
only a few days after this communication from the
Admiralty (and presumably after receipt of the report
demanded from the Captain) the young man's parents
received an official letter from " My Lords " declining
to recommend any remission of the sentence passed on
their son. This was a staggerer; for the Admiralty
had already consented to reconsider the case on the
CH. xvi] THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES 265
receipt of evidence which completely rebutted the
original allegations. It was inexplicable I
Markham did not take this rebuff quietly. He at
once prepared a petition to the Prime Minister, signed
by all those who were interested in the case and they
were many in number setting forth all particulars,
and specially emphasising the severity of a punishment
which they considered to be a grave miscarriage of
justice. He also published an article in the November
number of the Nineteenth Century, in which he entered
fully into the iniquitous injustice of the case, concluding
with a pointed allusion to the harmful effects that would
ensue . in recruiting for the Navy. He also wrote
privately to prominent members of the Government,
representing very forcibly the necessity for introducing
a Bill into Parliament, abolishing penal servitude in
the Navy for crimes which involved no moral guilt,
but were merely subversive of naval discipline.
At last his efforts were crowned with success. On the
3ist of October, 1884 after more than six months'
incessant correspondence between naval, judicial, and
other Governmental departments he had the satisfac-
tion of receiving a notification from the Home Office
that, in consequence of recent correspondence with the
Admiralty, it had been decided that, for the future,
naval prisoners undergoing sentences of penal servitude,
for strictly naval offences, should, when released, be
absolutely free from all police supervision. This was
a decided victory, and due entirely to Markham 's
strenuous representations of the injustice of the old
procedure. But better news was to follow; for on the
same day he received a letter from the mother of the
youth, announcing that her son had been released,
and that the remaining two and a half years of his
sentence had been remitted. Thus half of the entire
sentence was abrogated unconditionally, and this was
unquestionably due to the persistent and untiring
exertions of Clements Markham.
266 THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES [CH. xvi
Not only had his pertinacity been of service in the
cause of justice and humanity, but it was also of direct
advantage to the Navy. There are many quick-tempered
young fellows in the Service who possess in a high degree
the germs of courage and resource, so valuable in times
of danger. The hot-tempered " scallywag," from his
daring and disregard of personal risk, often proves in
the stress of battle the best and bravest of men.
Markham's first act, on being informed of the lad's
release, was to send for him to his house and take him
into his own service as a footman ! This he did in spite
of the man's personal appearance, for he was short
and thickset, and the backs of his hands were elaborately
tattooed; nor had he any experience as a domestic
servant. Markham's reason for doing this was that he
considered it most important that the lad's first employ-
ment after coming out of prison should be with some-
body who was well acquainted with his character and
would keep him straight. It was a kindly, philanthropic
motive, but, unfortunately it was doomed to failure,
for to his great regret Markham was compelled to dis-
miss the lad before he had been very long in his service.
He pledged himself, however, in Markham's presence
to abstain in future from the use of spirits, the act for
which he had been dismissed having been perpetrated
while under the influence of drink. There is no doubt
that Markham felt the cause that involved his prot^ge^s
discharge very keenly; nevertheless he continued to
take an interest in his welfare, and succeeded in getting
him appointed to the London Fire Brigade, in which he
has since done good and valuable service.
During all this time Markham's interest in his own
particular work never flagged. He lectured to the
cadets of the Worcester and Conway on the " Rise of
the East India Company;" on " Hudson and Baffin,"
and on their Arctic voyages; on " Dampier," and on
the careers of Captain Cook and Captain Scoresby,
and he gave them a brief account of the naval victory
CH.XVI] THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES 267
gained by Commodore Dance with a squadron of East
Indiamen, over a French fleet under the command of
Admiral Linois. He also prepared and read a paper
before the Geographical Society on the discovery of
New Guinea, and was busy preparing details for his
" Life of Admiral Fairfax," as well as transcribing the
Life of Koolemans Beynen,* which his wife had tran-
slated from the Dutch.
In the midst of all this work, with the enormous
amount of research which it entailed, Markham was
called away to Devonshire by news of the death of his
father-in-law, Mr. Chichester; and for some time his
attention was much occupied with family affairs.
It was about this time that he was approached by
the Liberal political agent at Taunton with a view of
his standing for that constituency. Markham, however,
did not consider that the prospects of winning the seat
were at all favourable, so he declined the honour.
The House of Commons was the loser; for he would have
made an excellent member and an interesting and strong
debater. Shortly afterwards, he was invited to stand in the
Liberal interest for Portsmouth. It was a constituency
that he would have been very glad to represent, not only
on account of its importance and his own associations
with the borough, but chiefly, perhaps, because of his
great-uncle's political connection with it for so many
years .f Portsmouth was at the time represented by
two Conservatives. It seems that Markham's principal
reason for declining the honour was because he was
informed that, on the Primrose Day prior to the election,
the great majority of the workmen in the dockyard
(which formed a large proportion of the electors) were
decorated with the Conservative emblem, a bunch of
primroses, in their buttonholes. From this he inferred
that there would be small chance of his winning the
seat. As it turned out, however, the two Liberal
* A young and enthusiastic Dutch naval officer who accompanied
Allen Young in the Pandora in 1876. f See P- 2 5 6 -
268 THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES [CH.XVI
candidates were both returned ! Markham had not
taken into account the inconsistency of dockyard
electors.
Towards the end of the year (18184) ne had a long
interview with the Secretary of the London Chamber
of Commerce, who came to him on his own initiative,
to discuss the possibility of arranging a conference
between the Chamber and the Council of the Royal
Geographical Society with a view to establishing a
policy on certain Central African questions bearing on
a systematic geographical exploration of that country.
Markham explained in detail his views on the question,
and after some discussion it was agreed that the Chamber
of Commerce should address a letter to the President
of the Society, outlining a policy on the lines that
Markham had indicated. This was accordingly done,
and the result was most satisfactory.
Another of his activities at this time was the forma-
tion, in co-operation with some of his neighbours, of an
institution or club near St. Gabriel's Church, Warwick
Square, for the use of young boys up to the age of
eighteen. The result of this was a great success, and
assisted very materially in keeping the young fellows
out of harm's way, as well as providing for their com-
fort and pleasure after their work for the day was
over. Candidates for the institute were proposed and
elected by the boys themselves, each member paying
a monthly subscription of 6d. Four large rooms in
the parish school-house were placed at their disposal.
One was set apart for reading, another for chess and other
quiet games, while the remaining two rooms were used
for gymnastics, boxing, fencing, and games of a more
physical and boisterous character. The rooms were
rilled every evening with boys whose happy faces,
brimful of enjoyment, bore witness to their pleasure.
It is hardly necessary to add that Markham 's contribu-
tion to their enjoyment in the shape of lectures, both
interesting and amusing, was no small one.
CH. xvi] THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES 269
He was never more happy than when he was
engaged in ministering to the happiness of children,
more especially boys, as many a youthful relative or
friend can testify. The appearance at his house of
any of his nephews, any cadets from the Worcester or
midshipmen of the Royal Navy or mercantile marine,
was the signal for the cessation of all work. His books
would be immediately closed, his papers put away,
all cares forgotten; and, after administering to their
appetites, he would wander away with them to spend
the rest of the day in the pursuit of amusement com-
bined with instruction.
The next year (1885) saw him busily engaged in
writing the Memoirs of the Macdonalds of Keppoch.
He also began collecting material for a Life of Admiral
Fairfax; and, in order to complete his researches, he
decided to visit Fairfax County in Virginia, U.S.A.
William Fairfax, the ancestor of the American Fair-
faxes, had settled in Virginia, where many of his
descendants were still living.
This William Fairfax had a somewhat varied career.
He began life in the Royal Navy, but afterwards
went to the Bahamas, where he became Judge, and
eventually Governor. In 1725 he migrated to the
United States, acting as agent there for the estates
of his cousin, Lord Fairfax. His son, the Rev. Brian
Fairfax, succeeded to the title as the eighth Lord Fairfax.
William was an intimate friend of George Washington,
and was one of the chief mourners at the great President's
funeral.
On the occasion of this visit to America, Markham
was accompanied by his wife. They had a pleasant
voyage across the Atlantic, during which he took the
lead in organising entertainments, such as theatricals,
charades, etc. Some of these were carried out under
his management on a somewhat pretentious scale. A
regular stage was erected on the upper deck, scenery
was painted, and everything was conducted in a most
270 THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES [CH. xvi
elaborate manner. Rehearsals and the making of their
costumes kept them busily occupied for two or three
days prior to the performance. It was a great success,
and a considerable sum was realised on behalf of the
widows and orphans of those employed by the steam-
ship company to which the vessel belonged. Other
entertainments followed when the weather permitted,
among them being an Arctic lecture which Markham
delivered; and a competition in "graceful walking," for
which he and another passenger were selected as judges.
Altogether they were a very merry party, and the time
passed quickly and pleasantly.
Markham and his wife were, of course, provided with
many letters of introduction, and they received a very
cordial welcome at all the places they visited. This
kindly reception, however, was not only due to the
letters which they brought, but because his name in
connection with geographical work was well known and
honoured in the United States.
From Boston they travelled through Portland, and
across the White Mountains, enjoying the magnificent
scenery through which they passed, on their way to Lake
Champlain and the Catskills. Thence down the Hudson
River to New York. It was a most enjoyable journey,
rendered all the more delightful by the interesting people
whom they met. The President and other members
of the American Geographical Society entertained them
most hospitably; and, at the Naval Academy at Anna-
polis, he was invited to preside at a meeting when a
paper was to be read by Lieutenant Danenhower,
relating his experiences while employed in De Long's
ill-fated expedition to the Arctic Regions in thejeannette.
This had an additional interest for Markham, for the
Jeannette (which left her timbers in the Far North) was
none other than his old friend Allen Young's vessel,
the Pandora, renamed ! He gladly accepted, and took
a leading part in the discussion that ensued. He was
quite in his element, and perhaps enjoyed it all the
CH. xvi] THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES 271
more because his views on the best route for future
Arctic exploration differed considerably from the
opinions expressed by other speakers !
In Washington he had an interview with the President
(Grover Cleveland) at the White House. He was able
also to collect much information here, regarding the
Fairfaxes, from many members of that family and their
friends. Thence they went on to Virginia, where they
spent two or three weeks, being hospitably entertained
in Richmond, Lexington, Mount Vernon (situated in
Fairfax County), and other places in the State. They
also visited Green way Court in the Shenandoah Valley,
which was formerly the seat of the old and eccentric
Lord Fairfax who had bequeathed it to his nephew;
he, in his turn, bequeathing it to a friend, a Mr. Carnegy.
At the time of the Markhams' visit it was in the posses-
sion of Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy (descendants of Mr.
Carnegy), who were most kind and hospitable, and from
whom he obtained much valuable information re-
garding the Fairfax estate and family. Mrs. Kennerly
presented them with an old ballad relating to the first
arrival of George Washington at Greenway Court, in
which an allusion is made to his having been sent there
to be instructed in venery by the old Lord !
Altogether their visit to the South was in every way
a success; they made many delightful friends, and,
following the track of the war, were eye-witnesses of
the ravages it caused in the beautiful valley of the
Shenandoah. Markham was much impressed by the
Virginians themselves, who, he said, resembled English
gentlefolk in their manners and feelings more than any
other people he had met in America. He maintained
that, if there was any difference between them and the
English, it was that they had retained more of the old-
fashioned courtesy of the days of our grandfathers.
Their war record in the defence of their own country
against invasion was most glorious ; but still more strik-
ing, in his opinion, was the splendid way in which the
272 THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES [CH. xvi
young men, after their country had been utterly
crushed, manfully set to work to face adversity and
regain prosperity. None remained idle; all put their
shoulders to the wheel, and set themselves steadfastly
to redeem the past, in spite of the fact that they had been
brought up to lives of ease and affluence.
On the eve of his departure from America, he sums
up the work which he had accomplished there in these
brief words: " I have seen the people I came to see;
I have done all I wanted ; and we have both had a most
enjoyable trip."
Immediately on his return to England he set to work
to write an account of the Battle of Towton for the
Yorkshire Archaeological Association ; he was also busily
occupied with his " Life of Admiral Fairfax," and collect-
ing notes concerning the Vere family, for his contem-
plated work on the lives of the two brothers Sir Francis
and Sir Horace Vere. He was also much occupied with
his geographical work, more especially in organising a
series of schemes for promoting the general teaching of
geography.
These various and absorbing duties did not in any
way distract his attention or time from his two pet
training ships, the Worcester and the Conway. Indeed,
it is doubtful whether he would have allowed anything,
however important, to interfere with the interest he
took in the welfare of those two schools. He delivered
lectures to the cadets on subjects connected with the
Western Coast of South America and other countries,
especially those possessing extensive coast-lines, ports,
and other sheltered anchorages. It was his aim to make
them familiar with places they would probably visit
during their professional careers, and to impart to them
such geographical knowledge as would be of value to
them in the future. He also assisted in the periodical ex-
aminations held in the two institutions, and in awarding
marks in those subjects in which he was an acknowledged
authority.
CH.XVI] THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES 273
Being now desirous of obtaining further information
regarding the two Veres, he planned and carried out,
in company with his wife, a delightful trip to Belgium
and Germany which enabled him to visit the locality of the
operations rendered memorable by the campaign of Prince
Maurice of Orange against the Italian General Spinola,
who was in command of the Spanish forces. It also gave
him an opportunity to carry out his doctor's directions
namely, to go through a cure at Homburg for gouty
symptoms that were beginning to manifest themselves.
A visit to Mannheim was of special interest and im-
portance, for it was at the battle fought in this neigh-
bourhood that the Dutch Army was saved by the heroism
and generalship of Sir Horace Vere. The fact that,
among the Captains serving under Sir Horace Vere,
were William and John Fairfax and Robert Markham,
lent additional zest to his researches.
From Mannheim he proceeded to Diisseldorf and
Cologne. At the latter place he spent a couple of days of
busy sight-seeing. The vastness and perfect symmetry
of the cathedral, he records, did not leave the same
deep impression on him, or create the same desire to
see it again and again -as did the smaller and less regular
cathedrals that he had visited in England and in France.
Thence they went on by Worms and Heidelberg to
Homburg, where for a month he drank with scrupulous
regularity the particular waters prescribed by the medical
authorities.
During the period of his " cure " he made excursions
with his wife to many places of interest, and his pen
was never idle. He tabulated all the German Emperors
from Charlemagne to Francis II., and, inspired by
the series of portraits of these Emperors, that he had
seen at Frankfort, he compiled a list of all their burial-
places 1 He also studied carefully, and made extensive
notes on the ancient histories of the various places
that he visited, and illustrated them with admirably
drawn plans and maps. His description and history,
274 THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES [CH.XVI
of the old Roman Camp at Saalburg, is especially
interesting, every small detail being recorded with
minute exactness.
On his return to England he found that an old naval
friend of his was in serious pecuniary difficulties owing
to the defalcation of a clerk. His friend at. the time
was holding the position of secretary to a benevolent
institution, and was threatened with dismissal if he
did not at once make good the deficiency, a matter of
about 270. To be dismissed from his post would
involve utter ruin, yet he had not the money wherewith
to make good. In his dilemma he turned to his old
friend Markham, who was not, it must be said, over-
burdened with the riches of this world. Nevertheless,
Markham did not hesitate for one moment. He wrote
at once to his bankers, sold out the requisite amount of
stock, and sent his old friend away happy and grateful.
The incident is typical of the man.
An exhibition was held about this time at St. Stephen's
Hall, Westminster, to celebrate the tercentenary of the
introduction of the potato into this country. Markham
took a leading part in all the arrangements, and read
a paper on the cultivation of the potato by the Incas
and other Andean nations.
He had now been Secretary of the Hakluyt Society
for a period of twenty-eight years, and he felt that if
he were to relinquish the appointment he would have
more leisure to translate and edit a greater number of
books and documents than he had hitherto been able to
accomplish. Accordingly, he handed over the archives
to his successor, with full instructions as to his duties.
Under his secretaryship the Society had grown in useful-
ness and prosperity to an amazing extent. There can
be no doubt that this was very largely due to the con-
tinued energy, devotion, and inspiring influence, of
Clements Markham. In thus resigning the post of
Secretary his interest in the Society did not in any way
abate in fact, it appeared to increase in usefulness and
CH.XVI] THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES 275
in enhancing the popularity of the Society. Even at
the time of his death he was actually correcting the
proof-sheets of a couple of volumes that he had translated
and edited.
In the early part of 1887 began a renewal of his
intimate association with his old profession, the Royal
Navy, which brought him many new friends and ad-
mirers, especially among the younger officers of His
Majesty's Service. It happened in this wise:
A near relative of his, to whom he had filled the
position of an elder brother for many years, had been
appointed, with the rank of Commodore, to the com-
mand of the training squadron, and his broad pendant
was flying in H.M.S. Active. The Squadron included
three other vessels of a somewhat similar class to the
Active namely, the Volage, Rover, and Calypso, and
had been specially formed for the purpose of training
young officers and men in the Royal Navy. The ships
selected were fully rigged, and when at sea were continu-
ously under sail. It was thought that the exercise
incidental to going aloft and working the sails would
benefit the men physically, and would also tend to make
them smart and active. The ships were, of course,
provided with steam-power, but it was very seldom
resorted to. The propellers were fitted with an arrange-
ment for lifting them out of the water, and the funnels
could be lowered out of sight when necessary. In short,
the vessels were to all intents and purposes sailing ships.
Markham left England in January, by the mail-
steamer bound for theWest Indies, whither the squadron
had preceded him by some weeks. He had to change
steamers at Barbados, but this he did not regret, for
he found " the chirpy little Captain of the new vessel
a great improvement on the surly old brute of the last
ship 1" The day after leaving Barbados he picked up
the squadron at Grenada, and he was soon comfortably
settled down on board the Active.
It is hardly necessary to say that he rapidly made
276 THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES [CH.XVI
friends with all on board ; and he lost no time in visiting
the other ships, so that he quickly became acquainted
with every officer in the squadron, and they with him.
It was not long before he knew the history of every man
on board the Active, and he took a lively interest in
everything appertaining to the squadron. In the gun-
room, of course, he was an especial favourite; and he
was looked upon as a sort of oracle on all matters,
more especially those connected with history and geo-
graphy. Any discussion that was raised, any knotty
point that required a decision, was at once referred to
him.
He loved being on deck when exercises or evolu-
tions were being carried out, especially on those occa-
sions when it was blowing hard, and the men were
engaged in reefing topsails or otherwise reducing sail.
It reminded him so vividly, he would say, of bygone
days ; and probably it gave a half-melancholy yet wholly
pleasurable tinge to his delight in feeling the fresh trade-
wind blowing once more upon his face.
In the forenoons he would sit in a corner of the fore-
cabin, working away at his " Life of Columbus " or
" The Fighting Veres," while a dozen midshipmen
were occupying the remainder of the cabin, under the
tuition of the Naval Instructor. Not infrequently the
latter would be absent temporarily. Then, chaos
reigned supreme, and would continue until summarily
put a stop to by the Commodore, or other high official.
Although it would not be fair to assume that their guest
was the instigator of these somewhat irregular disturb-
ances, yet it was generally conceded that there was
never any cause to complain of their unseemly conduct
when they were entirely by themselves 1 He loved
the midshipmen, and they loved him ; there was nothing
that gave him greater pleasure than being with them
in the gunroom mess, or going for a trip with them
either on shore or on some boat expedition.
Markham thoroughly enjoyed cruising among the
CH.XVI] THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES 277
beautiful West Indian Islands, most of them of great
historical interest. For the guidance of the midship-
men in writing up their journals an important duty,
as marks are given on this subject when they present
themselves for examination as Lieutenants, and a good
or bad journal may make all the difference in the class
of certificate obtained he composed at St. Lucia an
account of Rodney's glorious victory there, and subse-
quently wrote descriptions of the famous Diamond Rock
off the island of Martinique, the manner in which the
guns were hoisted up and placed in position, and the
capture of Fort Royal in 1794.
Markham was much impressed with the marked
superiority of the towns and farms in the French
islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, over the towns
of the English West Indian possessions. They ap-
peared to be cleaner, the architecture of their cathedrals,
churches, and public buildings, was superior, their
prosperity more pronounced, and everything more
regular and thriving in appearance, than in our islands.
There is no doubt that this is the case, and it is probably
due to the fact that absentee landlords are unknown
in the French islands, and that where the money is
made, there it is spent.
During this cruise nearly all the islands comprising
the Windward Group of the West Indies were visited,
several days being spent at each, and sometimes more
than one port in the same island was visited.
It was at St. Kitts that Markham first became ac-
quainted with Robert Falcon Scott, at that time a
midshipman on board the Rover. A boat-race had been
arranged, and a prize offered by two of the Lieutenants
of the Volage. The boats were to be cutters manned
by their proper service crews, with their own officers
in charge. The conditions were that they were all to
be at anchor together in line abreast, with their awnings
spread, and the crews sitting on their proper thwarts.
On the signal gun being fired, they were to furl awnings,
19
278 THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES [CH.XVI
weigh anchors, step masts, and make sail, beating up
to a buoy dead to windward. Having rounded this,
they were to run down to another buoy, beat back
again to the first mark, then down mast, out oars, and
pull back to the starting-point, anchor, and spread
awnings. The winning boat was the Rover's cutter,
commanded by young Scott, who in after-years was
to be so intimately associated with Clements Markham
in the work of Antarctic exploration.
Markham was always intensely interested in the
evolutions and manoeuvres of the squadron. He was
especially delighted when the signal was hoisted to
" chase " in a certain direction, which means practically
a race along the course indicated. Each ship would
set every possible sail she could carry, compatible with
safety, in order to get ahead of her consorts. He
always used to say it was the prettiest sight imaginable.
Such a race would last generally for about ten or twelve
hours.
At Barbados the squadron remained for three weeks
before sailing for England, during which time Markham
thoroughly enjoyed himself. As usual, he was happiest
when, in company with half a dozen or more midship-
men, he was engaged in carrying out some expedition
which they had organised into the interior of the island .
On one occasion he says they obtained a number of
squibs
" which caused some anarchy during the homeward
drive. S. was practising with a lasso on the Coachman's
hat, so someone took off his cap and threw it into the
road, and S. had to jump out and pick it up. The
carriage drove on with S. in chase 1 Eventually he
overtook the carriage and rolled in. They had inde-
pendent singing and noise, concluding by drinks on
arrival at Bridgetown."*
Evidently a somewhat unruly and riotous party 1
From this drive Markham returned to Government
* Bridgetown, the chief town and seaport of Barbados.
CH.XVI] THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES 279
House, where he was staying, in order to be present at
a large official, and presumably decorous, dinner. It
must have been in somewhat striking contrast to his
afternoon's amusement !
During his spare and quiet intervals, he wrote an
account for the midshipmen of the discovery and first
settlement of Bermuda, as also a history of the discovery
of the Windward Islands by Columbus, the Life of
Gerard Mercator, and a paper on the physical geography
of Bermuda. His thoughts were invariably with the
young officers; their happiness and well-being were his
constant care. He was anxious to get them interested
in their profession, and to induce them to take up the
study of geography and other subjects which would be
of value to them in their future career. Of one of his
particular midshipmen, S. (alluded to above), he
writes :
" He has lost a month's time for throwing potatoes
and valves at the Naval Instructor in his last ship,
and he was also in trouble at Barbados for knocking
two front teeth down a Lieutenant's throat with the
mast of the dinghy. Poor boy !"
His sympathies were evidently with the " boy,"
and not with those who had been the sufferers from
the lad's aggressive propensities !
From Barbados the squadron proceeded to Bermuda,
a voyage occupying about ten days, and made almost
entirely under sail. Markham had been for some time
working in collaboration with the gunroom officers in the
production of a play which they intended should be per-
formed shortly after their arrival. To him was allotted
the greater part of the task, and on their arrival at
Bermuda his first business, on landing, was to purchase
various dresses principally ladies' attire and other im-
portant stage properties that would be required. How-
ever, as a stay of only four days was made at Bermuda,
the performance had to be postponed ; but it was acted
eventually with great success at sea. The topical
280 THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES [CH. xvi
songs were the subject of much discussion, and constant
revisions were made at every rehearsal. Some con-
sidered many of the jokes were a great deal too personal ;
others thought otherwise : it was no easy matter to please
and satisfy everybody ! Markham was not only the
principal author of the play, but he also had to take a
leading part in it, and, in addition, was stage-manager !
He entered heart and soul into the matter, and it is not
too much to say that without him it would never have
taken place.
Boisterous weather was somewhat detrimental to
rehearsals. For two or three days they experienced
an extremely fresh gale, accompanied by a very heavy
sea. The table in the fore-cabin broke adrift, and they
were obliged to eat their dinner sitting on the deck
and hanging on to the stanchions ! Meals were reduced
to picnics. One of the ships in the squadron had two
boats washed away, the others escaped with little
damage, but all suffered great discomfort. In spite
of the excessive motion, Markham wrote during this
gale an historical account of the Azores for the benefit
of the young officers.
On the 24th of April, 1 887, the squadron anchored in
Horta Bay (Fayal), but sailed again the next day,
giving Markham time, however, to take a run on shore
and identify the ground which was occupied by Sir
Walter Raleigh when he captured Horta. He also
enjoyed a delightful ramble over the hills, and climbed
up to the summit of Mount Carneiro. Of course he
wrote an account of Raleigh's capture of Horta for the
information of the midshipmen. That was inevitable !
Taking advantage of a fine evening, with a compara-
tively smooth sea, they decided on having their
theatricals on the 27th of April. An excellent stage
was prepared on the quarter-deck, and every man and
boy in the ship, that could be spared from his duties,
attended. The piece was named " Too Clever by Half."
It was in three scenes, and was so abundantly stocked
CH.XVI] THE U.S. AND THE WEST INDIES 281
with songs that it was described as " operatic," as
well as " serio-comic." Markham took the part of an
irascible gouty old Baronet, and acted it to perfection.
Everything went off very well, and it was a great
success. The performance was followed by a somewhat
uproarious supper in the wardroom, at which the afore-
mentioned S. sat between Markham and the Captain
of Marines. Whenever S. began to get unduly excited,
the latter seized his head and forced it under the table,
so that S. afterwards said he felt like the Dormouse in
" Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," when sitting
between the March Hare and the Hatter !
The squadron arrived at Portland on the 9th of May,
and Markham left the next day, to the great regret
of all on board the Active. He was pulled on shore in
one of the cutters by a crew composed entirely of
officers. He concludes his diary in the ship as follows:
" Last day on board the Active, where I have passed
14 weeks and 5 days, a most happy and delightful time,
making, I hope, some friendships. I never met nicer,
better-natured, more warm-hearted young fellows. God
bless them !"
Mention must be made here of an instance of his
generosity, which has only recently been brought to
the writer's notice. One of the midshipmen had the
misfortune to run into a boat at one of the islands,
causing considerable damage to it, and, very stupidly,
omitted to report the accident to his commanding
officer, or even to give his name to the harbour-master
when requested to do so. An official complaint was
made by the Governor to the commanding officer of
his ship, and an investigation was ordered. The result
was that the midshipman received a severe reprimand,
and was ordered to pay 4, the cost of the repairs to
the boat. Markham promptly proved himself the friend
in need, for with consummate tact, and in the most
delicate way, he succeeded in arranging that the costs
should be borne by himself.
CHAPTER XVII
WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON
ON his return to England after his long cruise in the
training squadron, Markham's time was fully occupied
in clearing off the enormous mass of work that had
accumulated during his absence in the shape of in-
numerable letters, and legal matters in connection with
his trusteeships. In addition he was much worried by
his old enemy, gout, which persistently attacked him at
inconvenient periods, particularly when he was most
anxious to be unrestrained and able to move about.
His trip in the Active was but a prelude to many
others. Indeed, only a few weeks after his return from
the West Indian cruise, we find him again occupy-
ing his old quarters on board the Active cruising in the
Channel, visiting various ports in England and Ireland,
and even going as far as Gibraltar and Madeira. A few
of his old friends had left in order to complete their
examinations at Greenwich and at Portsmouth, but many
still remained in the squadron, and the new officers
soon became old friends. It is related that on one
occasion he remained on deck during the entire
middle watch (from midnight to 4 a.m.) because one
of his special friends was officer of the watch, and, as
he was very tired after a hard day's cricket on shore,
Markham stayed up with him so as to prevent him from
going to sleep in his watch I It was on this cruise that
he began his work on " Inca Civilisation," and com-
menced to edit and prepare for publication Mrs. Corbin's
Life of her father, Captain Maury, author of " The
Physical Geography of the Sea." During his stay at
282
CH.XVII] WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON 283
Madeira, he made a point of visiting the old haunts
of his brother David, and of making acquaintance with
those friends, still in the island, who had been kind to
his brother during his last illness.
On the 3ist of January, 1888, after much anxious
consideration, and consultation with his friends, he
decided to relinquish the position he had held for
twenty-five years as Honorary Secretary of the
Royal Geographical Society, and wrote a letter to the
President to that effect. The letter was couched in
such terms as rendered it impossible for the President
to do otherwise than accept it. But, in order that the
Society might not altogether lose his active help,
Markham was made a member of the Council. At the
same time he was awarded the Founder's gold medal
in recognition of the valuable geographical work he
had accomplished during his period of office as Honorary
Secretary. The present prosperous state of the Society
is due in a great measure to his personal influence, and
to his long official connection with the institution. As
has been truly said of him by one of the high officials
of the Society in his excellent obituary notice of Sir
Clements :
" He kept himself in close touch, not only with what
may be called the Society's external activities, but with
its internal organisation, in which he took a proud
interest. By his friendly, genial, and considerate
relations with every member of the staff, he secured
their loyal devotion, not only to himself, but to the
Society, so that the hardest work in carrying out the
Society's objects and in maintaining its reputation
became a pleasure, and not a task. He took a special
interest in the younger members of the staff, who were
ever eager to obtain his approval."
We are told on the highest authority that one of his
most important successes at that time was the founda-
tion and issue of the monthly Proceedings, afterwards
to be developed into the present Geographical Journal,
which may now be regarded as the leading geographical
284 WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON [CH. xvn
publication in the world. Markham had also been most
energetic in the promotion of geographical education,
as we have already stated; and he was the first to in-
troduce the use of lantern slides as a means of illus-
trating the lectures that were delivered. This met
with some short-sighted opposition at first, but is now
generally approved and regarded as a valuable adjunct.
At the great naval review held at Spithead in cele-
bration of Queen Victoria's Jubilee, he was again an
honoured guest on board the Active. Shortly after, he
presided on board the Worcester at the annual meeting
and presentation of prizes, and delivered an admirable
address to the cadets.
The work of editing the " Life of Captain Maury "
he found extremely tiresome and intricate, causing him
much labour. The task of connecting the narrative
from the letters that had been submitted to him proved
to be harder than he had anticipated. In fact, he had
to evolve order out of chaos. Yet in the midst of all
this work he found time to write a history of Madeira for
one of his young naval friends, and an account of the
Battle of Lansdowne for another, besides contributing
descriptions of the various ports along the coast of
Spain visited by the training squadron, which he
thought would be useful to the young officers.
At this time he was beginning seriously to consider the
necessity for Antarctic research, and therefore the indis-
pensability of educating public opinion in that direction.
Accordingly, he wrote a long article on the subject for the
Graphic. He then visited the Agent-General of Victoria,
in order to consult him as to the popularity or otherwise
with which a proposal for such an expedition would be
received in Australia. He also worked up the whole
history of South Polar exploration, with all that had
hitherto been achieved geographically in South Polar
Regions.
In the early part of 1888, he accompanied the training
squadron on another cruise to the West Indian Islands,
CH.XVII] WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON 285
returning to England by way of Bermuda. Many changes
had taken place among the young officers, which he did
not apparently appreciate, for he writes :
" As compared with the glorious old crowd of last
year, the midshipmen are smaller, weaker, more quiet,
less up to larks, more good : and not a patch on the old
set 1"
Nevertheless, he was soon on as intimate terms with
his new shipmates as he had been with the " old set."
He was always ready to give them information and
practical help, to associate himself with all their games,
and to listen to all their troubles and grievances, which
they, on their part, were only too ready to pour out
into his sympathetic ears. He was very irate at recent
orders that had been issued regarding increased school
hours for the midshipmen, and, as he terms it, other
" harassing folly." He thought they were being
" crammed " a great deal too much, and that they were
left with insufficient time to themselves for reading.
On the passage home from Bermuda they encountered
very stormy weather, with an unusually low barometer,
and the ships were reduced to close-reefed topsails.
The sea was magnificent, torrents of spray blowing
in sheets from wave to wave, the ship heeling over in
heavy lurches as much as 42, dipping her lee hammock
nettings under water. But, in spite of the excessive
motion and the dirty weather, the " young maniacs "
(as he calls the midshipmen) played at tip and run,
the bucket which was used as a wicket flying across
the deck at every lurch of the ship ! During the gale
he was engaged in drawing up a careful pedigree of the
Kings of Aragon !
On his return home he found that his Life of the
Veres was published, and had been well reviewed, which
gave him great satisfaction. In reading it over, it
brought back to him brighter reminiscences than any
other book that he had written, for it recalled vividly
the pleasant pilgrimages he had made with his wife
286 WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON [CH. xvii
to old towns in Holland, Belgium, and Germany, where
the " fighting Veres " had served.
At the anniversary meeting of the Royal Geographical
Society on the 28th of May, 1888, Markham was pre-
sented with the Founder's gold medal in a very apprecia-
tive speech delivered by the President, General Strachey.
His incomparable services to the Society were also re-
ferred to at the time by other speakers. He looked
upon the honour of becoming one of the Society's gold
medallists as the highest distinction that could be
conferred upon him. On the same day he was presented
with a very beautifully illuminated address, in the form
of an album, from the Captain, the staff, and the cadets,
of the Conway, as a slight recognition of all that he had
done for the ship, and for the great interest he had taken
in the welfare of the cadets. This was as unexpected
as it was gratifying.
To his great delight, he was permitted to be present
on board the Active during the naval manoeuvres in
the summer. He was intensely interested in everything
that occurred, and keenly followed the whole plan of
campaign. The Active was attached to the squadron
selected for the defence of England against a foreign
foe located in Ireland. The first object of the defending
force was to blockade the hostile fleet, which, divided
into two squadrons, was taking refuge in two Irish
ports, one at the north, the other in the south. After
twelve days' successful blockade, a portion of the hostile
fleet succeeded in escaping from the southern port, and
effected a junction with their northern force. The
defending ships thereupon raised the blockade, and
steamed round to the mouth of the Thames to insure
the security of London, leaving the enemy to work his
wicked will on Liverpool and other defenceless, but
important, seaport towns in the north.
During all this time Markham was up early every
morning, and remained on deck until late at night,
criticising, as may well be imagined, every movement of
CH. xvn] WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON 287
the opposing forces, and taking the keenest interest in
every incident and phase of the manoeuvres. He was
much impressed with the value of such evolutions in
peace time, as being the means of illustrating defects,
more especially with regard to the provision of coal and
the supply of stores when the ships are away from their
principal bases. The arrangements for coaling were
execrable, considering the great importance of trans-
ferring the coal from collier to ship in as short a time as
possible. As a rule the coal came alongside the ship
in bulk, which necessitated it being first placed in bags
in order to be hoisted out, thus doubling the time that
would have been occupied if the coal had been simply
put into the bags when taken on board the collier and
kept there. These were all valuable experiences, to be
placed before the naval authorities for future guidance.
In the latter part of the year 1888 we find him again
on board the Active, enjoying a cruise in the Baltic,
and visiting such interesting places as Copenhagen,
Kiel, and Carlscrona. His intimate knowledge of all
these places was marvellous; and the greater part of
it was due to his study of books. It was invariably
his custom to read up all the information available
connected with places he was about to visit, and, with
his wonderfully retentive memory, he thus became a
most efficient guide and historical authority. At
Carlscrona, Baron Nordenskjold came all the way from
Stockholm to greet him. Admiral Von Otter and
Captain Koldewey, both authorities on Arctic matters
from personal experience, were also at Carlscrona; and
to his great delight he met his old Swedish messmate
of the Collingwood, now a retired Commodore " a
dear old man with a nice old wife." At Copenhagen
also he met many old friends, who were kindness itself,
and always gave him a hearty welcome to their houses.
On his return home he set to work to classify a large
and valuable collection of old coins that his father had
accumulated from time to time. The very fact of ex-
288 WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON [CH. xvn
amining the different coins to ascertain their nationality
and date of minting aroused his interest in numismatics,
and he found it a study replete with instruction as well
as pleasure, for it had the effect of revivifying his
interest in ancient history, especially that of Greece
and Rome. By the time that he completed his tabula-
tion of the coins, he imbibed an irresistible desire to
see with his own eyes the ancient remains that are
still left in Greece and Italy.
With Markham, to decide was to act, and, putting all
literary and other work on one side, he started off in
the early spring of 1889, accompanied by his wife, on a
long visit to Rome. He had just completed writing a
" Life of Sir Harry Vane "; but with this he was by no
means satisfied, for he candidly admits that " it is not
a good book, nor is the book worthy of the subject."
He was also engaged in writing the " Life of John
Davis," for a series on the world's great explorers.
In addition to this, he was busily engaged preparing,
at the invitation of the French Geographical Congress,
a paper on English geographical discovery during the
eighteenth century, which he was to read at the meeting
of the Congress at Paris in the following year. At the
same time he was preparing other works for the Hakluyt
Society.
His visit to Rome was an interesting one. For five
weeks he was occupied with his researches. Every
place of interest was not only visited, but closely studied
and minutely described. His descriptions are marked
by great erudition, and display profound historical
and archaeological knowledge. He was wont to declare
that the study of his old Roman coins had taught him
much about ancient Rome. The topography of the
surrounding country he also studied carefully, and made
exact plans of the most celebrated features typical of
classical architecture.
To a lover of Rome and especially Rome in its
ancient splendour and puissance the contents of
CH. xvii] WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON 289
Markham's diary would be of" intense value. On his
visit to the Tabularium, he remarks that its masonry
reminded him of the later Inca work at Cuzco, being of
the same dark colour, probably because they were con-
structed of the same kind of volcanic conglomerate.
Among the statues of the old Roman Consuls in the
galleries of the Vatican, he recognised faces similar
to those on the obverse of his consular coins; and he
refers frequently to these coins in connection with the
pictures and statues that he saw, thus demonstrating
the powerful influence exercised by his collection in im-
pelling him to undertake his visit to Rome. He was
much attracted by the old maps that were shown to
him in the Collegio di Propaganda, some of them dating
back to the early part of the sixteenth century; he
also saw some curious old Arab maps in which he was
intensely interested.
After leaving Rome, they went to Perugia, Assisi, and
Florence. At the last-named place, in the Museum of
Natural History, he was shown many relics of Galileo,
among them an Arabic celestial globe made in A.D. 1080,
and Sir Robert Dudley's astrolabe, all of which were
naturally exceedingly interesting to him. They made
quite a long stay in Florence, living with some friends in
a delightful old villa, and of course spending their days
in visiting the various galleries, museums, churches, and
so forth, which abound in that delightful city.
From Florence they went on to Bologna and Parma,
with its wonderful collection of Correggio's masterpieces.
He realised that " Correggio cannot be known without
visiting Parma." His graphic descriptions are those
of a connoisseur and a lover of art. From Parma they
proceeded to Genoa, where they remained for a few
days, then on to San Remo, Marseilles, Lyons, Dijon,
and Paris, and thence home, where they arrived on the
7th of May. They had been absent for nearly three
months, and were rather sorry to return. One result
of the trip was the addition of several important
2 9 o WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON [CH. xvn
Roman coins to Markham's already large collection,
also some Papal medals.
Although he found the usual accumulation of work
awaiting him on his return to England, the pleasure of
another trip in the training squadron was irresistible,
and exactly four weeks after his arrival in England
we find him starting from Portsmouth for another
cruise to the Baltic. This time, however, he embarked
on board the Volage, a sister ship to the Active, which
latter had to be left behind for refit in Portsmouth
Dockyard.
The reduced squadron (only three in number) as-
sembled in the Downs on the 8th of June, sailing the
next day. Very dirty weather was experienced, and,
to add to the excitement, the Ruby (which had taken
the place of the Rover) had her jib-boom carried away,
and a man washed overboard; fortunately he was saved,
although with difficulty. The squadron anchored off
Elsinore on the i$th of June, and Markham went on
shore with a party of officers, and took a drive along
the seacoast. It was a lovely moonlight night, and
the water was without a ripple. Numerous boats,
crowded with men, women, and children, were pulling
about and serenading the ships, as they passed. On
such a night the old Castle of Kronborg (a light in its
highest tower brilliantly reflected in the calm water)
was exquisitely beautiful. Of course, Markham gave
the youngsters a complete history of " Hamlet," and
many of them remained up until long after midnight in
the expectation of seeing " his father's ghost " indulging
in his usual nightly promenade on the battlements I
Needless to say their vigils met with no success, although
their imaginative faculties were strained to the utmost
tension.
Copenhagen was reached the following day, and six
very pleasant and festive days were spent there.
Luncheon-parties, picnics, dinners, and other enter-
tainments, to the English officers of the squadron in
CH. xvii] WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON 291
which Markham was, of course, included were incessant.
The Minister of Marine, Admiral Ravn, invited all the
officers of the squadron to dine with him at Skodsborg.
At Copenhagen he had the pleasure of meeting old Dr.
Rink, a former Inspector-General of Greenland, also
Mr. Gamel, to whose munificence was due the despatch
of Dr. Nansen's expedition across Greenland. He was,
also, so fortunate as to meet Dr. Nansen himself, who
happened to arrive at Copenhagen at that time, on his
way to England, where he was to give an account of
his recent journey. This was Markham 's first meeting
with the celebrated Norwegian traveller, an event
resulting in a long and close friendship between the two
men whose rare agreement as to the aim and object of
future Polar exploration resulted in much useful work
being undertaken in high latitudes.
From Copenhagen the squadron proceeded to Stock-
holm, reaching that place by the southern or Dalaro
Channel, and passing through fiords for a distance of
seventy-five miles. The banks for nearly the entire
distance were lined with crowds of people waving
handkerchiefs and flags and cheering enthusiastically.
It was exactly midnight, on a lovely calm night, when
they anchored in the very heart of the city of Stockholm.
Here the festivities were, if possible, of a more lavish
character than at Copenhagen. There were dinner-
parties every night; a State dinner was given by the
King ; excursions were made in every direction ; and there
was always the Tivoli Gardens with which to wind
up the evenings ! Baron Nordenskjold was kindness
itself, devoting much of his time to taking Markham and
some of the officers to the various museums and other
public buildings in the city, and also to his private
house, where he showed Markham his valuable collection
of " Ptolemys."*
* A series of maps brought out by Baron Nordenskjdld from the
collection of the editions of Ptolemy which were used by the old
navigators during the latter part of the fifteenth and sixteenth
centuries.
292 WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON [CH. xvn
A day or two after the arrival of the squadron, the
King was pleased to give an audience to the Commodore
and the Captains of the ships, to which Markham was
also specially invited. The King, a tall handsome man
with a very pleasing expression, was in the uniform of
a Swedish Admiral. He conversed with all the officers,
and was especially civil and gracious to Markham, and
thanked him for having rendered such able assistance
to Nordenskjold with his " Facsimile Atlas."* In the
evening they all dined with His Majesty at the Drotting-
holm Palace. Markham, by the way, was not provided
with a Court dress, but His Majesty very considerately
said it might be dispensed with, and that he was to come
in his ordinary evening dress.
At six o'clock the guests embarked on board a small
steamer, and proceeded down the Malar Lake to the
palace. There were about seventy guests, all in full
uniform except Markham. The King spoke to each one
of his guests, who were drawn up in line as he entered
the reception-room accompanied by the Duke of Nassau.
The dinner was served in a room containing full-length
portraits of all the Sovereigns of Europe contemporary
with Oscar I.
On the following evening a large dinner party was
given by the British Minister in honour of the English
squadron, and to this Markham was of course invited.
The next afternoon, accompanied by two of his special
midshipmen friends, he set out to spend a couple of
days with Baron Nordenskjold at his country-house,
about forty miles from Stockholm. The house was
situated at the head of an arm of the Baltic, the sea
* Nordenskjold's " Facsimile Atlas " was brought out by him
with the view of supplying students with specimens of the printed
maps of the period of the Great Discoveries, so as to enable them
to trace the development of geographical knowledge in academic
circles. The old navigators made use, in a great measure, of the
portolani charts, even after printed maps were introduced. The
portolani were brought into use by the Italians in about the thir-
teenth century.
CH. xvii] WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON 293
coming up to within a few yards of the hall door, with
a jetty, boat-house, and bathing-place adjoining. The
ladies of the house were all dressed in the bright-coloured
Swedish costumes which are so picturesque and becom-
ing. The day was spent in roaming through the forest
and sailing in a boat on the fiord, and at midnight they
all went out in the boat to listen to the echoes for which
this particular part of the coast is celebrated.
The squadron left Stockholm on the ist of July, and
proceeded to sea, steaming through the fiords in lovely
weather. On the 5th the ships anchored among the
granite islets about fivemiles from Gothenburg. No sooner
were the anchors down, than a party of officers with
Markham landed to make arrangements for visiting the
Falls of Troll-hattan. This they accomplished the follow-
ing day, starting immediately after breakfast by train,
and arriving at about half-past one. The falls consist
of an immense mass of foaming water, but the general
scenic effect was somewhat marred by the number of
paper-mills that had been constructed along the banks
on either side of the rapids. However, it was all very
interesting. The next day was occupied in an expedition
to a place called Marstrand, to which the officers of
the squadron had been invited by Mr. Nordenfelt, the
inventor of the gun that bears his name. About forty
officers, including Markham, accepted the invitation,
and they were conveyed to Marstrand in a special
steamer. There they had a sort of picnic dinner
followed by a dance. Altogether it was great fun;
they did not return until long after midnight.
During his spare time on board, Markham was kept
busily employed in revising the proof-sheets of his
" Life of John Davis," and in writing up, for the in-
formation of the midshipmen, various notes on the places
they had visited.
The squadron left Gothenburg on the nth of July,
and arrived at Spithead on the i7th. Markham had
thoroughly enjoyed the cruise. He was adored by the
20
294 WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON [ca. xvn
officers, especially the younger ones, whose interests he
always had at heart. After dinner he invariably spent
the evenings in the gunroom until lights were extin-
guished, when he went on deck, and passed the remainder
of the night in conversation with his young friends, and
sharing with them their midnight suppers of sardines
and cocoa 1
The ist of August saw him again on board the Active,
having come down to Portsmouth to be present at the
naval review which had been arranged in honour of the
visit of the German Emperor ; and he had special permis-
sion to remain on board during the naval manoeuvres
that were to follow. The review took place on the 5th.
Next day the fleet weighed in the forenoon. It was
blowing hard and there was a nasty sea. The Active
got away under topsails, accompanied by the two
squadrons of small cruisers that had been placed under
the orders of the Commodore.
Leith was reached on the 9th, and the squadron
was disposed to the best advantage for the protection
of the East Coast. From Leith, Markham paid two or
three visits to Edinburgh, and specially to the Forth
Bridge, which was not then completed. After visiting
Peterhead, Aberdeen, and other ports along the east
coast of Scotland, the Active went to Broughty Ferry,
and made that her headquarters for a few days, sending
out the fast cruisers to patrol the coast, protect friendly
commerce, and to give warning of the approach of hostile
ships. Nothing of interest occurred during the remain-
ing days of the manoeuvres, and the Active returned to
Spithead on the 3ist of August, whence Markham
returned home.
It must not be imagined that these trips at sea were
in any way a relaxation from his literary labours.
Wherever he went, he always took with him what-
ever work he happened to be engaged upon, and
would devote to it every moment he could spare. All
the time he was at sea on this cruise in the Active, he
CH. xvn] WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON 295
was busy correcting the proof-sheets of a chapter he
was contributing to the History of America, and also
of Nordenskjold's book, besides finishing his translation
of " Los Cantabros "from the Spanish. He was likewise
busily occupied in writing a paper in which he analysed
the professions and birthplaces, and other matters of
interest connected with the history of the Judges who
condemned King Charles I. to death i.e., the " Regi-
cides." He also finished his " Landfall of Columbus,"
and wrote the preface of his " Tractatus de Globis "
for the Hakluyt Society. He possessed the faculty of
being able to lay down his pen at any moment even
if engaged in the elucidation of some abstruse problem
whenever required by the young officers to go on
shore with them or to solve some knotty question, and
could resume at once the subject of his composition
from the point where he left off, even although many
hours may have elapsed before returning to his work !
On this occasion he did not remain very long on shore.
On the 24th of September, only three weeks after his
return from the naval manoeuvres, we find him again
occupying his old quarters on board the Active, starting
on a cruise to the Mediterranean.
He was now regarded by the officers as part and parcel
of themselves, and they felt that without him the
little squadron would have been incomplete. He it
was who pointed out to them all the places of interest
to be visited at the various ports at which the ships
called; he it was who arranged and organised all the
excursions that were made to places farther afield;
and it was always he who acted as their guide and
cicerone, the life and soul of the party, without whom,
they felt sure any enterprise would result in failure;
he was also the leader and organiser of all games and
entertainments improvised on board for the amusement
of the officers and men.
Fine weather was experienced on the run to Cadiz t
the ships constantly manoeuvring, and being exercised
2 9 6 WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON [CH. xvn
at tactics under sail, which interested him exceedingly.
While at Cadiz they had an opportunity of visiting
Seville, where he was shown the letter written by
Columbus to the King of Spain, and saw many of Murillo's
masterpieces. Markham's knowledge of the Spanish
language was most useful, in addition to his encyclopaedic
historical knowledge. From Cadiz they proceeded to
Almeria; thence on to Cartagena, whence an excursion
was made to Murcia. Their stay at Cartagena was
somewhat curtailed by a telegram from the Admiralty
ordering the squadron to proceed without delay to
Lisbon, in order to assist at the funeral of the late King
of Portugal.
The ships left the following morning, and proceeded
at full speed (under steam) to Lisbon, which they
reached in forty-eight hours. The flags and ensigns
of the men-of-war in the Tagus were all at half-mast,
the yards of the ships were all topped as a sign of mourn-
ing, and a gun was fired from each ship every quarter
of an hour day and night.
On the arrival of the Duke of Edinburgh, the Active
hoisted the English Royal Standard at the main. The
funeral took place two days after the arrival of the
squadron. Markham witnessed the procession from a
house to which he had been invited. He remarks: " It
was very long, but there was nothing of real interest
except the very ancient gilded coaches and the running
footmen."
The Duke of Edinburgh came off to the Active for
Church service the following day, and left for England
the next morning.
From Lisbon, Markham made many excursions. He
visited such places as Cintra, Alcobaca and Batalha,
and wrote interesting descriptions of them all. Need-
less to add, he was always accompanied by a large
number of his naval friends. They drove past the
famous lines of Torres Vedras on the way to Alcobaca
and its twelfth-century Cistercian monastery, then
CH.XVII] WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON 297
much disfigured and used as a military barrack. Next
morning they drove on to Batalha, the " battle-field "
where once the Portuguese routed the Spaniards.
Here is a place of pilgrimage for geographers, the tomb
of Prince Henry the Navigator, with its richly elaborate
detail and recumbent figure of the Prince a memorial
as grateful to Markham in architectural effect as in
historic association.
Whenever their carriage was seen approaching the
villages through which they passed, the children would
fling themselves down on their knees and pray energetic-
ally that the passengers might be charitable; then,
when it came close up, they would run after it cap in
hand, hoping that their prayers would be answered 1
It was midnight before Lisbon was reached, and they
returned on board tired and happy.
A few days later the squadron sailed for England,
the Active arriving at Spithead on the loth of November.
Markham left for home the next day. It was with a
heavy heart that he went over the Active's side, for he
could not help feeling that, as there was to be a change
of Commodores, this would, in all probability, be his
last cruise in the squadron in which he had spent so
many happy days, and had made so many pleasant
friendships.
A fortnight after his return to England he was unani-
mously elected to succeed Sir Henry Yule as Pre-
sident of the Hakluyt Society. Colonel Yule, who
felt compelled to resign in consequence of ill-health,
had himself suggested Markham as his successor. No
better selection could have been made; no one took
a greater interest in the welfare of the Society, and
there was no one better acquainted with its require-
ments, than Markham. None had done more to bring
it to its present state of usefulness; and during his
presidency, a post which he held for many years, no
one was at more pains than Markham to insure its
continued success and prosperity.
2 9 8 WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON [CH. xvn
He was at this time hard at work on his " Life of
Richard III." The compilation of this book caused
him, probably, greater labour and research than any
other work he had written. He left no stone unturned
in his efforts to arrive at the true state of affairs during
that monarch's reign ; for he would never believe that the
King's character was such as Shakespeare has assigned
to him. He probed and sifted every incident connected
with the King that had been accepted by many authori-
ties as historically correct, though there was much re-
corded to the discredit and dishonour of that Sovereign.
He would write and rewrite chapters already completed
in order to make them as faithful as possible, as more
recent evidence was brought to light. Early in his life
he had been convinced that the statements put forward
by historians with reference to the change of dynasty
from Plantagenet to Tudor, detrimental to the former,
were absolute inventions, circulated by the followers
and upholders of Henry VII. solely for political pur-
poses. The picture drawn by them of Richard III.
was, in his opinion, a travesty of the truth, and was a
grotesque caricature grossly opposed to his real character
as revealed by official records. He studied very care-
fully all the chronicles relating to the subject, and the
works of all authors of repute who had written on this
particular topic during the last three centuries. The
knowledge thus obtained only served to further convince
him that Richard III. was a much maligned man. He
consulted the most eminent historians in England,
most of whom were inclined to agree with him, many
urging him very strongly to proceed with his investiga-
tions, and to give them publicity. The result of his
labours was published in 1906, under the title of
"Richard III.: His Life and Character "eight or
nine years after he had taken the work in hand, so
careful was he that it should not be brought out hurriedly
or without due and careful inquiry and investigation.
It is a fascinating book, and those who are interested
CH. xvii] WITH THE TRAINING SQUADRON 299
in the chain of reasoning by which Clements Markham
asserts the innocency of Richard in connection with
the crimes that have been ascribed to him, will find it
set forth in minute detail with Markham 's usual his-
torical accuracy.
Another work to which he was devoting much of
his time was the " Tractatus de Globis," by the cele-
brated mathematician, Robert Hues, which he was
editing, and in a great measure translating from the
Latin, for the Hakluyt Society. The first edition was
published in Latin in 1594, and was dedicated to Sir
Walter Raleigh. It gives a full description of the
globes, both terrestrial and celestial, as they were known
in those days. It explains their use and their construc-
tion ; how to find the positions of the stars, the latitude
and longitude of places on the earth; how to observe
the meridian altitude of the sun, the variation of the
compass, and everything appertaining to the navigation
of a ship that was known at that time. Markham
wrote a long, interesting, and learned introduction to
this book, in which he traces the existence of globes to
a period anterior to the Christian era, the oldest, made of
metal, with the various heavenly constellations engraved
on them, being attributed to Arabian astronomers.
He was also very busy at this time making arrange-
ments for the reception of Stanley on his return from
his famous expedition across the Dark Continent.
Indeed, Markham was never idle: he was always in
quest of knowledge, always engaged in literary pursuits,
yet always ready to hold out a helping hand to his
friends, or to devote his time to their entertainment
when they were able to come and see him in London.
CHAPTER XVIII
THE ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY
IN the spring of 1890 Markham and his wife started
for a long tour in Sicily and Italy.
They crossed over the island to study the grand ruins
at Selinus and Girgenti. Syracuse crowned its fascina-
tions by enabling him to add some rare coins to his
collection.
From Syracuse they crossed over to Malta, and
stayed at Admiralty House on a long-promised visit
to their old friends, Sir Anthony and Lady Hoskins,
where they met anew many old naval friends. Return-
ing, they paid quite a long visit to charming Taormina,
taking long walks in new directions every day.
One day Markham started by himself for a long walk
along the seashore. As he reached the sea, he met a
couple of small children running towards him in a terri-
fied manner, as if flying from an enemy or some savage
animal. They entreated him to see them safely to
their home, which was situated some distance up the
hill, and in the opposite direction to that which he was
pursuing. " So," as he says, " I had to go back the way
I came." An appeal from a child, especially when
frightened, was to him irresistible !
Taking the boat from Messina to Naples, they stayed
at Castellamare and spent long days exploring the ruins
of Pompeii and the surrounding country. Thence they
journeyed to La Cava, Amain, Paestum, and then home
by Rome and Paris.
The change of the Commodore in the training squadron,
after all, made little difference to Markham 's connection
300
CH. xvm] ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY 301
with it; for shortly after his return from abroad he
went as the guest of the Captain of the Ruby on a
cruise to Christiania and back. They were away about
three weeks, quite long enough, however, for Markham
to make himself acquainted with the newly appointed
midshipmen in the various ships, and to make the usual
excursions. At Christiania, moreover, he saw a good
deal of his old friends, Dr. Nansen, Dr. Rink, Dr. Mohn,
and other distinguished Norwegian men of science.
On his return to England he found much fresh occu-
pation for his pen. He completed an article on Peru
which he was invited to write for " Chambers 's En-
cyclopaedia," and also wrote monographs on Francisco
and Gonzalo Pizarro for the same publication. Having
completed his " Life of Richard III.," he was dis-
satisfied with the conclusions he had arrived at, which
he thought would not be sufficiently convincing to the
general public or to historical experts. He therefore
set to work to condense what he had written, and to
bring the abridgment out as a lengthy essay in the
English Historical Review. By this means he hoped
to provoke criticism, and, by meeting it, to strengthen
the proof of his theory before publishing the book.
About this time he read a paper at the Royal United
Service Institution, on the importance to naval officers
of a knowledge of the origin and gradual development
of the various instruments used in their profession,
especially those dealing with navigation and nautical
astronomy. This object, he thought, might be attained
by establishing at Greenwich a collection of instruments
from the earliest known examples of the astrolabe,
quadrant, and sextant, besides books on navigation,
maps, charts, etc. The suggestion was well received,
and warmly supported by several distinguished naval
officers and others, but, alas 1 nothing came of it.
In the Arctic section of the Naval Exhibition held at
Chelsea in 1891, he took a leading and active part.
He also contributed an article to the Nautical Magazine
302 ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY [CH. xvin
on the desirability of promoting the higher education
of officers in the mercantile marine.
Among his many other activities at this time, he ac-
cepted a seat on the governing board of the reformatory
ship Cornwall, stationed in the Thames at Purfleet, and
became a regular attendant at the board meetings.
For some time he had been a martyr to gout, and this
at last necessitated periodical visits to Homburg and
Carlsbad to drink the waters. On the first of these
visits he succeeded in so arranging his journey to
Germany as to include places in Italy, Sicily, and other
parts of Europe, that he was particularly anxious to
visit.
In Sicily he made many excursions, always accom-
panied by his wife, making Palermo his headquarters
for exploration among the ancient ruins, such as Selinus,
Segesta, Solutum (the old Sela of the Phoenicians),
Trapani, and Nicolosi, invariably spending his last days
in Sicily at lovely Taormina, with which he was always
enchanted, and where he made many friends, especially
among the country-people, who still revere his memory.
He was much endeared to the children, who followed
him about wherever he went.
His journal contains graphic descriptions of every
place he went to, giving elaborate details of the archi-
tecture and decorations that still remained. He always
regretted that his time was so short ; for there were many
places at which " days might be spent very profitably
and enjoyably," which for want of time he was unable
to include in his itinerary. They succeeded, however,
in putting in a few days at the beautiful island of Capri.
Then through Italy into Germany, where he remained
for three weeks undergoing his cure for gout ; then home,
after an absence of four months.
He was always a very active and leading member of
the Westminster School Decoration Fund Committee,
which had been formed for the purpose of placing the
coats of arms of old Westminster boys on the walls
CH. xvm] ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY 303
of the great hall, so as to preserve their memories in
perpetuity.* He also took great interest in, and rendered
much assistance to, the charitable organisation that
devoted itself to sending London boys of the working
class to the seaside during the summer months. Any-
thing that had for its object the amelioration of the lot
of young people was sure to appeal to his generosity
and to evoke his sympathy.
His society was much in demand by his friends, not
only on account of his great learning (for he was truly
an animated encyclopaedia, and always ready to impart
knowledge to others), but also because of the great
charm of his personality. His was a most lovable
nature, always kind and sympathetic, always happy
and cheerful, and ready at all times to amuse others
or to take part in their sports and games. In country-
houses he was most welcome, for he was invariably
the life and soul of the party. On one occasion he
was staying at Oxford with an eminent historian
who was associated with that University. In the
evening a dinner-party was given in his honour, and
several learned and distinguished professors were in-
vited, with their wives and daughters. After dinner
a lengthened debate ensued on some profound subject,
when someone suggested that they should adjourn to
the hall and play games. This was readily agreed to,
and they played at " bean-bags " until it was time to
go to bed. By a curious coincidence, the following
day, being Sunday, they went to St. Mary's to hear
the University sermon, in the course of which the
preacher strongly denounced the excessive devotion
of the present generation to the playing of games and
other amusements I
Markham was not disappointed at the sensation that
* It is gratifying to be able to announce that the school authori-
ties have decided to add the coat of arms of Sir Clements Markham
to those of the other distinguished and eminent old Westminsters
already painted in " school."
304 ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY [CH. xvni
was created by the appearance of his article on
Richard III. in the English Historical Review, and at
the criticisms, many of them very antagonistic, that it
evoked. This was just what he wanted; but it gave
him great occupation in replying to them all, and in
sending a rejoinder to the magazine. At this time he
was also engaged in preparing a paper that he had been
requested to write for the Hygienic Congress, on " the
suitability of tropical islands and mountains for the
permanent abode of Europeans." In addition he was
getting ready his notes for the writing of his " History
of Peru."
To add to this accumulation of work, he was now asked
to write the Life of Columbus for a projected series on
the " World's Great Explorers," which he gladly con-
sented to do.
To obtain all possible material at first hand, he visited
Genoa, where he was introduced to the President of
the Italian Geographical Society, who was also the
President of the Congress that was shortly to be held to
celebrate the fourth centenary of the departure of
Columbus from Spain, on his first voyage of discovery
to the West. From him Markham obtained manj^
details, and was put in the way of seeing various relics
and treasures of Columbus that otherwise he would
probably never have heard of. He was taken to the
old church of San Stefano, in which Christoforo had
been baptised. Hearing that an original portrait of
the great navigator was in a private house at Como, he
promptly went there, and had no difficulty in finding
the house, where he was most civilly received and shown
the picture. It represented a man of middle age with
an exceedingly fine head and a most prepossessing
appearance. The authenticity of this picture was
indisputable, for its owner informed Markham that it
had never left the family since it was painted !
On his return to England he gave several lectures
on board the Worcester, principally associated with
CH. xvin] ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY 305
geographical work, also on the physical geography of
the Eastern Archipelago in the Mediterranean. He
was much gratified to hear that the Corporation of
Liverpool had established at that port a municipal
navigation school for the instruction of young officers
belonging to the mercantile marine. It afforded him
no small pleasure to know that his exertions during the
past ten years to spread the teaching of navigation and
nautical astronomy in this country were at length
bearing fruit. At the same time he received official
intimation that he had been elected a Vice-President of
the Royal Geographical Society.
Other projects which he was contemplating at this
time were papers for the Geographical Society on
Columbus (for which he had all the necessary data
already to hand); on Vespucci Amerigo, after whom
the great continent of America was named ; and Corte-
Real, a Portuguese navigator who is reputed to have
been the discoverer of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Heavy as this undertaking was, and demanding all
Markham's great powers of research, industry, and
skill in writing, still, at the same time, he was invariably
ready to tear himself away from his work in order to
give pleasure to his friends; though time so lost had
always to be made up by extra assiduity.
Towards the latter end of the year (1892) we find him
again in the Mediterranean, this time as the guest of the
Rear-Admiral who was second in command of the
station, with his flag flying on board the Trafalgar.
On his way to join the ship, he had the disagreeable
experience of undergoing quarantine at the island of
Vido for four days, in consequence of the ship having
touched at Brindisi, which had been proclaimed an
infected port.
On obtaining pratique he landed at Corfu for a couple
of days, and then went on to Patras, where he found
his cousin, Sir Edwin Egerton, who was British Minister
at Athens, had come to meet him. In his company
306 ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY [CH. xvm
he proceeded to Olympia, where he spent a few days
examining the ancient buildings laid bare by the
excavations, and the artistic treasures that had been
found, and are preserved in a Greek museum, con-
structed in excellent taste, on the site. Markham was
fascinated with the symbols of antiquity that sur-
rounded him; and he confessed that no place sacred to
ancient memories that he had ever visited not even
the Incarial ruins in Peru had enabled him to visualise
the scenes of antiquity so completely as had Olympia.
Thence they travelled by Corinth on to Athens, where
he spent an exceedingly interesting fortnight under the
guidance of his friends at the British Legation, when
he was able to add largely to his ever-increasing col-
lection of ancient coins. He was also afforded the
opportunity of visiting Mycenae and Tiryns, and other
interesting places.
At Nauplia he joined the Trafalgar, and made ac-
quaintance with all her officers. The entire Mediter-
ranean squadron, consisting of ten large battleships,
with several cruisers and other auxiliary vessels, was
assembled here; it was a most imposing and formidable
fleet. He met many old friends, not only in the
Trafalgar, but in almost every ship in the squadron.
He was promptly made an honorary member of the ward-
room mess, and was in constant demand by his old
friends to visit them on board their ships, and also to
arrange and conduct the many excursions that were
made to historic sites.
It was delightful to be with him on these occasions,
for he was thoroughly versed in the mythological
chronicles of each place visited, as well as in its actual
history; and to his charm of manner he added the gift
of awakening and imparting interest. Never was there
any risk of being bored in his society, and it was always
a great delight to listen to his stories and his quaint
and amusing way of telling them. The battlefields of
Thermopylae and Marathon were visited and thoroughly
en. xvmj ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY 307
explored. In the famous pass at the former place they
read, on the pedestal erected to the memory of Leonidas
and his heroic followers, the famous inscription :
to (feiv', ayyeAAeiv AaxeSat/ioviots on rySe
Kei[j.fda rots Keivtav pijp.a.a-1 irti.66fj.6vot.
(" Stranger ! tell the Spartans that we are lying here
In obedience to their commands.")
From Greece he visited Salonica, and several of the
islands in the Levant, including Thasos and Lemnos.
The former is the most beautiful and one of the most
interesting islands in the ^Egean Sea; the latter is
perhaps the most uninteresting and unprepossessing
in appearance, but it has the advantage of possessing
a fine land-locked harbour. Here the annual fleet
regatta was held, an event in which Markham took
the greatest interest, more especially if his particular
friends were among the winning competitors. After
leaving Lemnos, the fleet steamed away to the south-
ward, passing close to the islands of Lesbos, Chios,
Samos, and Cos, and anchored off the town of Budrum.
This was the ancient Halicarnassus, the birthplace of
Herodotus, and the site of the Mausoleum (one of the
accepted seven wonders of the world) erected by
Artemisia, the sister and wife of King Mausolus, who
died about 353 B.C.
The town at the time of Markham 's visit was small
and unimportant. It consisted only of a few dilapi-
dated whitewashed houses, in the centre of which rose
the picturesque outline of the old castle of the Knights
of Rhodes. Built by the Grand-Master Philibert de
Naillac in about 1404, it is still in a marvellous state
of preservation. It is said that it was partially con-
structed of material obtained from the Mausoleum, of
which no vestige now remains. Indeed, more of it
is to be seen in the British Museum than can be found
on the site of Halicarnassus I
Here Markham found much to interest him and to
3o8 ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY [ca. xvm
occupy his time. He made a careful study of the
castle and everything connected with it, and was able
to decipher and describe the numerous coats of arms
of the Knights, that adorned the walls. He wrote a
complete description of the place and its history for a
small periodical that was circulated among the ships
of the fleet.
On the arrival of the squadron at Malta, he left for
England, travelling via Sicily and Rome, parting from his
friends, after a six weeks' cruise, with mutual regret.
On his arrival in England he was much gratified by
receiving a letter from the Peruvian Minister of Foreign
Affairs informing him that the Congress of Peru had
unanimously voted him their gold medal, for the
eminent services he had rendered to Peru, and for the
continued interest he took in the welfare and prosperity
of that country.
At this time he was busily engaged in translating from
the Spanish, and editing the first voyage of Columbus,
which, with the shorter accounts of the voyages of the
Cabots and Corte-Real, was to form one volume for the
Hakluyt Society. He also compiled a paper for the
Society of Antiquaries on the display of heraldry that
he had seen and noted at Budrum Castle; as also a
paper descriptive of ancient Greek and Roman coins,
with types having special reference to the sea and naval
subjects, designated " Naval Coins." As if the variety
of subjects on which he was writing was not sufficient,
he was at the same time engaged in writing an article
on the " Discovery of Britain by Pytheas " and his own
" Reminiscences of Westminster School." He was
moreover preparing two lectures to be delivered to the
boys of the Worcester on the Arctic Regions.
To use a vulgar phrase, Markham was a glutton for
work, and when that work was of a literary character
his voracity was unappeasable. His natural aptitude
for research, combined with a marvellous memory,
enabled him the more readily to write on many different
CH. xviii] ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY 309
subjects at practically the same time. It was a gift,
fortified by thoroughness in detail, an example of which
may be illustrated by the trouble he took in working
out the particular star that was situated nearest to the
Pole in the Northern Hemisphere in the year 300 B.C.,
in order that he might insert this information in his
" Discovery of Britain by Pytheas " !
Shortly after his return from the Mediterranean, he
made another delightful trip to Italy with his wife,
visiting Trent and Venice, and then on to Corfu, winding
up, of course, with a long stay at his beloved Taormina.
Here he received the intelligence that he had been elected
President of the Royal Geographical Society. This
was startling news ! He had never put himself forward
as a possible candidate, and he had not the least idea,
when he left England, that the existing President had
any intention of vacating the office. After some
hesitation and careful deliberation, he telegraphed his
acceptance. It was a decision he never regretted. He
knew that he would not be occupying " a bed of roses,"
for there had been much controversy of late, and a certain
amount of testiness and dissension among the Fellows,
regarding the admission of women as Fellows of the
Society. At a general meeting of the members, summoned
for the purpose of affirming and ratifying the rule passed
by the Council, the motion was rejected by a majority
of ten. This led to the resignation of the President, and
the unanimous election of Markham to fill the vacant
Presidential chair. It was a wise choice, both in the
interests of geography and of the Society. With very
few exceptions, the Presidents had been selected more
as " figure-heads " than anything else ; very few had really
possessed high geographical attainments. Now they
had called to the chair one who might with perfect truth
be called a professional geographer, a man whose know-
ledge of everything appertaining to that science was
second to none in the world; a man who had the best
interests of geography (and of the Society) at heart.
21
3io ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY [CH. xvm
That it was a rational and judicious selection, his twelve
long years of office abundantly testified.
The appointment of Markham as President was, as
a matter of fact, the presage of Antarctic exploration.
For some time he had been imbued with the desirability,
from a geographical standpoint, of promoting South
Polar research ; and now he felt that he was in a position
to advocate with some authority, the necessity for
despatching an expedition with this object in view. He
determined that it should be the first business he took
in hand after he had assumed office.
On his return to England he entered at once on his
duties as President, bringing a keenness and knowledge
of the details connected with the office that augured
well for the future. He made many minor alterations
in the internal economy of the Society, and instituted
departmental rules and reforms especially with regard
to the library and the issue of books that tended to
promote the efficiency and usefulness of the various
branches of the institution.
It must not be thought that the changes he introduced
were simply due to the advent of a " new broom." It
must be remembered that for a period of a quarter of
a century he had been very intimately associated with
the Society as its Honorary Secretary; therefore he
was familiar with its requirements, and in a position to
estimate and appreciate its shortcomings.
He was installed President of the Society on the 1 3th
of November, 1893, and presided over the Council for
the first time on that date. All his financial and other
measures were passed without opposition, and the same
evening he took his seat as President at the meeting
and delivered his inaugural address. There was a large
gathering, and he was very cordially received.
The first official step that he took in connection with
the renewal of Antarctic research was at his first Council
meeting, immediately after his installation as President.
He then appointed a committee to report upon matters
CH. xvm] ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY 311
bearing on the despatch of an Antarctic expedition.
This was to pave the way for preparing the public and
the Government for the South Polar exploration which
it was intended should take a prominent part in the
geographical agenda of the near future. It was followed
(at the same meeting) by an excellent paper delivered by
Dr. (afterwards Sir) John Murray, setting forth the
arguments for the renewal of Antarctic discovery with
vigorous force; his views were supported by many
eminent men of science, and officers in the Navy who
had served in Polar Regions. No dissentient voice was
raised, and it was altogether a most successful meeting.
From this time forward, until his object was gained,
Antarctic research was urged by him as the one great
geographical problem left for this country to solve ; and
in its solution he was intensely interested.
In his capacity as President, he felt it incumbent
upon him to accept invitations to be present at the
Manchester Geographical Society, where he read a
paper on " Himalayan Trade Routes "; at Liverpool,
where he delivered one on " Polar Exploration" ; and
at Newcastle, where he read a paper on Peru before the
Tyneside Geographical Society. While at Liverpool he
gave an address to the cadets on board the Conway on
"The West Coast of South America, including the Island
of Juan Fernandez." At the meeting of the British
Association at Nottingham, he read a paper descriptive
of the boundary line dividing geology and geography,
which caused an animated discussion. There was no
limit to his writing on the diverse subjects of which he
was master.
Shortly after his assumption of office as President,
he originated a celebration, by the Society, of the fourth
centenary of the birth of Prince Henry the Navigator
(son of King John of Portugal), who was distinguished
for his encouragement of science, especially that of
geography. At the club dinner prior to the meeting, he
was honoured by the presence of H.R.H. the Duke of
312 ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY [CH. xvm
York, the Portuguese Minister, and other distinguished
guests. The meeting was a great success, and admirable
speeches were delivered ; telegrams were also exchanged
between the Duke of York, the King of Portugal, and
the Prince of Wales, who was abroad at the time.
The theatre was crowded, the proceedings were not too
long, and everybody was pleased.
On the 28th of May he presided for the first time at
the anniversary meeting, and delivered his address,
taking the chair afterwards at the anniversary dinner.
He was well supported at both, and everything went
off satisfactorily. It may here be mentioned that, on
his becoming President of the Geographical Club,
he reinstituted the annual fish dinner of the club
at the Ship Inn at Greenwich. It was a custom that
of late years had fallen into desuetude. Its revival was
very popular, and the outing was much looked forward
to by the members of the club and their friends ! In
addition to all his other multifarious obligations, he was
also a very active member of the Council of the Navy
Records Society.
On a retrospect of his first year of office as President
of the Geographical Society, he must have been eminently
pleased with the results of his efforts. By his careful
and judicious alteration, and rearrangement of some of
the rules, he had given complete satisfaction ; discontent
was expelled and harmony was restored. He had
altered for the better the character of the annual
Presidential address. Hitherto the awards, other than
the medals, had been merely announced; but he in-
stituted the formal presentation of them to all the
recipients at the anniversary meetings, a proceeding that
was much appreciated. He introduced a plan of
appointing Fellows to committees, who were not on the
Council a very wise procedure. He placed the finances
of the Society on a sound and proper basis, and made
many other useful reforms. This, it must be acknow-
ledged, was a great deal to achieve during his first year
CH. xvm] ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY 313
of office, and it was accomplished in such a quiet, un-
obtrusive way as to avoid irritation or provocation of
any sort on the part of those who were inclined to be
somewhat rebellious, or wedded to their own ideas of
rule and government.
On the 1 2th of July, 1894, ne went down to Green-
hithe to bid farewell and good luck to the Jackson-
Harmsworth expedition, which was leaving that day
in the little steamer Windward for the purpose of ex-
ploring towards the North Pole, by way of Franz
Josef Land.
In the early part of the year he suffered very much
from his old complaint, gout; and, as he found that he
had derived but little benefit from the waters of Carlsbad
and Homburg, he decided to try the waters at Larvik
in Norway, which had been strongly recommended
to him. Here, in company with his wife, he spent
several enjoyable weeks, for he found the scenery
lovely, the climate delightful, the waters restorative, and
the people charming.
On passing through Christiania, the King of Sweden,
hearing of his arrival, sent for him to the palace, and
gave him a private interview. They had a long talk
in connection with Arctic exploration and Nansen's
prospects of success. They also discussed recent
English naval affairs, and the lamentable political
conditions existing in Norway, for which His Majesty
expressed great concern. Mrs. Markham subsequently
had audience of the Queen at Her Majesty's express
desire; they having been friends in bygone days at
Wiesbaden.
During his long absence from home he occupied the
greater part of his time in writing the " Life of Major
James Rennell " for the Century Science Series. He
was also preparing a lecture for the Worcester boys on
the " Discoverers of Australia," and writing articles
setting forth his views regarding the despatch of an
Antarctic expedition.
314 ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY [CH.XVIII
In the meantime satisfactory progress was being made
in educating the public mind to the necessity of Polar
exploration in the Southern Hemisphere. Markham
drafted letters to be sent to all geographical and other
learned societies in the kingdom, appealing to them
for help and support. At a meeting of the Council
of the British Association (of which he was a member),
presided over by Lord Salisbury, a very satisfactory
resolution was passed in support of the despatch of an
expedition. He likewise delivered a lecture at the
Imperial Institute, and another at the Royal United
Service Institution, which were well supported; and
everything pointed to his exertions being crowned with
success. He was, moreover, very busy preparing for the
International Geographical Congress, which was to be
held in the Albert Hall in London, and of which he
was to be the first President.
Prior to this, however, he planned and arranged a
Franklin Commemoration, which took the form of an
excursion in a couple of steamers conveying about 280
friends interested in Arctic research, from Westminster
Bridge to Greenwich. They visited first the Franklin
relics in the museum, and then inspected the pictures in
the Painted Hall. They were received by the Admiral
Superintendent and the Captain of Greenwich College.
Lunch was provided on board the steamers on their
return journey. In the evening a party of about seventy
sat down to dinner at the Geographical Club, at which
Markham presided, having H.R.H. the Duke of York
on his right, and the American Ambassador, Mr. Bayard,
on his left. At the meeting following, Markham
delivered an interesting address, in which he made special
allusion to the presence that evening of old Arctic
officers and the relatives of Sir John Franklin. It was
a very successful gathering, and it assisted very materi-
ally in propagating interest in Polar research.
This was followed, a week after, by the anniversary
meeting of the Royal Geographical Society and all it
CH. xvm] ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY 315
entailed namely, the address, the presentation of
awards, and the official reception in the evening at
Prince's Hall, to which some 600 guests came. It all
went off very well, but it was an exceedingly busy and
fatiguing day for Markham. In order to obtain com-
plete rest, and as a precaution to avoid a threatened
attack of gout, he went to Norway, to prepare, and
render himself fit for the duties that would devolve on
him at the International Geographical Congress the
following month. As he was to preside, the burden of
the work in making all the necessary arrangements
fell on his shoulders. He derived much benefit from his
visit, and was back in England only a few days before
the meeting of the Congress in fact, only in time to
make all the preliminary arrangements for the opening
day.
H.R.H. the Duke of York had kindly consented to
open the proceedings, and after all the Ambassadors
and principal delegates from foreign countries had been
presented to him, he made an admirable speech and
declared the Congress open. This was followed by an
address from Markham bidding them all welcome.
All went off capitally and without a hitch. The follow-
ing days were devoted to the reading of papers on im-
portant geographical subjects, in various languages,
and they were followed by interesting discussions.
It was, as one of our leading London papers remarked
at the time, " a very Babel of people speaking every
civilised tongue."
On the following day the President delivered his
inaugural address. At its conclusion a warm vote of
thanks was proposed by Prince Roland Buonaparte,
which was duly seconded and unanimously agreed to.
That evening the delegates, to the number of about 1 50,
were entertained by the Geographical and Kosmos Clubs
to a fish dinner at Greenwich, which Markham had
arranged and at which he presided. During the nine
days on which the Congress met, there was a succession
316 ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY [CH.XVIII
of luncheons, dinner-parties, garden-parties, and other
entertainments, in honour of the distinguished guests.
As may be imagined, the President was kept fully
engaged both socially and in his position as the English
representative of geography, much, it is to be feared,
to the prejudice of his recent podagric treatment.
The Congress came to an end on the 3rd of August,
when Markham delivered his farewell address, which
was most cordially received. A vote of thanks was
proposed to him in an excellent speech, and the pro-
ceedings terminated, after arrangements had been made
for the next Congress to be held in Berlin in 1899. It
had been a week of strenuous work and much anxiety
to the President, but it all went off very well; and as
regards numbers, quality, and organisation, it was the
most successful Congress that had ever been held.
This success was due to the untiring energies of Clements
Markham, his great tact in dealing with his foreign
guests, and his powers of organisation, in which he
was loyally backed up by the zeal and energy of the staff
of the Geographical Society. In recognition of his
services at the Congress, the French Government
presented him with a beautiful blue Sevres tazza.
On the day after the closing of the Congress, we find
him hard at work writing the introduction to his
" Voyages of Pedro de Sarmiento," which he was
translating and editing for the Hakluyt Society.
CHAPTER XIX
THE " DISCOVERY " ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION
THE conversations he had with the various delegates
to the International Congress only convinced Markham
still more, if possible, of the desirability for a renewal
of Antarctic discovery. He came to the conclusion
that the wisest in fact, the only course to pursue,
in order to obtain Government support, was to appeal
directly to the First Lord of the Admiralty. This accord-
ingly he did, pointing out the advantages that would
be derived from a further knowledge of the South Polar
Regions, the verification of the dimensions of the vast
Antarctic Continent, and the invaluable scientific work
that would be accomplished . Nor did he omit to mention
the enormous benefit that would accrue to the Navy,
by the practical training of officers in a school where
courage, self-reliance, decision, and other qualities so
essential to a seaman, would be developed. The reply
from the First Lord, however, was not encouraging;
he simply declined to recommend the despatch of an
expedition under Admiralty auspices.
Although disappointed, Markham was not daunted,
and he was all the more determined to renew his appli-
cation immediately a more favourable opportunity
should present itself.
At this time he was much incensed at what he termed
the outrageous message sent to Congress by the President
of the United States, demanding the right to adjudicate
on the disputed question regarding the boundary line
between British Guiana and Venezuela, which the latter
nation had raised. Markham regarded the claim put
317
3i8 THE " DISCOVERY " EXPEDITION [CH. xix
forward by the Venezuelans as a criminal act, which,
if sustained, would cause widespread ruin, and even the
risk of war with no apparent justification. He made
extensive research in all official and other authoritative
documents, maps, atlases, and plans, which bore on
the controversy; and proved conclusively that Guiana
belonged to Great Britain by right of discovery, and that
no portion of it, therefore, could be legitimately claimed
by Venezuela. He drew up a concise and comprehensive
report on the state of affairs and submitted it to the
Government, suggesting that, if there was any doubt
as to the accuracy of his statements, the whole question
should be referred to arbitration. He wrote long letters
to The Times and other papers in which he analysed
the fallacious claims of the Venezuelan Government,
while deprecating the uncalled-for interference of the
United States. These were duly accepted and published.
It is gratifying to know that the boundary with Vene-
zuela was eventually (in 1899) amicably determined by
arbitration. That with Brazil has never yet been
satisfactorily fixed.
On the 1 8th of May, 1896, he received the following
letter from the Prime Minister :
" DEAR MR. MARKHAM,
" I am very glad to be permitted to inform you
that Her Majesty has conferred upon you the Knight
Commandership of the Bath in recognition of your
great services to geographical science. As one who
worked with you in a public office, as much (I think)
as thirty years ago, I cannot but congratulate myself
on being the channel of this information.
" Believe me,
" Yours very truly,
11 SALISBURY."
This was very gratifying, and he was glad to receive
such an acknowledgment of his services to geography
from so high a quarter. Two months afterwards he
CH.XIX] THE " DISCOVERY " EXPEDITION 319
was knighted and invested with the insignia of a K.C.B.,
by the Queen at Windsor Castle.
In the meantime he again accompanied his old friend
the Captain of the Royal Sovereign on a cruise along the
west coast of Scotland, visiting some of the islands of
the Hebrides and the Orkneys. From Oban he made
an expedition to the summit of Ben Nevis, with a party
from the fleet. They seem to have had a very enjoy-
able trip, including a sumptuous lunch in the observatory
at the top.
A note on the Cathedral of St. Magnus at Kirkwall
may be quoted from Markham's journal. To his taste,
the beauty of the whole was marred by the chancel,
which he considered " utterly desecrated by all the
barbarisms of a Presbyterian conventicle I"
As usual, even at sea, his pen was constantly at work.
Not only was he busily employed in writing the his-
tory of English maritime discovery for Laird Clowes 's
" History of the Navy," but he was also correcting the
proof-sheets of the only novel he ever published, entitled
" The Paladins of King Edwin." In addition he had to
reply to no less than 200 letters of congratulation on
his K.C.B. He had also been approached by a publisher
with a proposal that he should edit a series of volumes
on " Commercial Geography." Still, however varied
the subjects with which he had to deal at the same time,
Clements Markham had the gift of evolving order,
method, and entertainment, from their complexity.
11 The Paladins of King Edwin," alluded to above,
was an historical novel describing how the new race of
Empire-founders, Angles and Saxons, crossed over to
England in small detachments during the hundred
years between 450 and 550 A.D., bringing all their
lares and penates and their beautiful golden-haired wives
and children with them across the North Sea in their
small " dragon ships." It is a story to be read not
only for its historical interest, but for its local colour-
ing ; and as he selected Stillingfleet, the village in which
320 THE " DISCOVERY " EXPEDITION [CH. xix
he was born and lived for so many years, as the scene
of his story, we may rest assured that the topographical
description of the country is absolutely accurate.
Sir Clements and Lady Markham were paying one
of their annual visits to Norway, when the welcome
news of the arrival of Nansen at Vardo was telegraphed,
and a few days after, intelligence of the arrival of the
Fram was received. All Norway was stirred by the
news. The towns were decorated, great fetes were
held in honour of the event. The Markhams made
their arrangements so as to be at Christiania in time
to receive Nansen. There was a great reception: the
streets were all decorated with flags, the King made a
special point of being present, and enormous crowds
had collected to greet the explorer.
A dinner was given at the palace, to which Mark-
ham was invited; about 100 sat down. During the
dinner His Majesty made a long speech, which Markham
noted as eloquent, judicious, and admirably delivered.
Afterwards the King invited Markham to sit with him
on a sofa, and they had a long conversation on Polar
discovery.
The next day, Markham and his wife went on board
the Fram, where Nansen received them and showed them
all over the ship. In the evening another large dinner
on shore was given by the town of Christiania, to which
they were both invited and went. On the third evening
yet another dinner was given by the Norwegian Geo-
graphical Society, at which Clements Markham was
seated next to Nansen, and delivered a speech, which
gave great pleasure and satisfaction to the Norwegians.
The festivities were kept up to a late hour. The follow-
ing day they dined quietly with Nansen and his wife
at their home in Lysaker, and then returned to England
by way of Copenhagen and Kiel.
At this time he was busily occupied in compiling his
" Memorials of the Markham Family," which entailed
much labour and research. The Antarctic project was
CH.XIX] THE " DISCOVERY " EXPEDITION 321
also causing him much concern. In the latter end of
1896, he had an interview with the First Lord of the
Admiralty on the subject of South Polar exploration.
After some little discussion, he elicited the fact that
although the Admiralty was not unfavourable to the
scheme, yet for various reasons (which certainly did
not appeal to Markham) the Government was not
prepared to despatch an expedition. Markham then
asked -whether, if a sufficient sum of money could be
collected by private subscriptions to defray the expenses
of an expedition under the control of the Royal Geo-
graphical Society, the Admiralty would assist by lending
officers and men, and would support it with a donation
of money, and advice. To this proposal the First Lord
readily assented, but requested that Markham should
write him a letter embodying his views and suggestions,
on the receipt of which he would be officially informed
how far the Government would be prepared to support
him in the direction indicated.
This was all very satisfactory so far as it went, for it
evinced a desire on the part of the Admiralty to co-
operate with the Geographical Society in the despatch
of an expedition. At a meeting of the Council of the
Society, Markham explained the situation, and proposed
that, as the Government would not entertain the idea
of equipping a ship for Polar discovery, the Society
should take upon itself the responsibility of collecting
funds and despatching a vessel (if sufficient money was
obtainable) under the auspices of the Society. There
was a certain amount of opposition to this proposal
on the part of one of the members, and it was postponed
for further consideration. Later he received a visit
from the private secretary of the First Lord, who in-
timated that a letter was being prepared at the
Admiralty, expressive of the approval and interest of
H.M.'s Government in the despatch of an Antarctic
expedition. A few days after, the reply from the
Admiralty was received. It was not quite so encouraging
322 THE " DISCOVERY " EXPEDITION [CH. xix
as might have been expected, but it was of use for
present purposes.
Meanwhile, Nansen's visit to England kept Markham
fully occupied for some time. He had to make all the
necessary arrangements for Nansen's reception both
officially and privately. The great explorer was first
entertained at dinner at the Royal Societies' Club, at
which Markham presided and proposed his health.
This was followed by a large reception " a fearful
crush !" On the following evening Sir Clements and
Lady Markham entertained him at dinner in their own
house in Eccleston Square, to which a select number of
notabilities had been invited. The next evening Mark-
ham presided at a large dinner given to their distin-
guished visitor by the Royal Geographical Club, at
which the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York were
both present. A large public reception at the Albert
Hall followed, the hall being crowded. On being intro-
duced by Clements Markham, Nansen received a tre-
mendous ovation and delivered an admirable address
descriptive of his journey. The Prince of Wales in a
few appropriate words presented Nansen with the Royal
Geographical Society's special gold medal amid tumul-
tuous applause. Nansen briefly responded, and the
proceedings terminated.
A few days later Markham was also called upon to
preside at a farewell dinner given by the Royal Societies'
Club to Mr. Bayard, the retiring American Ambassa-
dor, who had endeared himself to this country by his
courteousness, his ever ready willingness to be of service,
his urbanity and generosity.
Markham then had a short cruise on board the Royal
Sovereign to Vigo and Gibraltar with the Channel
Squadron. Here he again met young Robert Scott,
who was then a lieutenant, and with whom he doubtless
had much interesting discussion on Antarctic exploration,
a subject ever uppermost in his thoughts.
On his return to England he set to work vigorously
CH. xix] THE " DISCOVERY " EXPEDITION 323
to obtain the necessary funds for the contemplated
expedition. A sum of at least 100,000 was regarded
as the minimum. He brought forward a resolution
at the Council of the Royal Geographical Society,
committing that body to a subscription of 5,000, which
was carried with unanimity. Mr. Harmsworth offered
a personal donation of 5,000, together with the use
of his steamship Windward if necessary. This vessel
had been specially built for ice navigation, and
had been engaged in conveying Mr. Jackson and his
party to and from Franz Josef Land. With such a
munificent offer from Mr. Harmsworth, together with
his strong and willing support in the Press, Markham
felt assured that the amount required would be forth-
coming, and his anxiety was proportionately allayed.
In the midst of all his work, he found time to proceed
to Nithsdale in Dumfriesshire, for the purpose of un-
veiling the memorial dedicated to Mr. Joseph Thompson,
the African traveller.
His first step towards the realisation of his great
object was the appointment of an Antarctic Committee
which should consist of those specially interested in,
and conversant with, Polar exploration. At a con-
ference held by this committee, Markham considered
it would be judicious to invite the Australian Premier
and Agents-General to be present, in order to enlist
their sympathies. He was warmly supported in his
advocacy of the necessity for despatching an expedition
by the Duke of Argyll and such prominent men of
science as Sir Joseph Hooker, Sir William Flower, and
Professor Rlicker. The Agents-General of New South
Wales and Victoria spoke hopefully and in sympathy with
the object in view. Everything went off satisfactorily.
Being now assured of a certain amount of support,
moral if not financial, Markham set to work to obtain
the necessary funds with that impulsive energy that was
so prominent a characteristic of his. He appealed
broadcast to learned arid other societies, and he wrote
324 THE " DISCOVERY " EXPEDITION [CH. xix
letters innumerable to those who he thought could
afford and would be willing to assist, whether he was
acquainted with them or not. He succeeded also in
inducing the Royal Society to co-operate with the
Geographical Society. A strong Antarctic Committee
was formed, consisting of members of both Societies,
with a large sprinkling of naval and Arctic officers,
having the President of the Royal Society, Lord Lister,
as its chairman. Markham himself acted as vice-
chairman, and took every step he could possibly think
of to raise funds. He even went over to Norway to
inspect various steamers that had been specially con-
structed for ice navigation, which he thought might be
suitable for the purpose. During this journey he was
accompanied by Dr. Nansen whose advice and experience
were of the greatest value and help to him.
Having once put his shoulder to the wheel, Markham
never relaxed his energies. He contributed articles to
the magazines, he wrote letters to the papers, he delivered
lectures in short, he left no stone unturned in his en-
deavour to educate the public to the necessity for
Antarctic research. He went so far as to write and ask
if the Queen would be graciously pleased to interest
herself in the expedition, and received a most gratifying
reply from her private secretary informing him that Her
Majesty " wished all possible success to the Antarctic
Expedition."
In order to illustrate the immense amount of work
that was thrust upon him at this time, it may be stated
that he was simultaneously President of the Royal
Geographical Society, President of the Hakluyt Society,
President of the International Geographical Congress,
President of the Geographical Club, President of the
Royal Societies' Club, a Commissioner of the Paris
Exhibition, a member of the committee of the Worcester,
a member of the committee of the Cornwall, Vice-
President and Secretary of the joint Antarctic Com-
mittee, Vice-President of the Navy Records Society,
CH.XIX] THE " DISCOVERY " EXPEDITION 325
and President of the Elizabethan Club, to name a few of
the associations and societies in which he was interested.
He was also arranging at this time for the commemora-
tion of the fourth centenary of the rounding of the
Cape of Good Hope by Vasco da Gama during his
memorable voyage to India. The Prince of Wales and
the Duke of York honoured him with their presence
at dinner at the Geographical Club, as did His Excellency
the Portuguese Minister. There was a crowded meet-
ing afterwards, when felicitous speeches were made
at the conclusion of the President's address. Two
days afterwards Markham was the principal guest of
the " Royal Navy Club of 1765," where he had the
pleasure of meeting several old friends and shipmates.
A few days later he presided at the dinner given by the
Royal Societies' Club to Lord Curzon, on his appoint-
ment as Viceroy of India. But it would be tedious
to detail the enormous amount of work that devolved
upon him. He had much to do and more to think
about, and he never spared himself.
At this time the Swedish Minister, Count Lewen-
haupt, brought him the insignia of a Commander
(First Class) of the Order of the Pole Star,* which had
been conferred upon him by the King of Sweden.
By the end of the year 1898 he had collected only
the sum of 14,000, and had many difficulties and much
opposition to contend with on the part of some of the
members of the committee, who, in his phrase, only
cared about, and were more interested in, the " grinding
of their own particular axes " that is, in the further-
ance of their own special branches of science than they
were in the expedition at large. To Markham, who had
worked at the problem for a period of over sixteen years,
and without whom the despatch of an expedition would
never have taken place, this opposition was, to say the
least, discouraging. He had drawn up the instructions
after infinite trouble, and had taken no small pains in
* This order is conferred for literary or scientific distinction.
22
326 THE " DISCOVERY " EXPEDITION [cfl. XK
organising the expedition in the best interests of geo-
graphical science and the encouragement of maritime
enterprise. But he was not a man to be discouraged
by opposition, and in course of time the real direction
of affairs remained under his control.
In September, 1899, he went to Berlin to attend the
International Geographical Congress, in order to render
an account of his stewardship as President, and in a
short speech resigned his office. On the following day
he read his paper on Arctic exploration, which was well
received and discussed. The Burgomaster of Berlin
entertained the delegates at a large banquet to which
1,300 guests sat down. The next evening there was a
great party given by Baron Richthofen, who succeeded
Markham as President of the Congress. It was a great
relief to him when the festivities terminated and he was
able to return to England.
Only a passing reference need be made to Markham 's
very keen interest in the progress of the Boer War,
for he played no public part in connection with it.
Privately, however, it touched him closely, for not only
had he many friends both in the Navy and in the
Army who were serving in South Africa, but also
many relatives.
For a holiday he spent many weeks travelling in
Norway, visiting places as remote as possible from the
haunts of " trippers " ! He dearly loved the Scandi-
navian countries, especially Norway. Accompanied
by Lady Markham, he made a most delightful trip
through the Stavanger and Hardanger Fiords to Odda
and Brief ond. They thoroughly enjoyed the grand
and lovely mountainous scenery through which they
travelled, sometimes in a carriage, more often on foot,
climbing steep hills, enjoying the invigorating air, the
absence of all formalities, and the simplicity of their
surroundings. Both being keen botanists, they were
able to make an extensive collection of the wild-flowers
which they gathered on the slopes of the mountains.
CH.XIX] THE " DISCOVERY " EXPEDITION 327
These were all tabulated and classified on their return
to the inns at which they were staying. They rarely
remained more than a day or two in the same place,
always on the move, happy in each other's company,
and winning the affection of the peasantry by their
kind and friendly intercourse with them.
Returning by way of Christiania, they met the Duke
of the Abruzzi and Captain Cagni, on their way home
from their successful expedition towards the North
Pole. The Duke was most cordial, and expressed his
pleasure at meeting so celebrated an authority on Polar
exploration as Clements Markham. He showed him all
the photographs he had taken in his highest northern
position, and they had an interesting discussion on Polar
questions generally. At the University of Christiania,
Markham delivered a lecture before the Norwegian
Geographical Society to a crowded audience. His
subject was " The Geographical Aspects of Inca Civili-
sation."
We must now return to the contemplated Antarctic
Expedition. In the early part of 1899, Markham
received a most gratifying letter from Mr. L. W. Long-
staff, placing the sum of 25,000 at his disposal for
the expedition. This was not only in itself a munificent
gift, but it was such as justified Markham, having now
nearly 40,000 in his possession, to approach the Govern-
ment with confidence and ask for monetary assistance.
Mr. Longstaff's noble and patriotic gift altered the whole
position of affairs and led to important results. Mr.
Balfour consented to receive a deputation, and, to cut
a long story short, the Prime Minister cordially an-
nounced that the Government would contribute the
sum of 45,000 on condition that an equal amount
was forthcoming from other sources. This was indeed
encouraging. Only 3,000 was required to make up
the amount necessary to secure the Government grant,
and on Markham's appeal to the Council of the Royal
Geographical Society, that enlightened body unani-
328 THE " DISCOVERY " EXPEDITION [CH. xix
mously consented to subscribe the money required.
Another appeal was made to the public, and in August,
1901, he had the satisfaction of announcing that the
total subscribed to the fund amounted to 93,000.
Now that the expedition had become an actual fact,
there was much work for Markham to do; for the re-
sponsibility in connection with the supplies, the food
and clothing sufficient to last for a period of three
years, rested on his shoulders. The appointments of
the Commander (and leader) of the expedition, and the
other officers, devolved upon him. It was agreed that
the majority of the officers and crew were to be naval
men specially selected by Markham and approved by
the Admiralty. There were also two medical men to
be appointed, as well as a biologist, a physicist, and a
geologist, all of whom would be civilians.
The Prince of Wales kindly consented to become the
Patron of the expedition, and the Duke of York willingly
accepted the position of Vice-Patron.
Robert Falcon Scott, now promoted to the rank of
Commander, was specially selected with the other ex-
ecutive officers by Markham. All were well known to
him, and he had the highest opinion of their capabilities
and qualifications.
As no suitable vessel was obtainable, it was decided
to build one specially adapted for the service on which
she was to be employed. Accordingly, this was
arranged, at a cost of about 45,000. She was
built at Dundee under the superintendence of a Chief
Constructor of the Admiralty, Mr. Smith, who also
designed her. The cost of this vessel made a large
inroad into the sum at their disposal, but it could not
be helped. As the ship was not a man-of-war, or even
under the Naval Discipline Act (she came under the
Merchant Shipping Act), it was necessary that she should
have a registered owner. It was decided that the
Royal Geographical Society should be the owners,
and that Markham should be the nominal manager.
THE " DISCOVERY."
To face page 329.
CH. xix] THE " DISCOVERY " EXPEDITION 329
He designed a " house flag " to be hoisted at the mast-
head, and also devised sledge flags to be used by the
officers when away on sledging duties. An insurance
policy was taken out in order to guard against all risks.
The ship was launched on the 2ist of March, 1901,
by Lady Markham, and was named the Discovery.
She sailed from Dundee on the 3rd of June and arrived
at the East India Docks on the 6th, the " managing
director " being a passenger on board. As the ship
passed the Worcester in the Thames, the cadets swarmed
up the rigging and gave three rousing cheers, meant,
in all probability, as much for their friend Sir Clements
as for the gallant fellows who were about to start on a
perilous voyage to unknown regions.
Elaborate instructions were drawn up for the guidance
of the officers and men, and these were given to Captain
Scott by Markham himself; but there was a certain
amount of discretionary power vested in the leader
of the expedition in the event of the instructions con-
flicting in any way with local circumstances, or the un-
expected discovery of new territory or seas, that would
necessitate a change of plans. The spirit of the in-
structions was, " Trust implicitly to the Commander,
and always look to him for advice and guidance when in
doubt or difficulty."
" By mutual confidence and mutual aid
Great deeds are done, and great discoveries made."
Space does not admit of entering more fully into the
details connected with the equipment and the departure
of the Discovery on her long and hazardous voyage
towards the South Pole. Markham was in every way
to be congratulated on the Commander he had selected,
and, indeed, he had the most perfect confidence in his
zeal and capabilities. Although only a comparatively
young officer, Scott at once assumed responsibility,
and evinced a grasp of his duties that was most re-
markable. He brought to the work an active and
330 THE " DISCOVERY " EXPEDITION [CH. xix
capable mind blended with sound judgment. In his
dealings with those under his command, he combined
unfailing tact and a conciliatory bearing with firmness
and resolution. He proved to be an excellent organiser,
sympathetic to those serving under him, and a born
leader of men. Markham was indeed fortunate in
being able to secure the services of one who, it could be
truthfully said, possessed
" The reason firm, the temperate will,
Endurance, foresight, strength and skill."
The Discovery sailed from the Thames on the 3ist
of July, 1901, amid the cheers of several hundred people
who had assembled to wish her Godspeed. She anchored
in Stokes Bay, near Gosport, at 8 p.m. the following
day, Clements Markham having come round in her from
London.
On the 5th of August the Discovery steamed round
to Cowes, where she was visited by King Edward and
Queen Alexandra. The officers were presented to Their
Majesties, who subsequently inspected the men. They
were then shown round the ship, expressing their
approval of the arrangements. The King expressed
to Markham his high opinion of Captain Scott's fitness
for the command. He then invested Scott with the
Victorian Order, a graceful act intended to mark, in a
special way, the keen interest taken by His Majesty
in the work of the Commander and his gallant com-
panions, as well as in the success of the great enterprise
of which he was the Patron. The officers and men
being assembled on the quarter-deck, King Edward
addressed them as follows :
" Commander Scott, officers and men of the Discovery,
I have had great pleasure in visiting this ship with the
Queen, because pi the interest I take in the Antarctic
Expedition and its objects, and in order to wish you all
Godspeed. You are going on a service from which, I
believe, great results will accrue. I have often visited
ships in order to say farewell when departing on warlike
CH.XIX] THE " DISCOVERY" EXPEDITION 331
service; but you are starting on a mission of peace, and
for the advancement of scientific knowledge. The
results of your labours will be valuable, not only to
your country, but to the whole civilised world. I trust
that you will be able to achieve the great work that is
before you, and that you will all return safe and well."
Before leaving, Their Majesties presented signed
portraits of themselves to the wardroom mess. The
Discovery sailed the next forenoon after the officers had
taken a warm and affectionate farewell of their devoted
friend Clements Markham.
He might well be proud at the result of his exertions.
The eyes of the scientific world would, he knew, follow
with interest the proceedings of the good ship Discovery,
and she was practically the creation of his brain, the
product of his persistent energy. He had selected in-
dividually the gallant explorers and sent them forth on
a glorious enterprise, to fight with no mortal foe, but
the more formidable powers of Nature. Markham had
done his utmost to deserve success; it now lay with
those he had despatched to achieve the successful issue
he anticipated.
In the midst of all his Antarctic work, he yet found
time to turn his attention to other matters at home.
Feeling the necessity of geographical knowledge, being
more widely disseminated in the country, and especially
at our recognised educational centres, he succeeded in
arranging with the authorities that a school for geography
should be founded at Oxford University. The example
set by this University was followed by many of the other
centres of education in England. He found time, also,
to run down to Southampton for the purpose of in-
augurating the new local Geographical Society at that
port.
At about this time he was unanimously elected one
of the thirteen trustees of Dr. Busby's Charity, a body
specially selected from the most distinguished of the
old Westminster boys. This mark of distinction coming
332 THE " DISCOVERY " EXPEDITION [CH. xix
from his old school was most gratifying to him, for he
was the first of the Markham family to be selected for
the honour since his great-grandfather the Archbishop
of York, who was appointed trustee in 1756, and who
retained the position until his death in 1807. Shortly
after, he was elected a member of the governing body
of Westminster School.
The reports received as to the prosperity of the cin-
chona plantations in India caused him great pleasure
and satisfaction. To say nothing of the benefits accus-
ing to humanity, a profit of no less than 250,000 had
been made by the Indian Government since the intro-
duction of the febrifuge into our Indian possessions. It
was a glorious triumph, an almost incredible result.
No sooner had the Discovery left England, than
Markham turned his attention to the necessity of pre-
paring a relief ship to be despatched with the object of
obtaining news of Scott's expedition the following year.
During one of his visits to Christiania, he arranged for
the purchase of a vessel named the Morning. She had
been originally engaged as a whaler in Baffin's Bay, and
was therefore specially adapted for the service. Mark-
ham bought her on most favourable terms. She was
sent over to England at once, to be prepared for her
important work, and was placed under the command
of Mr. W. Colbeck, an officer of the mercantile marine
who had already gained experience in ice navigation,
and was a most capable and energetic commander.
Markham 's time was now fully occupied in endeavour-
ing to raise the funds for her equipment. He wrote to
everyone he could think of as likely to subscribe, but,
as he himself quaintly expresses it, " the rich when
applied to only button up their pockets, and the poor
have no money to spare." Mr. Longstaff was, however,
an exception to this rule, for he again unbuttoned his
pockets, and sent a handsome donation of 5,000 to
head the list and set an example ! Markham was then
sentjfor by the Prince of Wales at York House, who was
CH. xix] THE " DISCOVERY " EXPEDITION 333
anxious to know if steps had been taken for the despatch
of a relief ship ; if not, no time was to be lost in doing so.
The Prince was much relieved on hearing what had
been done. He then discussed the question of funds,
and indicated certain sources that might be tapped
with advantage. He also intimated that the King
would gladly subscribe 100 towards the fund, and that
he himself would give 50. He took a keen interest in
the success, and especially in the safety of the expedition,
and the interview was of a most cordial and satisfactory
nature. Furthermore, His Royal Highness continued to
make frequent inquiries as to the progress of the fund.
Eventually a sum of about 23,000 was collected,
but this was barely sufficient to pay expenses. Neither
the Government nor the Admiralty would render any
further financial assistance. The vessel, however, sailed
from London on its errand of mercy on the zoth of July,
1902, with the object of communicating, if possible,
with the Discovery.
Markham was now satisfied that he had taken every
possible means to insure communication with Captain
Scott, and every precaution to secure the safety of the
officers and men, in the unfortunate event of any dis-
aster befalling their ship. Nothing more was possible,
and he was content to wait patiently for news.
It is not to be supposed that, in the equipment and
despatch of the two ships, Markham 's life was an easy
or tranquil one. In the various committees that had
been formed for the purpose of drawing up instructions
for the guidance of Captain Scott, there were many
whose ideas as to the general management and scope
of the expedition differed from those which Markham
had originally designed. This friction caused him a
good deal of worry, and it led eventually to the re-
signation of several members of the committee who were
unable to support the views of the recalcitrant members.
The opposition was of such a nature as almost to
threaten the success of the expedition. It reached such
334 THE " DISCOVERY " EXPEDITION [CH. xix
a point that Markham seriously contemplated sending
in his resignation, and he was only deterred from doing
so by his strong sense of duty to those who had supported
him in collecting the funds, and had otherwise assisted
him in the promotion of the enterprise. He felt that to
desert them at this juncture would possibly result in
the failure and destruction of the principal work for
which the expedition had been originally designed.
It was extremely fortunate, in the best interests of
science, that Markham stood to his guns in the carrying
out of the programme which he had arranged. It must not
be forgotten that the idea of the despatch of the expedi-
tion was his inception; that it was through his energy
and persistence that the necessary funds were obtained ;
and that it was consequent upon his position and reputa-
tion as a geographer and a man of science, that the
Government had been induced to contribute to the
expenses and to take a large share in the responsibility
of its despatch. His resignation from the governing
body would have been a calamity, involving in all
probability the shipwreck of the whole scheme. Fortu-
nately this was avoided ; concessions were made on both
sides, harmony was preserved, and Markham remained,
and continued to be the leading spirit in the conduct of
the enterprise in which he took such keen interest.
CHAPTER XX
LATER YEARS
IN March, 1903, a cablegram from New Zealand an-
nounced the welcome intelligence that the Morning
had arrived, and that she had succeeded in communi-
cating with the Discovery. All was well with the
expedition, successful work had been accomplished by
her during the summer, and one of her sledging-parties
under Scott had reached the latitude of 82 if S.
Unfortunately, the vessel was helplessly frozen in the
ice in MacMurdo Sound, where she had passed the winter,
and it would be almost impossible to extricate her that
year. Captain Scott had decided, therefore, to remain
out for another winter; in fact, he could not do other-
wise unless he abandoned his ship.
Markham was delighted at the good news, and re-
joiced in the knowledge of the safety of the ship and
crew. He was also pleased that another year of good
exploring work would be accomplished, and he looked
forward to most satisfactory results. But there is
always the inevitable " but " in cases of this sort
where was the money to come from, with which to
provide for the additional expenses that would neces-
sarily be incurred by having to despatch the Morning
a second time ?
Where indeed ?
It was a difficulty, but it had to be faced ; and with his
usual energy and pertinacity he set about to overcome it.
Naturally, his first appeal was to the Government,
who, to his intense surprise, decided, after much corre-
spondence, to undertake the relief, but only on condition
335
336 LATER YEARS [CH. xx
that the Morning was placed entirely and absolutely at
the disposal of the Admiralty. This plan did not meet
with Markham's approval, but " beggars cannot be
choosers," and he was obliged to accept the terms of
the Government ; for he felt that, as the lives of the men
were at stake, and the prospect of raising the money
on his own responsibility was somewhat problematical,
it was the only course he could conscientiously pursue.
From that moment the responsibility for the succour of
the men was removed from his shoulders, but his interest
in the expedition was in no way diminished.
At length, after long anxious waiting, news was
received on the 2nd of April, 1904, of the safe arrival
at Lyttelton, New Zealand, of the Discovery and Morn-
ing. There was also a long telegram from Captain
Scott reporting that the second sledging season was as
successful as the first, and had yielded equally important
results; besides which, valuable dredging and sounding
operations had been carried out after leaving winter-
quarters. Markham was delighted at the success of
the expedition, for it had exceeded his wildest hopes,
but above all he rejoiced in the knowledge of the safety
of the ships and all on board, after the anxiety and
strain caused by the long silence. Markham regarded
the work achieved by Scott in the second travelling
season as a valuable corollary to the work accomplished
during the first season, thereby doubling the value and
importance of the general scientific results obtained.
He paid a high and richly deserved tribute of praise to
the Commander " whose rare gifts have secured these
results."
The Discovery arrived at Portsmouth on the loth
of September. Sir Clements and Lady Markham were
there to see her come in, and they were almost the first
to go on board and bid them all a hearty welcome. Mark-
ham had an enthusiastic reception from the officers and
men. All were in splendid health and spirits, delighted to
get home, and happy in the knowledge that they had
CH.XX] LATER YEARS 337
done well, and deserved well of their country. As the
ship steamed into Portsmouth Harbour, she was saluted
by the men-of-war with every demonstration of joy;
bands were playing, and the crews were cheering.
His Majesty sent one of his Aides-de-Camp down speci-
ally with a message of congratulation. The Mayor
of Portsmouth entertained them at a grand banquet in
the Town Hall, at which Markham's health was drunk
and he was called upon for a speech.
After a short stay at Portsmouth, the ship proceeded
to the Thames, with Markham again as a passenger.
Here she was safely berthed in her old billet in the East
India Docks to pay off. Festivities were the order of
the day. Their countrymen extended a warm welcome
to the explorers, feeling that they could not do too much
to show their appreciation for the splendid work which
had been achieved by Captain Scott and the brave crew
of the Discovery.
The winding-up of the expedition naturally threw an
enormous amount of work on Markham's shoulders, for
he was really personally responsible for everything con-
nected with it. The crew had to be paid off; the
remaining stores and provisions had to be disposed
of; the officers' journals and logs had to be taken in
charge; and the disposal of the ship was a matter for
serious consideration. The official report of the scientific
work of the expedition had also to be drawn up under
the superintendence of specialists ; the charts and plans
showing the discoveries that had been made had to be
copied and reproduced ; and the names of the new moun-
tains, inlets, bays, and glaciers, had to be settled.
The public reception and welcome to Scott and the
officers and men of the Discovery and Morning by the
Royal Geographical Society was held on the 7th of
November. It took place in the Albert Hall, which was
filled to overflowing. The explorers received a tre-
mendous ovation. Amid much cheering, Clements
Markham presented Captain Scott with the Antarctic
338 LATER YEARS [CH. xx
Gold Medal, struck especially for the occasion; and the
American Ambassador, Mr. Choate, delivered to him
the medal of the Pennsylvania Geographical Society
that had been conferred upon him. Markham then
presented Captain Colbeck with a symbolic piece of
plate, in recognition of his valuable services whilst in
command of the Morning.
Prior to the meeting, on arriving at the Albert Hall,
Markham was taken into a small room in which all the
officers of the two ships were assembled, when, to his
intense surprise, Captain Scott, in a very touching
speech, presented him, on behalf of the officers of the
expedition, with a beautifully wrought silver centrepiece
representing a sledge being drawn by a man in sledging
costume. It was a token of their esteem for all that he
had done to create and organise the expedition, and of
their gratitude for the interest that he took in its
welfare and all those who served in it. He was quite
taken aback at this wholly unexpected tribute of appreci-
ation from the officers, and found it difficult to find
words that would give appropriate expression to his
feelings. It was a gift that in after-years he always
valued as one of his most precious possessions.*
Receptions and banquets to the members of the
expedition were now the order of the day. Not only
were they entertained by many of the various City
guilds in London, but also by many societies and clubs.
Hull, Liverpool, Sheffield, Colchester, Edinburgh, and
other towns, vied with each other in the welcome and
hospitality extended to the brave explorers. To all
of these functions Markham was invited, and felt it
his duty to attend, although it was often at some
personal inconvenience to himself. There was it could
not be otherwise much sameness in the speeches he
had to listen to, and to which he had to reply. Some-
times the element of wit was introduced by the speakers,
which, however, did not meet with the appreciation of
* A copy of it is reproduced on the binding of this volume.
CH. xx] LATER YEARS 339
one of the guests, who, it is reported, declared on one
of these occasions that " there is nothing more dreary
than men of science trying to be funny " !
After satisfactorily arranging for the winding up of
the affairs of the Antarctic Expedition, Markham came
to a very momentous decision, but one which he had
considered very carefully for some time. This was his
resignation of the presidency of the Royal Geographical
Society.
The strain during the past few years had been very
great. The worries and difficulties he had to contend
with, especially in connection with the preliminary
business of securing the despatch of the Antarctic
Expedition, were inconceivable. He was now seventy-
five years of age; he felt that his active geographical
life had practically closed, and that he could do no more
good in that particular direction. It was only right, he
considered, that he should make way for younger and more
active men. But he did not consider at the time that
much of the great and valuable experience which he had
acquired would be indirectly lost to geographical science
by his retirement. On the announcement of his
resignation, he was the recipient of many letters of
regret from geographers of all nationalities, eminent
men of science, and others interested in geography.
Among them was a charming letter from Sir Dighton
Probyn, which contained most kind and complimentary
messages from His Majesty, and another equally
charming from Sir Arthur Bigge, written by direction
of the Prince of Wales.
The anniversary dinner of the Royal Geographical
Society held on the 22nd of May, 1905, was converted into
a complimentary banquet in honour of their retiring
President, and he was practically the guest of the even-
ing. It was numerously attended ; nearly 300 assembled
to do him honour. Sir George Goldie, his successor,
was in the chair. After the toast of his health had been
duly honoured, Mr. Macartney, brother-in-law of Captain
340 LATER YEARS [CH. xX
Scott, rose, and in a few appropriate words presented
Markham with a beautiful silver cup (a replica of the
Cup of Cashel) on behalf of the relatives of the officers
of the Discovery, in recognition of the high estimation
in which he was held, and in loving remembrance of
the fatherly interest that he had always evinced in
promoting their comfort and welfare. At the same time
a very beautiful penholder was given to him for pre-
sentation to Lady Markham, who was almost as well
known to the various members of the expedition as
was her husband, and certainly appreciated no less.
Thus ended his long connection with the Society as
its President. His term of office lasted for twelve con-
secutive years, the longest period on record. To those
twelve years, he had every right to look back with
satisfaction and pride for the way in which the affairs
of the Society had been directed, and how, mainly by
his personality, its prosperity and popularity had so
largely increased. In the words of the present President
of the Society :
" The outstanding feature of his term of office was
the revival of Antarctic exploration. For this object
no discouragement could thwart his combative energy;
for years he wrestled with indifferent Chancellors of
the Exchequer until he finally got his grant; or argued
forcibly with fellow-men of science in support of his
own views on the aims and organisation of the ex-
pedition."
This is a very true summary of his character, con-
cisely put. When once he had set his mind on any
course of action which, in his opinion, was indispensable,
he would never be discouraged by any arguments that
might be advanced in opposition, but would fight
strenuously to attain his object. It was only by his
" combative energy " that the Antarctic expedition
became a material reality.
There is no doubt that his decision to resign the
presidency was due in a large measure to the loss of
CH. xx] LATER YEARS 341
so many of his old friends and relations, who had passed
away during recent years. Their loss engendered a
feeling not only of sorrow, but of loneliness, although
he still retained the inestimable blessing of a true and
sympathetic companion in the person of his wife, to
whom he had been united for nearly half a century.
This great blessing was fully appreciated by him,
though it did not lessen the sadness he felt at the
irreparable loss of so many old and dear friends. The
loss of contemporaries is the most distressing feature
of a long and vigorous old age.
But although he had resigned the presidency of the
Society, he consented to accept the office of a Vice-
President, and therefore remained a member of the
Council. He still retained his connection with all the
other societies and corporations with which he had been
associated. His resignation, however, was a distinct
loss to geography at large. By the Society itself his
loss was much felt. The officials had invariably and
confidently looked up to their President for assistance,
guidance, and sympathy, and they were well aware
that any grievance they had would be considered,
and, if possible, alleviated. He was always a good
and stanch friend to those who showed zeal in their
work and devoted themselves to the best interests of
the Society.
Immediately he was relieved of his geographical
responsibilities, he started off with Lady Markham to
his beloved Norway, partly on account of threatenings
of gout, and partly for a complete rest from everything,
except, of course, his literary work, which always
accompanied him wherever he went. On this occasion
he was writing the " Life of Edward VI.," which shortly
afterwards he published. On the completion of the
" cure," they made an extended visit to Jutland,
which they both thoroughly enjoyed. His object was
to inspect some runic inscriptions in the north of the
peninsula.
23
342 LATER YEARS [CH. xx
On the 2ist of October (Trafalgar Day) he delivered
a lecture to the Westminster boys, describing in graphic
language all the incidents connected with that great
sea-fight, and paying a high tribute to the ability of
Lord Nelson as a seaman and a strategist. The lecture
was given in such vivid and inspiriting words, that it
could not fail to appeal to the national pride and en-
thusiasm of his young audience. He also prepared and
read a paper at the Royal Geographical Society on the
next great Arctic discovery, at which the Duke of the
Abruzzi and several Arctic naval officers were present,
many of whom took part in the interesting discussion
that ensued. At the opening of the Board of Geographi
cal Studies in Cambridge, he delivered the inaugural
address.
Having now more time at his disposal, he was enabled
to carry out certain long-formed projects of visiting
foreign countries and studying the particular subjects
peculiar to those countries in which he was interested.
Accompanied by Lady Markham, he spent some months
in the island of TenerifTe, studying its botany, and
especially collecting all the information he could obtain
regarding the history of the Guanches, the ancient
inhabitants of the island.
Their daughter did not accompany her parents on
these trips, her time being almost entirely engrossed
in the superintendence of church work in the East End
of London, work to which she was devoting all her
energies, and in which her father was also much in-
terested.
In 1906 he accepted an invitation extended to him
by Admiral Egerton for a cruise in the western part of
the Mediterranean. He had all the more pleasure in ac-
cepting this invitation in consequence of the fact that
the flagship to which he was invited was commanded
by Captain Scott. In the company of an Arctic Admiral,
an Antarctic Captain, and many old training squadron
friends, he was supremely happy. He was especially
CH. xx] LATER YEARS 343
interested in visiting the Balearic Islands, where they
spent some time. On his way home he visited Barce-
lona, Madrid, Cordova, and Granada, and was so
impressed by the glories of the Alhambra, and the
beauty of the other places he visited, that immediately
on his return home he started off again, accompanied
by Lady Markham, in order that she also should have
an opportunity of sharing in the pleasures he had so
recently enjoyed. He not only wrote a very full
description of the Alhambra, with all its amazing
architectural loveliness, but he also compiled during
this trip the pedigrees of the reigning Sovereigns of
Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Granada,
Cordova, Castile and Leon, Aragon, Majorca, Navarre,
etc. His faculty for acquiring and retaining genea-
logical information was marvellous.
At Palma, in the island of Majorca, he went to see
the priceless portolano of Gabriel Valseca, then in the
possession of Count Montenegro, to whom he had a
letter of introduction. This invaluable document has
a room to itself, and is kept in a case covered with
crimson velvet and secured with a lock to a special
table. The Kings of the countries marked on the map
are depicted on their thrones, with their arms painted
on flags above them; and there are several legends on
it in minute handwriting. This portolano once belonged
to Amerigo Vespucci, and, at the time of the Chicago
Exhibition, the Government of the United States, being
desirous of exhibiting it, offered to send a man-of-war,
so it is related, specially to take it over and to bring
it back. But the offer was declined by the Count.
They were particularly sorry to leave Palma, where
they stayed for a couple of months, for they liked the
people, who, Markham records, were always "well
dressed, courteous, and obliging." The only beggars
were cripples, and there were very few of them. Boys
even refused " tips," unless they had done something
to earn a reward; and the population was industrious
344 LATERr- YEARS [CH. xx
and thriving. At Cordova he visited the burial-place
of the Inca Garcilasso de la Vega, whose life he was
engaged in writing for the Hakluyt Society; and at
Gibraltar they embarked in the mail-steamer for home.
They celebrated their golden wedding day at sea.
He recalls the wonderful changes that had taken place
during those fifty eventful years, and he contemplates
with sorrowful regret the happy time he spent when there
were " no bikes, no bridge-parties, no beards, or golf
and motors."
On the 1 2th of June, 1907, Markham went to Cam-
bridge to receive the honorary degree of LL.D. which
had been conferred upon him by that University.
There were nine other recipients, including Lord Elgin,
Mr. Campbell-Bannerman, Lord Curzon, and Lord
Milner. In the evening they were entertained at
dinner at Trinity Hall, wearing their scarlet gowns. In
the speeches introducing the recipients of the degree,
the selection of Markham was referred to as " an
important recognition to the science of geography."
Shortly afterwards he received the high Norwegian
order of the Knighthood of St. Olaf (First Class), which
the King of Norway had conferred upon him.
A few days later he received intelligence of the death
of his dear friend Sir Leopold M'Clintock. This caused
him much grief. Markham had a great affection for
his old friend, who was always ready to give him sound
advice, especially on Polar matters. It was another
old and valued friend the less.
Towards the end of the year 1907 Markham and his
wife left England to pay their first of several winter
visits to Mont Estoril, a pretty little seaside resort in
Portugal, situated on the broad Atlantic, only half
an hour's journey by rail from Lisbon. Shortly after
their arrival they were horrified to hear of the dastardly
assassination of the King and the Crown Prince of
Portugal in Lisbon, with the narrow, almost miraculous,
escape of the Queen and her other son, Prince Manoel.
CH. xx] LATER YEARS 345
Much excitement was, naturally, caused by this cowardly,
cold-blooded crime, but, fortunately, the authorities took
stern and successful measures to suppress any revolu-
tionary movement tending to riot or rebellion.
Mont Estoril was, in Markham's eyes, an ideal place
in which to pass a winter. It possessed a mild and
salubrious climate, with lovely scenery. There were
no worries to distract his attention or divert his thoughts,
so that he was able to give full scope to his literary
inclinations. He was engaged at this time on an article
for Harper's Magazine, descriptive of the Polar Regions
when, in a remote geological age, that particular part of
the world enjoyed a tropical climate. At the same time
he was completing a memoir of the Andean religions;
writing the " Life of Sir Leopold M'Clintock " ; correcting
the proof-sheets of his " Life of Archbishop Markham ";
goin over the revises of his " Story of Majorca and
Minorca "; and preparing a paper which he proposed
reading, on " The Light thrown on Inca History and
Polity by Sarmiento," at the Congress of Americanists
to be held in Vienna in September. He was also getting
ready his inaugural address to be delivered at the
opening of the new Geographical Society at Leeds, and
preparing a paper, on the Peruvian Andes, to be read at
the same institution !
His recreation consisted in visiting all the antiquities
and interesting old buildings in the neighbourhood,
studying their histories, and investigating the authen-
ticity of previously published accounts. His investiga-
tions bore fruit especially at Cintra, where he described
at great length, even to the most minute detail, the
fantastic, almost fictitious, historical events associated
with that interesting old palace. He sketched all the
heraldic devices in the various old castles he visited*
more especially those of Moorish origin, tracing the
pedigrees of the owners for several generations. In
fact, his recreation would probably be regarded by the
ordinary mortal as exceedingly hard and laborious,
346 LATER YEARS [CH. xx
though perhaps interesting, work. He visited Busaco,
where he was able to portray the battlefield and delineate
the greater part of this interesting old town ; then on to
Salamanca, a town of great interest to Markham, as
being the place where the conference with Columbus
was held prior to his sailing on his memorable voyage.
So on to Bordeaux, Paris, and home a most agreeable
and interesting tour.
Four months after his return to England we find him
on his way to Vienna to attend the Congress of American-
ists that was being held in that city. The delegates
were received in the Town Hall by the Burgomaster,
who offered them a hearty welcome. But that appears
to be all he had to offer; for, although they sat down
to a large supper directly afterwards, they had to pay
for their meal ! Much wine was consumed, which
perhaps accounts for payment being demanded ! There
was a rather thin attendance.
The next day the Congress met in the great hall,
the Princess The"rese in the chair. Many addresses,
followed by papers on various subjects associated with
the " Americanist Society " were then read and discussed.
Markham read a paper on " Sarmiento "; and subse-
quently another one on the " Tiahuanaco and Chavin
Stones," both of which were well received. Owing to
a bad cold, he was unable to preside on the last day, as
had been prearranged.
On their journey home they visited Niirnburg in
order to see the famous fifteenth-century globe of
Martin Behaim, who also adapted the astrolabe to pur-
poses of navigation in 1480. The globe is preserved in
a special case, but is much discoloured, and shows un-
mistakeable signs of its antiquity.
On his return to England he delivered his inaugural
address at the Leeds Geographical Society, before a
very large and sympathetic audience, who appreciated
a pointed allusion to the excellent work achieved by
Yorkshire geographers and explorers.
CH. xx] LATER YEARS 347
During his life, Markham had one great literary
design in view. This was his great work on the Incas.
He acknowledged in 1909 that he had been making
preparations for its production during the past fifty-six
years ! Being then, however, in his eightieth year,
and feeling the uncertainty of living sufficiently long to
enable him to complete his colossal work, he decided
to write instead, a series of essays and stories of the Incas,
compressed into one volume, so that at least he could
place his own ideas and conclusions on record. The
opinions which he held twenty years earlier he had
already published in his " History of Peru." This
had been translated into Spanish; but, as he naively
puts it, further study had increased his knowledge ;
and thoughts which had been suggested by this aug-
mentation of knowledge somewhat modified his pre-
vious views, in some cases even altered them entirely.
' Besides," he remarks, " it will give me occupation !"
It is almost unnecessary to add, however, that he never
suffered for the lack of something to do ! Accordingly,
in 1910 he embodied his latest views and conclusions
in a volume entitled " The Incas of Peru." It is justly
an authoritative work.
During one of his many visits to Lisbon, he went to
Thomar for the purpose of seeing the old convent of
the Order of Christ, which dates from the fifteenth
century. Markham, it will be remembered, had been
created a Commendador of the Order of Christ by King
Luis on the 23rd of April, 1874, and on the occasion of
this visit to the old convent he wore the miniature
order, much to the surprise (and approval) of the old
janitor who kept the keys of the gate. Markham wrote
a very full description of the convent and its history.
Towards the latter part of 1909, after much pre-
liminary discussion and correspondence with Sir
Clements, Captain Scott publicly announced his in-
tention of endeavouring to raise funds for the despatch
of another Antarctic Expedition, to be under his
348 LATER YEARS [CH. xx
command, with the express objects of exploring the un-
known Antarctic Continent and of reaching the South
Pole. With that conspicuous energy which would
admit of no denial, Scott set to work to justify his
proposal and to plead for monetary assistance, in an
excellent and business-like address which he delivered
at the Mansion House at a meeting presided over by
the Lord Mayor. He propounded his views at several
other public meetings, and he wrote to every society,
company, and individual, that he thought would
support his scheme. As a result of his exertions money
began to flow in. A sum of 500 was subscribed by
the members of the Stock Exchange, 1,000 was
promised by a subscriber to his last expedition, and
sums of money some in large contributions, some in
small kept pouring in. Clements Markham himself,
although his income was by no means a large one,
gladly contributed the sum of 100 from his slender
resources.
In a very short time a sufficient sum of money was
collected to warrant the purchase of a ship, and to
organise the expedition. The principal object being
the advancement of science and the exploration of un-
known regions, the scientific staff, exclusive of the
captain and surgeon, consisted of no less than nine
members, who were not called upon to perform any ship
duties, but were left free to follow their particular
branches of science. Dr. Wilson again accompanied his
old friend and leader as chief of the scientific staff and
zoologist. The Terra Nova was the ship selected.
Markham willingly consented to join the committee
that superintended the equipment of the ship and the
appointment of the officers and men; but the actual
responsibility of everything connected with the enter-
prise devolved on Captain Scott himself. In fact it
was " Scott's Expedition "; it originated with him,
it was arranged by him, and it was organised by him,
the Admiralty assisting only by granting permission
CH. xx] LATER YEARS 349
for several of the officers and men of the Royal Navy
to serve in the expedition.
In October of the same year Sir Clements stood god-
father to Captain Scott's little boy, who was christened
Peter Markham.
In the following month, at a meeting of the Council
of the Hakluyt Society, he resigned his office as President.
He had been in the chair for a period of twenty years,
and a member of the Council for no less than fifty-
one years ! No man had the welfare of the Society
more at heart than Markham, and no one could have
accomplished more for the Society than he did. During
his long connection with it, he translated and edited
on an average about one book a year for a period of
half a century, and all these works required much
elaborate research. He was still hard at work, when he
resigned, on his " Magellan's Strait," and was collecting
notes for his " Book of the Knowledge of All the King-
doms, Lands, and Lordships, that are in the World," for
the Society, besides writing his " Incas of Peru " 1
Prior to the departure of the Terra Nova, a large
luncheon-party was given by the Royal Geographical
Society to Captain Scott and his officers at the Holborn
Restaurant, to which a number of old Polar officers
were invited. Major Darwin, as President of the Society,
occupied the chair, and many naval officers were present.
Markham proposed the toast of the staff of the ex-
pedition.
On the ist of June the Terra Nova sailed from London,
and proceeded to Portsmouth, Clements Markham being
a passenger on board. Everything worked well, but
what pleased him more than anything else was the willing
spirit that animated everyone on board, and he was
delighted to see members of the scientific staff in their
shirt-sleeves assisting in stowing the hold, and a Captain
of the Enniskillen Dragoons hard at work getting up
the ashes ! On leaving the ship at Portsmouth, the
officers and crew gave him three hearty cheers. They
350 LATER YEARS [CH. xx
knew that he was their best friend, that he would look
after their interests in their absence, and that he would
arrange, if necessary, for their relief. On his return
to London, he succeeded in getting the surplus money
from the Discovery fund turned over to that of the
Terra Nova, much to the gratification and relief of
Captain Scott.
CHAPTER XXI
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION THE END
ON the nth of June, at Leeds, Markham received the
distinction of being made a Doctor of Science of the
Leeds University. There were thirteen recipients for
the honour, among whom may be mentioned Mr. Asquith,
the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Speaker, the Earl of
Crewe, and Lord Rayleigh.
The Duke of Devonshire, as the Chancellor, delivered
the address and conferred the degrees. Referring to
Markham, he said :
' In Sir Clements Markham I have to present to you
one who comes among us as a veteran in the service
of mankind, one whose life has been the expression in
countless achievements of a mind extraordinary in
power and versatility, a nature full of enthusiasm and
tenacity, and an ambition directed to the noblest ends.
Beginning with his participation in the heroic search for
Franklin, the record of geographical exploration in
both hemispheres and towards both poles that stands
to the name of Sir Clements Markham would alone secure
his fame. But beyond this he has been for sixty years
the inspiration of English geographical science, the
leader of the movement which has given that subject
a new orientation in the realms of knowledge, and has
secured for it an honourable and independent position
in the highest courts of learning. It is almost entirely
owing to his unwearied advocacy, combined with an
unerring judgment in the choice of men and methods,
that England is taking her proud part in the new era
of Antarctic discovery. To have established in our
Indian Empire, as he did by the indefatigable efforts
of a few years, the cultivation of a prophylactic for its
352 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [CH. xxi
desolating malarial disease, was a service to humanity
such as few may hope to render by the undivided
labours of a lifetime. Yet among these diverse and
momentous deeds Sir Clements Markham has inter-
woven the achievements of a distinguished man of letters,
and if we had not thought he would be honoured most
acceptably in the Faculty of Science, he might have
claimed not less worthily the laurels of a Faculty of
Arts. In his intense and oft expressed love of England
which he has so nobly served, of Yorkshire of which
he is so true a son, and of the Navy in which he gradu-
ated so honourably in the early discipline of life, Sir
Clements Markham discloses the spirit which has made
him what he is a man by whom his countrymen
would eagerly proclaim the deep-seated and most
sterling qualities of their race."
A very true and excellent portrayal of the subject
of this memoir.
In July, 1910, Markham went to Bristol to assist in
the ceremony of unveiling the Hakluyt memorial in
the cathedral, and delivered an address in honour of
that worthy divine and author.
He was occupied at this time in writing the biography
of the Spanish navigator Sebastian del Cano, who
sailed with Magellan in the early part of the sixteenth
century. After the death of Magellan he succeeded
to the command, and was the first circumnavigator of
the globe.
Markham received many letters from his friends on
board the Terra Nova from the various ports at which
she touched on her long journey to the South. All
were in excellent spirits, they reported well of their
ship ; and love and harmony prevailed among officers
and men. Needless to say, they all looked forward with
keen and joyful anticipation to the complete success
of the great work with which they had been entrusted.
Prior to the sailing of the expedition, Dr. Wilson
had presented to Sir Clements and Lady Markham two
very beautiful water-colour drawings, of Mount Markham
and Minna Bluff in the Far South, which he had painted
CH.XXI] SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION 353
specially for them. It was a kindly act, and one which
was much appreciated by them both. Markham's
thoughts were ever flying towards the South, ever
thinking of his dear friends on board the Terra Nova,
and looking forward to the pleasure of welcoming them
back to England, crowned with success.
While at Mont Estoril in March, 1912, news was
telegraphed from New Zealand to the effect that Captain
Scott with a sledging-party had reached the latitude
of 87 32" on the 3rd of January, 1912, and that he
hoped to reach the Pole, which was only 150 miles off,
in about a fortnight's time. A rumour had also been
telegraphed to the effect that Amundsen had already
reached the South Pole with his dog-drawn sledges,
though Markham put but little credence in the report.
He had always been much incensed at what he con-
sidered Amundsen's unfriendly act, in having first pub-
licly announced his intention of attempting to reach the
North Pole, and then suddenly altering his plans and
proceeding in exactly the opposite direction, immedi-
ately Scott had left England, thus, as it were, entering
into competition with him.
Amundsen's expedition was in no way initiated in the
interests of science ; his intention was to make a dash for
the Pole, so as to be able to claim priority of discovery
for Norway, and nothing more. He was accompanied
by only four men, none of whom had any pretensions
to scientific acquirements. Scott, on the other hand,
intended making a thorough scientific exploration, and
was not to be inveigled into taking part with another
competitor in a senseless race to the Pole. It will be
noted that Amundsen concealed his intention of going
to the South until after Scott had sailed, which certainly
did not evince a kindly disposition towards the English
enterprise. Better and more valuable results would
undoubtedly have been obtained had the two expeditions
worked in unison one with the other. The Norwegians
have the satisfaction of being able to say that their
354 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [CH. xxi
flag was the first to be planted at the South Pole; but
the scientific results achieved cannot be compared with
those obtained by the English expedition. The latter
brought back with them a rich store of information both
geographical and geological, with elaborate plans and
surveys of the surrounding country, with complete
climatic and other observations, extending over a
period of nearly two years, all of which were absolutely
new to science. They had set themselves to endeavour
to determine the nature and extent of the Antarctic
Continent; to ascertain the character and depth of the
ice cap; to take pendulum observations in the highest
latitude possible, as well as regular magnetic and
meteorological observations; to give an account of the
mammals, birds, and fishes, and otherwise to report
on the scientific aspect of the new discoveries. All of
this was satisfactorily accomplished. In short, the
results achieved by the English expedition far surpassed
any that had ever been obtained by previous Polar ex-
peditions.
Having in 1912 completed fifty years of strenuous
service on the Council of the Royal Geographical
Society, Markham sent in his resignation as Vice-
President, and after some little correspondence this was
accepted. He was now eighty- two years of age, and
it appeared to him that there was an absence of sympathy
between himself and the new Councillors which, in his
opinion, did not promote the harmony or add to the
usefulness and prosperity of the Society. Another
consideration was that he was much occupied in collect-
ing notes for a history of the Polar Regions. He .had
already gathered a vast amount of information on the
subject, and this he wished to condense and produce
in book form. He aimed at producing a perfect com-
pendium of everything that was known of what might
be called " the Ends of the Earth " from prehistoric
times to the present day, including the names and work
of the various explorers, the geology and botany, and
CH. xxi] SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION 355
the localities at which human beings had been met,
with their origin and manners and customs; also all
information in connection with the animal kingdom
in higher latitudes represented in known positions, etc.
The wish to have a little more time at his disposal in
which to complete this work, in all probability, had a
great deal to do with his retirement from the Council,
for his position as Vice-President necessitated his pre-
sence at the numerous committees which met so fre-
quently. Although this last book has not yet been
presented to the public, we may state that Dr. Guille-
mard has undertaken the editing, and that it will shortly
be published by the Cambridge University Press.
In spite of his great age, he continued to live a very
active life. His pen was as busy as ever translating
and editing various works for the Hakluyt Society,
and correcting the proof-sheets of his " Conquest of
New Granada," and he never neglected to pay his annual
visit, in the summer, to his Scandinavian resorts, and
in the winter to Mont Estoril.
On retiring from the Council, he wrote a letter of
farewell to the President, Council, and Fellows of the
Society, to which he received a most gratifying reply
from Lord Curzon (the President), expressing in most
cordial terms the great loss the Society was sustaining
by his resignation, but expressing a hope that his
advice would always be at the disposal of the Council,
" who still regard you as our greatest living figure."
Thus, after a continuous service of fifty-four years on
the Council, and fifty-eight years as a Fellow, his
intimate connection with the Society, as one of its
officials, came to an end. He also wrote a letter of
farewell to Dr. Keltic and the staff, to which he received
a most touching reply.
At about this time he was elected President of the
Americanist Congress, and presided at its first meeting
in London, delivering the inaugural address, in which,
by command of His Majesty, he offered the delegates
356 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [CH.XXI
a cordial welcome in the name of the King. Three
dinner-parties on three successive nights were given
by him and Lady Markham at Eccleston Square, at
which forty-four guests were entertained, followed by
a large reception at the Natural History Museum, at
which they received the delegates.
The Antarctic Expedition was constantly in his
thoughts, and he delivered several lectures, at various
places, connected with the work on which Captain
Scott was engaged. He also read a special paper on
the subject at the meeting of the British Association in
Dundee.
On the nth of February, 1913, while they were at
Mont Estoril came the appalling news that Scott and
his party had reached the South Pole on the i8th of
January the previous year, but that on their return
journey, in a great blizzard, only eleven miles from their
next depot of provision, they had all perished. It
was a sad but glorious termination to an expedition
excellently arranged, heroically led, and gallantly
carried out. The story is and will always remain an
epic of British pluck and endurance, combined with
resolution, patience, and unselfishness.
To Markham it came as a terrible shock, and at first
he was unable to realise the extent of the calamity.
He loved Scott as a son, he was intimately acquainted
with every member of that gallant little band, and he
loved them for their brave devotion to one another,
for their high-spirited chivalry, for their lion-hearted,
courage, but about all he loved them for themselves.
His heart ached for the sorrow that would be felt by
the widows of those splendid men, who had sacrificed
their lives in adding glory and honour to the long list
of England's stalwart champions. He looked upon
Captain Scott as a "very exceptionally noble English-
man." Not least, he was impressed by Scott's chivalrous
generosity in dealing with men who were endeavouring
for their personal ambitions, to supplant him in the work
CH.XXI] SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION 357
which he had thoughtfully planned out for himself.
Very rarely, in Markham's opinion, have so many
great qualities been combined in one man. " Perhaps,"
he wrote, " the most striking quality was that which
won him the love of all who served under him."
Through the instrumentality of Clements Markham,
a memorial service was held at Mont Estoril for his dear
friend and his companions, which was attended by the
English and German Ministers accredited to Portugal,
and many British and foreign residents. Personally he
felt that this quiet service, devoid of all ostentation,
was more soothing and comforting at any rate to him
than the one held in St. Paul's Cathedral. Yet he
was grateful for the recognition of their brilliant services
so unostentatiously, but so convincingly, shown by the
King in being present at the memorial service held in
London. Markham wrote a long memorial letter to
The Times, which was duly inserted ; and he also wrote to
the Prime Minister suggesting that posthumous honours
should be conferred on Captain Scott's widow, which
was favourably received and immediately acted upon.
To the end of his life the tragic fate of Scott and his
companions was ever present in his mind. He felt
their loss, not only from a personal point of view, but
in a national sense ; and he lost no opportunity in honour-
ing their memories on all and every occasion. At
Cheltenham he unveiled the memorial that had been
erected to commemorate Dr. Wilson's great services.
It was a statue of the explorer in sledging costume, the
work of Lady Scott. The ceremony was carried out in
the presence of many relatives and friends. He also
accompanied Mrs. Bowers to Greenhithe in order to
unveil a plaque dedicated to the memory of Lieutenant
Bowers, which was to be placed on board the Worcester.
It had been subscribed for by the cadets of the training
ship to the memory of their plucky young shipmate.
It consisted of a bronze plate containing his portrait
with a suitable inscriptior ; it was placed against the
4
358 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [CH. xxi
mainmast immediately under the ship's bell. Before
unveiling the memorial, Sir Clements addressed the
assembled cadets at some length, paying a high tribute
of praise to the young hero, and holding him up as a
worthy example to be followed.
He also travelled to Stratford-on-Avon to be present
at the dedication of the west window of Binton Church
to the memory of his dear friend Scott. There was a
great procession of clergy with prayers, anthems,
hymns, and an address by the Rev. Dr. Bruce; after
which the ceremony of unveiling was performed by
the Duke of Newcastle.
Two years later, on the 5th of November, 1915, he
assisted, by invitation of the First Sea Lord of the
Admiralty, at the unveiling of the statue of Captain
Scott in Waterloo Place, which had been subscribed
for by the officers of the Royal Navy. The ceremony
of unveiling was performed by the First Lord of the
Admiralty, Mr. Balfour. The designer and sculptor
was Lady Scott. The likeness is excellent, the great
explorer being depicted in Antarctic travelling dress.
On the return of the Discovery, the Trustees of the
British Museum kindly gave permission for the cases
containing the natural history specimens to be sent to
the Museum at South Kensington, with a view to
preparing for publication the scientific results of the
collection. That the work should be entrusted to the
Museum authorities was Markham's express wish.
Their report is comprised in six large quarto volumes,
in the production of which no trouble or expense has
been spared in order to render the natural history
results of the expedition worthy of the splendid efforts
of Captain Scott and his fellow-explorers. The work is
not only an enduring memorial of the expedition, but
also, incidentally, of Markham's great share in its promo-
tion and organisation.
In 1913 a deputation of old Westminsters waited upon
him with a request that he would sit for his portrait,
CH. xxi] SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION 359
which they were anxious should be painted, with the
object of being presented to him. They wished him
to accept it as a slight acknowledgment of the great
services he had rendered to the school. Mr. George
Henry, A.R.A., most good-naturedly consented to paint
it. Markham was much gratified at this kindly feeling
shown towards him by his old school, and willingly
consented to sit for the portrait. The result exceeded
even the anticipation. It was in every way a most
successful production, and the presenters are to be
congratulated on their choice of the artist.* The
presentation of the picture was made to him at Cam-
bridge by Sir Roland Vaughan Williams before a large
gathering of friends as well as subscribers.
In addition to all these functions, his time was fully
occupied in translating and editing the " Guerra de
las Salinas " and the " Guerra de Chupas " for the
Hakluyt Society. He likewise prepared and read a paper
at the Historical Congress in London on the " Loss of
Documents relating to Historical Geography, and the
Means of preserving them." He also wrote the preface
for " Scott's Last Expedition," and finished his trans-
lation of " Garcia da Orta " and his " Descriptive
List of Amazonian Tribes." This latter work necessi-
tated an enormous amount of research, and would have
been a severe task for a man in the prime of life. He
was then over eighty-five years of age, but his mental
powers were as active and as bright as ever.
The European War gave him great cause for anxiety,
and he followed the course of it with absorbing interest.
A heavy personal blow fell upon him in the loss of his
cousin, Major R. A. Markham, the head of the Markham
family, who died on October 25, 1914, at Boulogne from
wounds received at the battle of Ypres-Armentieres two
days before.f
* The portrait is reproduced as the frontispiece of this volume.
t Major Markham left England with his regiment, the 2nd. Batt.
Coldstream Guards, on August 12, 1914 eight days after the declara-
tion of war. He was with his regiment during the heroic retreat from
360 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [CH. xxr
On the loth of June, 1915, he read what was destined
to be his last paper at the Geographical Society. In it he
animadverted on the false German claim to having
supplied the scientific data which enabled the Portuguese
to extend their discoveries. The title of his address was
"The History of the Gradual Development of the Ground-
work of Geographical Science." At the conclusion of the
paper he submitted a proposal that the Society should
be possessed of a collection, as complete as possible,
of all instruments connected with nautical astronorrry
and navigation from the earliest times. A few instru-
ments and models were exhibited at the lecture, and an
interesting discussion was initiated.
In spite of the war, he and Lady Markham did not
abandon their periodical trips abroad. Mont Estoril
was visited as usual, and they even paid a long visit to
the island of Madeira. They returned from their last
trip to Portugal by sea on the 2nd of May, 1915, and
arrived at Liverpool, luckily without having seen any
indications of hostile submarines. Every preparation
had been made on board in readiness for the immediate
abandonment of the ship, an evolution in which Sir
Clements was much interested, but, fortunately, extreme
measures were not rendered necessary. On the dawn
of the New Year (1916) he writes:
" A very sad and portentous New Year. At home,
the enemies of efficient methods of resistance still
clinging to office. Abroad, Belgium, Northern France,
Poland, Serbia, conquered, and in the hands of the
enemy; passenger ships ruthlessly sunk in defiance of
international law and the Hague Convention, supported
by American protests; yet here in England there is
no sign of despondency; everyone confident that
right must prevail, and with it civilisation and Chris-
tianity."
Mons took part in the decisive victory of the Marne stood side by
side with the French at the battle of the Aisne, and was mortally
wounded at the battle of Ypres-Armentieres, on October 23.
CH.XXI] SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION 361
The last entry in his diary was made on the i8th of
January. Almost his last thoughts were connected with
his dear friend Scott. He writes:
" Sturdy little Peter Scott came and walked with
us in the Square garden. I often think of his dear
father and the men he has trained to fight his country's
battles."
On the 2Qth, having been confined to his room for
some days by an attack of gout, he was sitting in bed
reading, by the light of a naked candle, a book printed
in old Portuguese. It is assumed he was holding the
candle close to the book, the better to decipher the
letterpress, when by some accident the bedclothes became
ignited, probably by the fall of the candle. His call for
assistance was instantly responded to, and the fire
extinguished, but, alas ! the great shock was too much
for a man of his years. He remained mercifully uncon-
scious for about twenty hours, when he passed peacefully
away.
Thus ended a long life of hard and useful work
thoroughly enjoyed. His home life was simple, but
replete with happiness and contentment ; he was always
mindful of others and forgetful of self. His childhood,
especially his school-life, and the young friends that in
the course of years became old friends, were blissful
reminiscences to him. He had outlived nearly all his
contemporaries, but their good-fellowship and friendly
regard were to him sweet memories of the past. He
possessed an astonishing and most retentive memory,
and he taxed it to the utmost. He never forgot any-
thing he had once heard, seen, or read. Yet, in spite
of this wonderful gift, he always retained the habit of
noting in his pocketbook everything that he saw, no
matter how trivial and insignificant it might appear to
others. Especially was this the case in visiting old
cathedrals, castles, or churches, when their exact dimen-
sions would be carefully measured and noted.
362 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [CH.XXI
He was a quick writer, an excellent observer; clever
in mastering a foreign language; a great judge of
character; prompt in making up his mind; impulsive,
especially in righting a wrong ; a man of great determina-
tion; a stanch friend; and of a most lovable disposition.
Peru was his first love, Polar exploration his second;
and to both he remained constant to the end. On
Peruvian subjects his publications amounted to more
than a score, exclusive of lectures and addresses. The
crown of his Polar work lay beyond his writings, in the
excellent work achieved by Captain Scott in the far
distant Antarctic Regions. It is left for others to follow
him and glean the rich scientific harvest that is await-
ing the explorer in the far South; but the main achieve-
ment must for all time be associated with Scott's name,
and with that of his mentor and counsellor Clements
Markham.
In method, he was careful to think out his subject
conscientiously before making it public; he never
wrote with the object of making money. His chief
endeavour was to maintain and enhance the spirit of
enterprise among his countrymen on sea and on land;
and his success in this field alone, apart from his
share in benefiting India and his great furtherance of
geography, would suffice to keep his name in ever-
lasting remembrance.
During the latter part of his life, he was undoubtedly
the greatest living authority on geographical science.
By his death there has passed away a distinguished man
of whom his country may well be proud ; but with his
departure a prodigious accumulation of geographical
knowledge of the utmost importance has also passed
away
APPENDIX A
The following letters and telegrams of condolence and
sympathy on the death of her husband were received
by his widow, Lady Markham:
Telegram sent to Lady Markham by H.M. the King : " The
King regrets to hear of the sorrow which has befallen you, and
desires me to convey to you the expression of his sympathy.
His Majesty had known Sir Clements for many years, and
realises how much the country is indebted to his long years of
study and research. STAMFORDHAM."
The Naval Commander-in-Chief at Devonport, Admiral Sir
George Egerton, telegraphed to Lady Markham : " With deepest
sympathy and sorrow at the loss of dear old Sir Clements from
his devoted and admiring shipmate Sir George Egerton."
Dr. Nansen telegraphed from his home in Norway : " Afflicted
at the loss of my very dear friend. I mourn with you in your
great bereavement."
General Sir Reginald Wingate cabled from Khartoum : " All
fellows in Sudan deeply regret Sir Clements Markham 's death."
The Committee of the Royal Societies' Club in London placed
on record " its sense of the loss the Club has sustained by the
lamented death of Sir Clements Markham, who for many years
was President of the Club, and contributed so much to its
welfare in the early years of its existence," etc.
Letters and telegrams of sympathy and regret for the loss
sustained were also received from eminent and distinguished
men, especially those interested and associated with geographical
research, such as Nansen, Guido Cora, Sven Hedin, Joachim
Bensaude, and many others, all testifying to the high estima-
tion in which he was held by the geographers of other nations.
363
364 APPENDIX A
From the Officers and Council of the Royal Anthropological
Institute, expressing the sorrow felt by " the whole scientific
world by the loss of so brilliant a pioneer." Most of "us have
lost more than a leader in archaeology, a friend for whose per-
sonality we entertained a deep-rooted and sincere affection.
The extent of his learning was only equalled by the great gen-
erosity with which he placed his knowledge at the service of
those who had the privilege to know him."
The Council of the Hakluyt Society, with whom he had been
associated for over sixty years, during which time the Society
had " enjoyed the direct benefits of unwearied labour. His
name added lustre to its public reputation a lustre created by
his varied accomplishments in geographical science, by his
achievements in exploration, and by his other and manifold
service to the State and humanity."
The Royal Society "express their deep sense of the loss which
the Royal Society has sustained, and of the eminent services
which Sir Clements rendered to Science."
The Members of the Elizabethan Club, of which he was Presi-
dent for many years, unite in the feeling " that they have lost
a personal friend," and comment on his stanch loyalty to West-
minster, which endeared him to everyone connected with the
school and its surroundings.
The Council of the Royal Geographical Society " desire to place
on record their profound sense of the loss which the Society and
Geography have sustained by the death of Sir Clements Mark-
ham, who had been intimately connected with the Society for
over sixty years during the greater part of which he was officially
associated with its affairs. He was indefatigable in the pro-
motion of the objects for which the Society exists. He took a
prominent part in all the development of its work, scientific
and educational. The recent renewal of Antarctic exploration
on a large scale was mainly due to his initiative, enthusiasm, and
energy. By his sympathetic attitude towards all the members
of the Staff he secured devoted loyalty not only to himself, but
to the best interests of the Society. His death will be felt as a
personal loss by geographers all the world over."
From the President of the French Geographical Society : " The
news of the death of Sir Clements Markham has been received
APPENDIX A 365
with unanimous and unfeigned regret. His eminent services to
Geographical Science, more especially to Polar Exploration, will
live for all time."
The President of the Geographical Society of Geneva : " Le mort
de Sir Clements R. Markham, president d'honneur de votre
Socie"te, nous a e*te aussi tres terrible, puisque Sir Clemente fait
aussi membre honoraire de la Socie*te de Geographie de Geneve.
Le Bureau de notre Socie'te' ni a done officiellement charge 1 ," etc.
From the Royal Danish Geographical Society : Calling to mind
the great loss among the staff of famous English Arctic Explorers
which England has suffered by the death of Sir Clements Mark-
ham, the Society wish " to express its heartfelt and most cordial
sympathy."
The Norwegian Geographical Society sends " sincere sympathy
in the great loss that Geographical Science has sustained by the
death of Sir Clements Markham."
The Council of the Italian Royal Geographical Society " send an
expression of their deep sorrow for the loss of the illustrious
pioneer of Arctic Exploration."
The Geographical Society of Philadelphia " places on record
its sense of the loss sustained by the science of geography in the
loss of one of its most distinguished disciples, . . . who has
earned for himself a foremost place among geographers by his
energetic promotion of Arctic and Antarctic exploration, by his
advocacy of higher geographical education, by his sympathetic
attitude towards prospective explorers, and by his numerous
and illuminating contributions to geographical literature."
Tributes of sorrow for his loss, and praise for his work, were
received from Sweden, and from far-distant Arequipa; also from
the Elizabethan Club, of which he was President for many years,
the Kosmos Club, the Vesey Club at Birmingham, and from
many other eminent and distinguished geographers of all
nationalities.
APPENDIX B
WORKS PUBLISHED BY SIR CLEMENTS MARKHAM
Year of
Publication.
1853. Franklin's Footsteps.
1854. History of the Markham Family. Edited by C. R. M.
1856. Cuzco and Lima.
1862. Travels in Peru and India.
1864. Quichua Grammar and Dictionary.
1867. Report on the Irrigation of Eastern Spain.
1869. The Abyssinian Expedition.
1870. Life of the Great Lord Fairfax.
1870 et seq. Ocean Highways, etc.: A Geographical Periodical,
Edited by C. R. M.
1871. Ollanta: An Ancient Inca Drama.
1871. A Memoir of the Indian Surveys. (Published by order
of the Secretary of State for India. Two Editions) .
1873. Threshold of the Unknown Regions. (Four Editions.)
1874. A General Sketch of the History of Persia.
1874. Memoir of the Countess of Chinchon.
1874. India: Moral and Material Progress Report. (Presented to
Parliament, 1874.)
1874. India: Moral and Material Progress Report. (Presented
to Parliament, 1875.)
1875. The Arctic Navy List : A Century of Arctic and Antarctic
Officers, 1773 to 1875.
1875. Refutation of the Report of the Scurvy Committee.
1876. Missions to Tibet, Bogle and Manning. (Published by
order of the Secretary of State for India. Two Editions.)
1876. Memoir of Commodore Goodenough.
1879. Akbar : An Eastern Romance. With Notes and an
Introductory Life of the Emperor Akbar by C. R. M.
1880. Peruvian Bark.
366
APPENDIX B 367
Year of
Publication.
1880. Peru.
1881. Fifty Years' Work of the Royal Geographical Society.
1882. War between Peru and Chile, 1879-1882.
1883. A Naval Career during the Old War: being a Narrative of
the Life of Admiral John Markham.
1884. The Sea-Fathers.
1885. A Family Memoir of the Macdonalds of Keppoch.
1885. Life of Admiral Robert Fairfax.
1885. Battle of Wakefield. (Yorkshire Archaeological Journal.)
1887. Battle of Towton. (Yorkshire Archaeological Journal.)
1887. Prince Edward of Lancaster. (Transactions of Bristol
and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society.)
1888. The Fighting Veres. (Published in America.)
1889. Life of John Davis the Navigator, 1550-1605.
1892. History of Peru. (Translated into Spanish. Published in
Chicago.)
1892. Display of English Heraldry at Budrum.
1892. Quichua Dictionary.
1892. Life of Christopher Columbus.
1893. Pytheas, the Discoverer of Britain. (R. G. S. Jomrnal.)
1895. Life of Captain Stephen Martin Leake. Edited for the
Navy Records Society by C. R. M.
1895. Arctic and Antarctic Exploration.
1895. Life of Major Rennell, and the Rise of Modern English
Geography.
1895. Descriptive List of Amazonian Tribes.
1896. The Paladins of Edwin the Great : An Historical Romance.
1898. Antarctic Exploration : A Plea for a National Expedition,
etc.
1899. Alfred the Great as a Geographer.
1901. Central and South America, for Stanford's Compendium
of Geography.
1904. Letters of Admiral John Markham. (Navy Records
Society.)
1906. Memoir of Archbishop Markham.
1906. Life of Richard III.
1907. Life of Edward VI. : An Appreciation.
1908. Vocabularies of the General Languages of the Incas of
Peru.
1908. Translation of Lazariello de Tonnes.
368 APPENDIX B
Year of
Publication.
1908. Story of Majorca and Minorca.
1909. Life of Sir Leopold M'Clintock.
1910. The Incas of Peru.
1912. The Conquest of New Granada.
1913. Markham Memorials : A New Edition of the History of the
Markham Family.
1913. Translation of Garcia da Orta. (Colloquies on the Drugs
and Simples of India.)
Now in the Press. The History of Polar Exploration.
In addition to the works enumerated above, Sir Clements
Markham contributed three articles to the "Encyclopaedia
Britannica," another to " Chambers 's Encyclopaedia," two
chapters on Peru for Winsor's " Narrative and Critical History
of America," and he wrote all the chapters on voyages of dis-
covery in Laird Clowes 's " History of the Navy."
He was also the writer of numerous papers and articles in the
Royal Geographical Society's Journal and Proceedings, including
twelve anniversary presidential addresses.
He lectured frequently to the cadets on board the Worcester
and Conway, also at the Society of Arts, the Royal Institution,
the Society of Antiquaries,the Royal United Service Institution,
and many other Societies, schools, etc.
APPENDIX C
BOOKS EDITED FOR THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY BY
SIR CLEMENTS MARKHAM
(MANY OF THEM TRANSLATED BY HIM FROM THE SPANISH)
Expeditions into the Valley of the Amazons (A.D. 1539, 1540,
1639)-
Narrative of the Embassy of Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo to the
Court of Timour at Samarcand (A.D. 1403-1406).
The Expedition of Pedro de Ursua and Lope de Aguirre (A.D.
1560-61).
The Life and Acts of Don Alonzo Enriquez de Guzman (A.D.
1518-1543).
The Travels of Pedro de Cieza de Leon (1532-50).
Narrative of the Proceedings of Pedrarias Davila.
The Royal Commentaries of the Incas (2 vols.)
Reports on the Discovery of Peru.
Narrative of the Rites and Laws of the Incas.
The Voyages of Sir James Lancaster, Knt., to the East Indies.
The Hawkins Voyages.
The Natural and Moral History of the Indies (2 vols.).
The Voyages of William Baffin (1612-1622).
The Second Part of the Chronicle of Peru (1532-1550)
Tractatus de Globis, et eorum Usu.
Journal of Christopher Columbus.
The Letters of Amerigo Vespucci.
Narratives of the Voyages of Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa to the
Straits of Magellan (1579-80).
The Voyages of Pedro Fernandez de Quiros (1595-1606).
The Guanches of Teneriffe, The Holy Image of Our Lady of
Candelaria.
History of the Incas.
370 APPENDIX C
Narrative of the Viceregal Embassy to Vilcabambal, etc. (1571).
Magellan's Strait.
Book of the Knowledge of All the Kingdoms, Lands, and Lord-
ships, that are in the World.
The War of Quito.
La Guerra de Chupas.
Guerra de las Salinas.
INDEX
ABERDARE, Lord, President Royal
Geographical Society, 254
Aberdeen, 294
Abruzzi, Duke of the, 327, 342
Abyssinia, early history of, 207,
208; cause of war with England;
military operations in, 211-217;
battle and capture of Magdala,
217; death of King Theodore, 217,
218; Queen of, 219, 220; British
Force leaves, 221
Active, H.M.S., 275-281, 282, 284.
286, 287, 294, 296, 297
Aculeo, Lake, 92
Adigrat, Base camp of Abyssinian
Expedition, 213, 214
Admiralty, decline to recommend
the despatch of an Antarctic
expedition, 317; promise to lend
officers and men, 321 ; assume
responsibility for despatch of
second Discovery relief expe-
dition, 335, 336
Advance, U.S. Franklin relief ship,
112 n
Africa, encouragement of explora-
tion in, 224
" Akbar, Life of," 261
Albert Hall, reception of the
officers and men of the Discovery
and Morning at, 337, 338
Alcobaca, 296
Aldrich, Lieutenant, sledge journey
to Somerville Island, 118
Alert, H.M.S., 231, 242, 244, 249
Alexandra, Queen, 330
Alhambra, description of the, 343
Allan, Captain P. B. A!., viii
Almeria, 296
" Alto de Toledo," The, 176
Amalfi, 300
America, " History of," 252, 295
American Geographical Society, 270
Americanist Congress, 355, 356
Amundsen, dash for the South Pole,
353
Andes, The, 92, 144-147
Andres (guide), 154, 157
Annapolis, Naval Academy at, 270
Annesley Bay, Base camp of Abys-
sinian Expedition, 213, 221
Anson, Admiral, 75
Antalo, 214
" Antarctic Research," Article in
the Graphic on, 284
Apo, 175
Aragon, " Pedigree of the Kings
of," 285
Arapa, Lake, 192
Arctic Highlanders. See Eskimos
Arequipa, 136, 174, 175, 190, 192
Argyll, Duke of, 323
Arica, 45
Arrogant, H.M.S., 106
Ashby, ~M.r.,il.M.S.CoUingwood, 132
Asia, H.M.S., 96, 97
Asquith, Mr., 351
Assisi, 289
Assistance, H.M.S., Franklin relief
ship, 108, in; soirees on board,
113; reaches Whalefish Islands,
114; in Melville Bay, 114; enters
Lancaster Sound, 116; beset in
the ice in Wellington Channel,
117; winter entertainments, 121,
122 ; return from the Arctic, 127
Aurora Borealis, Arctic journal, 113,
120
Austin, Captain Horatio, 108, no,
126
Ayacucho, 147, 149
Azangaro, 180
Baffin's Bay, search for the Erebus
and Terror in, 112, 116, 126, 230
Baird, Admiral Sir John, H.M.S.
Grampus, 82
Balearic Islands, 343
Balfour, Mr. A. J., 327
Barbacoes, 133
Barbados, 278
Barcelona, 343
Barents Sea, Leigh Smith's expe-
dition to, 254
371
372
INDEX
Baring, Mr. (afterwards Lord North-
brook), Secretary of State for
India, 199
Barrow Strait, Franklin relief ships
winter in, 118
Basilisk, H.M.S., 63
Basque Provinces, lecture on, 257
Batalha, 296, 297
Bates, Mr. H. W., Assistant Secre-
tary, Royal Geographical Society,
224
Bathurst Island, search for Franklin
expedition near, 125
Bayard, Mr., American Ambassa-
dor, at Franklin commemoration
dinner, 314; farewell dinner to,
322
Beechey, Admiral, 167
Behaim, Martin, fifteenth-century
globe of, 346
Bellerophon,- H.M.S., 100, 101
Ben Nevis, 319
Benthall, Mr., master at West-
minster School, 14
Bermuda, " Discovery and first
settlement of," 279, 285
Beynen, Koolemans, " Life of," 267
Beypur, 196
Bigge, Colonel Sir Arthur (now
Lord Stamfordham) , 339
Binton church, window dedicated
to Captain Scott in, 358
Blanc, Doctor, special envoy to
Abyssinia, 209
Bligh, Lieutenant, H.M.S. Bounty,
59
Board of Trade, and geography in
the Merchant Service, 257, 258
Bogota, The s.s., 162
Bola-bola island, 69-71
Bologna, 289
Bordeaux, 346
Bougainville, M. de, at Tahiti, 590
Bounty, The, 59
Bowers, Mrs., 357
Brief ond, 326
Bristol, 352
British Association, on Antarctic
exploration, 314; at Dundee,
35.6
British Guiana. (See Guiana)
British Museum, publication of the
scientific results of Scott's expe-
dition, 3.58
Broadhead, Commander, H.M.S.
Collingwood, 23, 83, 84
Bruce, Rev. Doctor, 358
Budram, 307
Bulnes, General Don Manuel, 92
Buonaparte, Prince Roland, 315
Busaco, 46
Busby, Doctor, 331
Byron's Bay, 53
Cabpts, " Voyages of the," 308
Cadiz, 295, 296
Cagni, Captain, Duke of the
Abruzzi's expedition, 327
Calca, 156
Calicut, 195, 196
Callao, 38, 48, 75, 86-90, 162, 163
Calypso, H.M.S., 275
Cambridge, School of geography,
225; Board of Geographical
Studies, 342
Campbell-Bannerman, Mr., 344
Cameron, Captain, British Consul
in Abyssinia, 209
! Cancharani Mountain, 178
; Canete (Peru), 138, 140
| Cangallo, 147
i Cano, Sebastian del, first circum-
navigator of the globe, 352
Capri, 302
Caravaya, Mountains of, 173, 178,
181, 191
! Carlsbad, 302
\ Carlscrona, 287
| Carnegy, Mr., 271
! Carneiro, Mount, 280
j Carpenter, Mr., H.M.S. Valorous,
238, 239
j Carpio, Augustin, 143, 146
i Cartagena, 296
Cary Islands, 242
Casa Blanca, 91, 253, 254
Cascarilla. (See Cinchona)
Castellamare, 300
Castro, General, 80
Ccapac, Manco, 152
Ccasasni, cinchona plant found on,
187
Cerro Blanco, gold mine, 142
Chacunchaca Mountain, 180
Chagres River, 133
Challenger, H.M.S., 231
Charles I., 295
Chelyuskin, Cape, 257
Chicago Exhibition, 343
Chichester, Minna (afterwards Lady
Clements Markham), 168, 169
Chichester, Rev. J. H., 168, 267
Chichester, Sir Bruce, 169
Childers, Mr., First Lord of the
Admiralty, 23
Chincha Islands, 141
Chinchero, 156
Chincon, Countess of, 170 w
Choate, Mr., American Ambassador,
333
INDEX
373
Chorrillos, near Lima, 137
Christiania, 301, 313, 327
" Chronicles of Peru," by Ciesa de
Leon, 261
Churi, Joseph, 168
Cinchona plant, 158, 170; specimens
found, 187; profits from, 332
Cleveland, President, 271
Cochrane, Lord, 36, 37
Cockburn, Sir George, 103
Colbeck, Wm., Captain of the
Discovery relief ship Morning, 332,
335, 336; presentation from the
Geographical Society, 338
Colchester, reception of Captain
Scott's Expedition at, 338
Collahuaya, gold mines, 181
Collingwood, H.M.S., appointed
naval cadet to, 18; sails from
Portsmouth, 21, 25; at Madeira,
27; life on board, 27-35; at Rio
de Janeiro, 32, 33; at the Falk-
land Islands, 33, 34; at Valpa-
raiso, 35, 71, 83, 86, 90, 95;
Seymours leave the ship, 38; at
Tahiti, 52, 58, 67; at the Sand-
wich Islands, 53 ; at Honolulu, 55,
81 ; visit of the King of the Sand-
wich Islands to, 56; visit to the
Islands of the Society Group, 69 ;
an incident with a French man-
of-war at Bola-bola, 69, 70; at
Callao, 75, 86-90; off San Bias,
77; at Mazatlan, 78, 79; at Juan
Fernandez, 93-95; homeward
bound, 97 ; pays off, 98
Colne River, " Report on oyster
fishery," 203, 204
Cologne, 273
Colon, 133
Columbus, " History of the discov-
ery of the Windward Islands "
by, 279; " Life of," 304; " First
voyage of," 308
Como, 304
Congress of Americanists, 346
Conway, The, 258-260, 286, 311
Coolie Immigration, " Report on,"
204
Copenhagen, 287, 290, 291
Coraquenque, royal bird of the
Incas, 177
Cordilleras, The, 146, 151
Cordova, 343, 344
Corfu, 305
Cornwall, reformatory ship, 302
Cornwall's Island, sledge journey
by McClintock to, 118; search
for Franklin expedition near, 125
Correa, Don Rafael, 92
Corte-Real, " Voyages of," 305, 308
Courtrai, visit to, 251
Crewe, Eail of, 351
Crucero, 181
Cumberland, H.M.S., 132
Curacavi, 91
Curzon, Lord, 325, 344, 355
Cuyo-cuyo, 182, 191
Cuzco, 90, 133, 136, 151-154, 159
Dalanta plateau, Magdala, 216
Danenhower, Lieutenant, Jeannette
expedition, 270
Darwin, Major, President of the
Royal Geographical Society, 349
Dava, Don Jose Faustino, 180
Davis, John, 235, " Biography of,"
293
Davis Straits, 230, 240
De Horsey, Admiral Sir Algernon,
H.M.S. Collingwood, 23
De Long, Jeannette expedition, 256,
270
Desolation, Cape, 235
Devonshire, Duke of, 351
Dijon, 289
Disco island, 236
Discovery, H.M.S., 231, 242, 244,
249- 255
Discovery Harbour, 255
" Discovery of Britain by Pytheas,"
308
Discovery, The, launched and sails
from Dundee; sails from the
Thames and anchors in Stokes
Bay, 330; King and Queen's
visit at Cowes, 330, 331; farewell
to, 331; in communication with
the Morning, 335; return to New
Zealand, 336; arrival and enter-
tainment at Portsmouth, 336;
return to the East India Docks
to pay off, 337
Donnet, Surgeon, H.M.S. Assistance,
no, 113
Drottingholm Palace, 292
Dundee, Discovery built at, 328,
launched and sailed from, 329
Du Petit-Thouars, Captain, 61
Diisseldorf, 273.
Dutch University Boat Race,
" Description of," 253
Dwarf, H.M.S., 107
East India Docks, Discovery at, 329,
337
Edinburgh, 294; reception of Cap-
tain Scott's expedition at, 338
Edinburgh, Duke of, 296
Edi wanna, 196
*5
374
INDEX
Edward VI., " Life of," 341
Edward VII., King, visit to the
Discovery at Cowes, 330, 331
Edwin, King, " The Paladins of,"
319, 3 20
Egerton, Admiral, Sir George, 342
Egerton, Sir Edwin, 305
Eimeo, island of, 60
Eira, Leigh Smith's expedition to
the Barent's Sea, 254, 255
Elgin, Lord, 344
Elizabethan Club, 16; elected Presi-
dent of, 325
Ellesmere, Earl of, President of the
Royal Geographical Society, n
Elphinstone, Lord, H.M.S. Gram-
pus, 82
Elsinore, 290
Equator, crossing the, 28-32
Erebus, H.M.S., 108, 112
Eskimos (Arctic Highlanders), at
Cape York, 115, 254
Fairfax, Admiral, 269
John, 273
Lord, 271
Rev. Brian, 269
Wm., 269, 273
Falkland Islands, H.M.S. Calling-
wood at, 33, 34
Farewell, Cape, 113, 235
Felix, H.M.S., Franklin relief ship,
in
Fenwick, Mrs., 91
Fincham, Mr., 103
Florence, 289
Flower, Sir Wm., 323
Fort Royal, 277
Forth Bridge, 294
Fram, The, 320
Frankfort, 273
Franklin, Lady, in
Franklin, Sir John, 108,109, 114,314
Franz Josef Land, 254
Freeman, E. A., 8
French Geographical Congress, 288
French Government, presentation
from, 316
Funchal, H.M.S. Collingwood at, 27
Gama, Vasco da, 325
Gamel, Mr., 291
Garcillasso de la Vega, 344
Genoa, 289, 304
Geographical Club, 312, 314, 315,322
Geographical Society, Royal, Mark-
ham's connection with, 224,
283, 284; Arctic exploration, 230;
Papers for, 252, 305; geography
in the Merchant Service, 257,
258; Central African questions,
268; presentation of Founder's
medal to Markham, 283, 284,
286; elected Vice-President of,
305; President 309; women as
fellows of, 309; Antarctic re-
search, 310, 311; presentation of
special gold medal to Nansen,
322; grant for an Antarctic
expedition, 323, 324, 327, 328;
reception of the Discovery and the
Morning,. 337, 338; Markham's
resignation of the presidency,
339. 34i; entertainment of the
officers of the Terra Nova, 349
Geography, Schools of, 225, 231;
lack of knowledge of, 253, 254;
Merchant Service and, 257, 258
German Emperors, " List of," 273
Gibraltar, 322
Gil, Senor Pedro, 158
Gilford, Lord, H.M.S. Grampus, 82
Girgenti, ruins at, 300
Gironda, Don Juan de la Cruz, 187-
189
Gleaner, The, Arctic journal, 120
Godhavn (Greenland), 233, 236
Goldie, Sir George, President, Royal
Geographical Society, 339
Goldner, provision contractor to
Franklin Expedition, 117
Goodenough, Commodore James G.,
at Westminster, School, 15;
H.M.S., Collingwood, 21, 23, 73,
74, 80; exploration of Juan
Fernandez, 93-95; death of, 240
Gore, Mr., 91, 92
Gorgona, 134
Grampus, H.M.S., 81
Granada, 343
Grant, Mate, H.M.S. Collingwood,
67-69
Grant, Mr. Patrick, 196
Great Horkesley, 5, 6
Greece, 307
Greely, Lieutenant, 255
Greenway Court, Shenandoah
Valley, seat of Lord Fairfax, 271
Greenwich, Ship Inn at, 312;
Franklin commemoration at, 314
Griffith Island, 118
Grinnell, Mr., 112
Guadeloupe, 277
Guanches, The, ancient inhabitants
of Teneriffe, 342
Guarda, General Don Manuel de la,
152, 159
Guiana, British, boundary line
between Venezuela and, 317, 318
Guillemard, Doctor, 355
INDEX
375
Hakluyt, Richard, 227
Hakluyt Society, 226, 227, 249,
275, 297, 349
Hamilton, Admiral Sir Vesey, 80
Hammond, Captain, H.M.S. Sala-
mander, 58
Hankey.Lieutenant, H.M.S. Calling-
wood, 26, 83
Hardy, Sir Thomas, 25
Harmsworth, Mr. (now Lord North-
cliffe), 323
Harmsworth - Jackson, Windward
Polar expedition, 3 1 3
Harrison, seaman, H.M.S. Colling-
wood, 75
Hawaii, 53
Hebrides, The, 319
Heidelberg, 273
Henry, George, A.R.A., portrait of
Clements Markham by, 16, 359
Henry, Prince, the navigator, 297,
3"
Heroine, French corvette, 61
Hervay, Inca fortress of, 140
Historical Congress, in London, 359
Holsteinborg, 238, 239
Homburg, 273, 302
Hooker, Sir Joseph, 323
Hope, relief ship to the Eira, 254,
255
Horta, 280
Hoskins, Admiral Sir Anthony, 300
Huaccuyo, River, 182
Huacas, 137
Huaheine, Island, 70, 71
Huancarama, 149
Huari-huari, River, 184, 185
Hues, Robert, 299
Hull, reception of Captain Scott's
expedition at, 338; " Siege of,"
lecture on, 249
Huxley, Mr. Leonard, viii
Hygienic Congress, 304
Illustrated Arctic News, 120
Incas, The, 135, 138, 152, 153, 154-
157. 34.7
India, irrigation in, " Report on,'
204, 205
India, Government of, grants to
members of cinchona expedition,
200-202 ; profits from the cinchona
plant, 332
International Geographical Con-
gress, 314, 315, 326
Ipecacuanha, its growth in Brazil,
" Report on," 205
Isabella, Cape, 244
Islay, 162, 174, 192
Italian Geographical Society, 304
Jackson - Harmsworth, Windward
polar expedition, 313
Jarnac, Comte de, 71
Jeannette, American expedition to
New Siberia Islands, 256
Jeffreys, Mr. Gwyn, H.M.S. Valor-
ous, 238, 239
Jones, Captain Loftus, H.M.S.
Valorous, 237, 238
Jones, Mr., H.M.S. Collingwood, 85
132
Jones Sound, 126
Juan Fernandez, 90, 93-95
Juno, H.M.S., 79
Jutland, 341
Karolyi, Count Ladislav, H.M.S.
Collingwood, 84, 91-93
Kealakekua, Bay, murder of Cap-
tain James Cook, 58
Kellett, Captain, H.M.S. Herald, 89
Keltie, Doctor J. Scott, Secretary,
Royal Geographical Society, 224,
225, 355
Kennerly, Mr. and Mrs., 271
Kiel, 287
Kilauea, Mountain, 54, 55
King William Land, 242, 254
Kirkwall, Cathedral of St. Magnus,
319
Koldewey, Captain, 287
Kosmos Club, 315
Kronborg, Castle of, 290
Kublai-Khan, 152
Kynaston, Flag-Lieutenant, H.M.S.
Collingwood, 84
La Cava, 300
Lacey, Lieutenant, H.M.S. Colling-
wood, 84
Lady Franklin Bay, 255
Lampa, 180
Lancaster Sound, 116
Langstone Harbour, 107
Langui, 160
Lansdowne, Marquis of, 351
La Puerta, Doctor, 159, 161
Victoria, 159, 161
Laris, 156
Lassen, Mr., Governor of Holstein-
borg, 239
Layard, Mr., Nineveh discoveries
of, 209
Laycaycota, Mountain, 178
Leeds Geographical Society, 346
Leith, 294
Lemnos, 307
Lena, River, 256 n
Leonidas, 307
Lewenhaupt, Count, 325
376
INDEX
Lima, 38, go, 135-137, 173
Limatambo, 151
Limburg, 251
Lisbon, 296
Lister, Lord, President of the Royal
Society, 324
Liverpool, establishment of naviga-
tion school by the Corporation of,
305; Paper read on "Polar
Exploration" at, 311; reception
of Captain Scott's expedition at,
338
Lobos Islands, 75
London, reception of Captain
Scott's expedition in, 338
London Chamber of Commerce,
Conference with the Royal Geo-
graphical Society on exploration
in Central Africa, 268
Longhurst, Mr., Cyril, viii.
Longstaff, Mr. L. W., donations for
Antarctic exploration, 327, 332
" Los Cantabros," 295
Low Countries, 250, 251
Lyons, 289
Lyttelton, arrival of Discovery and
Morning at, 336
Maas, River, 250
Macartney, Mr. (now Sir Wm.),
339, 34
Macdonalds of Keppoch, " Memoirs
of the," 269
MacMurdo Sound, Discovery
winters in, 335
Madre de Dios, 158, 167
Madrid, 343
Magdala, 210, 211, 213; description
of neighbourhood, 215, 216;
battle and capture of, 217; burn-
ing of, 220, 221
Magellan, 352
Malta, 300
Manchester Geographical Society,
3"
Mannheim, 273
Mansfield, Countess of, 17
Maras, 154
Marathon, 306
Markham, Sir Clements R., K.C.B.,
F.R.S., birthplace and childhood,
1-3 ; his remarkable memory, 3-4;
home at Great Horkesley, 6;
school days at Cheam, 7-9; early
interest in Polar exploration, 7;
games and studies, 8; early
literary achievements, 9-11; at
Westminster School, 12-15;
interest in the school in after
life, 15, 16; joins the Navy, 18;
naval cadet in H.M.S. Calling-
wood, 18; parting present from
his House at Westminster, 20;
sails in H.M.S. Collingwood from
Portsmouth, 21; his journal and
friends in, 21-24; officers' descrip-
tion of him, 26; on shore at
Madeira, 27; at Rio de Janeiro,
32, 33; at the Falkland Islands,
34; fall into the store-room, 35;
at Valparaiso, 37; friendship
with Lieutenant Peel, 38-40^
severity of system of corporal
punishment influences him to
leave the Service, 41; visits to
Lima, 42, 43 ; interest in naviga-
tion and astronomy, 48 ; falls out
with the Naval Instructor, 49-51 ;
appeal on behalf of a captain
of the maintop and the conse-
quences, 50, 51; at Hawaii, 54,
55; visit to Mr. Wylie at Hono-
lulu, 55, 56; excursions from
Honolulu, 57, 58; meets M'Clin-
tock, 58; sympathy with the
Tahitians, 64-66; obtains in-
formation as to French forces
and communicates it to the
islanders, 64-66; admiration of
Grant in his endeavour to assist
the Tahitians, 69; visits Lady
Seymour at Valparaiso, 7 1 ;
appointed to take charge of
dinghy, 72 ; ride towards Santiago
with Goodenough, 74; incident
with a guacho, 74; friendship
with Goodenough, 74; Beau-
champ Seymour's kindness, 75,
76; strained relations with the
Naval Instructor, 76; " History
of the Pacific Station," 76, 77, 86;
visit to San Bias, 77; stay at
Mazatlan, 78, 79 ; makes a plan
of mouth of the river, 79 ; passes
midshipman's examination, 79,
80; visit to Monterey, 80, 81 ;
meets the officers of the Grampus,
82 ; atrocities at Tahiti, 82 ; deals
with outbreak of fire, 85; mid-
shipman of the fpretop, 86, 87;
attacked by natives at Callao,
88, 89; desire to become an
explorer, 89-90 ; great reader, 90 ;
trip to Santiago, 91-93; on shore
at Juan Fernandez, 93-95;
serious illness, 95, 96; desire to
leave the Service, 97, 98, 106;
on leave at home, 100; joins
H.M.S. Bellerophon on appoint-
ment to H.M.S. Sidon, 100; at
INDEX
377
Palermo and Naples, 101-103;
appointed to H.M.S. Superb, 106;
friendship with Sherard Osborn,
107-109; desire to join Franklin
relief expedition, 108, 109; ap-
pointed to Franklin relief ship
H.M.S. Assistance, 109, no;
death of his brother David, no;
sails in the Assistance, in; con-
tributions to the Aurora Borealis,
113, 120; study of Arctic history,
114; in the ice of Melville Bay,
116; winter entertainments and
studies, 121-123; resolve to
explore Peru, 123; sledge travel-
ling, 125; home from the Arctic,
127; obtains father's consent to
leave the Service, 127, 129; plans
for expedition to Peru, 130;
publishes " Franklin's Foot-
steps," 130; bids farewell to
relief expedition, 130, 131; finan-
cial assistance for expedition to
Peru, 131; sails from Liverpool,
132; meets Mr. Prescott at
Boston, 133 ; journey to Panama,
Z 33' J 34I to Callao and Lima,
135; researches in Inca history,
135; plans journey to Cuzco, 136;
temple of Pachacamac, 136;
attacked by robbers, 136; starts
from Lima, 137; objects of enter-
prise, 138; reaches Pisco and Yea,
141; visits Chincha Islands, 141;
the Andes, 144-147; at Ayacu-
cho, 147, 148; accompanied by
Doctor Taforo to Cuzco, 149; at
Huancarama, 149, 150; an appa-
rition, 150; arrival at Cuzco, 151;
journey to Arequipa, 159; at
Arequipa, 162; return to Callao,
162, 163 ; father's death, 163, 164;
return to England, 163, 164;
appointment in the Inland
Revenue Office, 165; appointed
to the India Office, 166; elected a
fellow of the Royal Geographical
Society, (1854), 166, reads his
first Paper, 167; study of Indian
mythology and Arabic, 167, 168;
publishes " Cuzco and Lima,"
1 68; marriage, - 169; Paper on
" M'Clintock's Search for
Franklin," 169; quest for cin-
chona, 170-194, selected by
Secretary of State for India to
collect specimens of the plant in
South America, 171; prepara-
tions for the expedition, 172, 173;
arrival at Lima and Arequipa,
, 177-180;
specimens of cinchona plant
collected, 187; orders for his
arrest, 188; arrival at Sandia
and hurried departure with
plants, 189; journey over the
Cordilleras to Vilque, 190-192;
reaches Vilque and Arequipa,
192; plants safely exported to
Southern India, 1 94 ; return
home, 194; starts for India to
superintend landing of the
plants, 195; selection of sites for
the plants, 196, 197; returns to
England and appointed Private
Secretary to the Secretary of
State for India, 199; publishes
" Travels in Peru and India,"
and " Peruvian Bark," 199 ;
return to India to inspect cin-
chona plantations, 200; Govern-
ment of India's grants to mem-
bers of the expedition, 200-202;
questions studied in Peru, India
and Brazil, 202, 203 ; sent to
Tuticorin to report on the river
Colne oyster fishery, 203, 204;
reports on coolie immigration
and irrigation in India, etc.,
204-206; honorary Secretary of
the Royal Geographical Society,
206; translations for the Hak-
luyt Society, 207; appointed
Geographer to the Abyssinian
Expedition, 210, 211; death of
King Theodore, 217, 218; return
to England, 221 ; created Com-
panion of the Bath, 222; pub-
lishes " History of the Abyssinian
War," and " Life of the Great
Lord Fairfax," 223, 224; work
as Secretary of the Geographical
Society, 224-226; urges Arctic
exploration, 226; publications
for the Hakluyt Society, 226, 227 ;
accepts Secretaryship of the
Society, 227; Fellow of the
Society of Antiquaries, 228;
Fellow of the Royal Society, 228;
honours from Portugal, Brazil,
and Germany, 228; pleads for a
naval Arctic expedition, 228,
deputation to Ministers, 229,
Government decide on an Arctic
expedition, 231, invited to
accompany expedition as far as
Greenland, 232, 233, on board the
Alert, 233-237, farewell to the
Alert, 237; return in H.M.S.
Valorous, 237-240; advises de-
378
INDEX
patch of a vessel to communicate
with the Alert and Discovery, 241 ;
publications, 243, 247-249; return
of the Alert and Discovery, 244,
245; tour in Holland, 246, 247;
" Peruvian Bark," 250; tour in
the Low Countries, 250-252;
contributions to the " History of
America," 252; visit to Holland,
252, 2 53 ' deputation to the
Admiralty concerning relief expe-
dition for the Eira, 254; other
Arctic expeditions, 254, 255;
articles on " Missing polar expe-
ditions," 256, 257; lectures in
Yorkshire and Bristol, 257; the
Worcester and Conway, 258-260,
266, 267, 272; further literary
work, 261 ; interest in seaman
sentenced to penal servitude,
262-266; invitations to stand as
Liberal candidate for Taunton
and Portsmouth, 267 ; St. Gabriel's
church, Warwick Square, 268;
" Memoirs of the Macdonalds of
Keppoch," 269; visit to America
for his " Life of Admiral Fair-
fax," 269-272; trip to Belgium
and Germany, 273 ; helps a
friend, 274; Hakluyt Society,
274, 275; visit to H.M.S. Active
in the West Indies, 275-281;
meets Captain Scott, 277; Papers
written for the midshipmen of the
Active, 279, 280; theatricals in
the Active, 280, 281 ; return home
in the Active, 281 ; Channel cruise
in the Active, 282 ; further literary
work, 282, 284, 288; receives Royal
Geographical Society's Founder's
Gold medal, 282, 283, 286;
Antarctic research, 284; second
cruise to the West Indies, 284,
285; publishes "Life of the
Veres," 285; presentation from
the Conway, 286; on board the
Active for naval manoeuvres, 286,
287, Baltic cruise in the Active,
287; coins, 287-290; Baltic cruise
in H.M.S. Volage, 290-294; meets
Doctor Nansen, 291, and King of
Sweden, 292; naval review at
Portsmouth, 294; literary work,
294- 295, 3i. 34. 35, 38, 309;
Mediterranean cruise, 295-297;
elected President, Hakluyt
Society, 297; publishes " Richard
III." 298, 299; tours in Sicily
and Italy, 300, 302; cruise in
H.M.S. Ruby to Christiania, 301 ;
visits to Homburg and Carlsbad,
302; charm of personality, 303;
Vice-President of Royal Geo-
graphical Society, 305; trip to
Mediterranean, 305-308; receives
gold medal from the Congress of
Peru, 308; translations and
papers for the Hakluyt and
Antiquaries Societies, 308, 316;
" Naval coins," 308; " Discovery
of Britain by Pytheas," 308;
" Reminiscences of Westminster
School," 308; lectures to the
Worcester, 308; trip to Italy, 309;
elected President, Royal Geo-
graphical Society, 309; Antarctic
research, 310, 311; Papers read
to various Societies, 311; cele-
bration of the fourth centenary
of the birth of Prince Henry the
Navigator, 311, 312; annual fish
dinner of Geographical Club at
the Greenwich Ship Inn, 312;
first year's work as President of
the Geographical Society, 312,
313; Jackson-Harmsworth Polar
expedition, 313; stay at Larvik,
313; interview with King of
Sweden, 313; "Life of Major
James Rennell." The "Dis-
coverers of Australia," 313,'
Antarctic exploration, 313, 317,
lectures at the Imperial Institute
and Royal United Service Insti-
tution on, 314; International
Geographical Congress (1895),
314-316; Franklin commemora-
tion, 314; visit to Norway, 315;
presentation from the French
Government, 316; "Voyages of
Pedro de Sarmiento," 316; appeal
to Admiralty for an Antarctic
expedition, 317, 321; United
States and the British Guiana-
Venezuela boundary, 317, 318;
created K.C.B., 318, 319; cruise
along the coast of Scotland, 319;
" History of English Maritime
Discovery," " The Paladins of
King Edwin," " Commercial
geography," 319, 320; reception
of Nansen at Christiania, 320;
Antarctic project, 320-328; Nan-
sen's visit to England, 322;
cruise in the Royal Sovereign to
Vigo and Gibraltar, 322 ; memorial
to Joseph Thompson at Nithsdale,
323; Committee to organize an
Antarctic expedition, 324; Vice-
President of the Navy Records
INDEX
379
Society, 324; difficulty in raising
funds for Antarctic expedition,
325; commemoration of fourth
centenary of the rounding of
Cape of Good Hope by Vasca de
Gama, 325; receives Order of the
Pole Star, 325; visit to Berlin to
attend the International Geo-
graphical Congress (1899), 326;
holiday in Norway, 326, 327;
lecture on the " Geographical
Aspects of Inca Civilization,"
327; Mr. Longstaff's donation
and a Government grant for an
Antarctic expedition, 327, expe-
dition assured, 328, Scott ap-
pointed to command, 328, his
instructions, 329, 333, decision
to build a special ship, 328,
named the Discovery, 329, fare-
well to the, 331; dissemination
of geographical knowledge, 331;
Geographical Society at South-
ampton, 331; elected a trustee
of Doctor Busby's Charity, and a
member of the governing body of
Westminster School, 331; pros-
perity of cinchona plantations in
India, 332; relief ship for the
Discovery, 332, raising of funds
for her equipment, 332, 333,
donations from the King and
Prince of Wales, 333; relief ship
Morning sails, 333; troubles over
the despatch of the two expe-
ditions, 333, 334; news of the
Discovery, 335; second despatch
of the Morning. Government
takes over responsibility, 335,
336; welcomes the Discovery at
Portsmouth, 336, 337; reception
and winding up of the expe-
dition, 337-339; presentation
from the officers of the Discovery
and Morning, 338; resigns presi-
dencyof the Geographical Society,
339-341 ; presentation from the
relatives of the Discovery officers,
340; his character, 340; accepts
the office of a Vice-President of
the Geographical Society, 341 ;
lecture on Nelson to Westminster
School, 342; Paper on the " Next
Great Arctic Discovery," 342;
delivers an address at the open-
ing of the Cambridge Board of
Geographical Studies, 342; visit
to Teneriffe for his " History of
the Guanches," 342; cruise in
the Mediterranean, 342, 343;
writes a description^, of the
Alhambra and compiles pedigrees
of several reigning Sovereigns,
343 ; visits the burial-place of
Garcilasso de la Vega at Cordova,
344; golden wedding, 344; re-
ceives honorary degree of LL.D.
Cambridge, and the Order of St.
Olaf , 344 ; death of Admiral Sir L.
M'Clintock, 344; visit to Mont
Estoril, 344; literary work, 345,
349; visit to Vienna to attend
Congress of Americanists, 346;
delivers an address at the Leeds
Geographical Society, 346; pub-
lishes " The Incas of Peru," 347;
Scott's second Antarctic expe-
dition, 347-350; godfather to
Captain Scott's son, 349; resigns
presidencyof the Hakluyt Society,
349; sails with Captain Scott in
the Terra Nova, 349; D.Sc. of
Leeds University, 351; visit to
Bristol for the Hakluyt memorial
ceremony, 352; resignation of
Vice-Presidency of the Geo-
graphical Society, 354, 355; work
on a history of the Polar regions,
354. 355; elected President of
Americanist Congress and attends
its first meeting, 355, 356; reads
a Paper on Scott's expedition
at the British Association at
Dundee, 356; receives news at
Mont Estoril of Scott's fate, 356,
present at a memorial service at
Mont Estoril, 357, memorial
letter to the Times, 357, writes
to the Prime Minister suggesting
osthumous honours for Captain
cott's widow, 357, unveils a
memorial to Doctor E. A. Wilson
at Cheltenham, 357, unveils a
plaque to the memory of Lieu-
tenant Bowers on board the
Worcester, 357, 358, attends dedi-
cation of a window to the memory
of Scott in Binton church, 358.
assists in the unveiling of statue
of Scott, 358; sits for his portrait
at the request of Old West-
minsters, 358, 359, its presenta-
tion, 359; translations for the
Hakluyt Society, and other
literary work, 359; reads his
last Paper at the Geographical
Society, 359; visit to Mont
Estoril and Madeira, 360; last
entry in his diary, 360; accident
while reading in bed by candle-
38o
INDEX
light, 361, succumbs to the shock
(January 30, 1916), 361; author's
appreciation, 361, 362; letters
and telegrams of condolence,
363-365; Hst of published works,
366-368; books edited for the
Hakluyt Society, 369, 370
Markham, The Rev. Canon, David,
i, 2, 5, 12, no, 163, 164, 283
Markham, Admiral John, 256, 261
Markham, May, 169, 342
Markham, Major R.A., 359
Markham, Robert, 273
Markham, Doctor Wm., Archbishop
of York, 2
Markham, William, i, 2
Markham family, " Memorials of
the," 320
Markham, Mount, 352
Marseilles, 289
Marstrand, 293
Martel, Don, 182, 183, 188, 190, 192
Nansen, Doctor, 291, 301 ; arrival at
Vardo, 320 ; visit to England, 322,
324
Napier, Admiral Sir Charles, 104,
105, 167
Napier, General Sir R. (afterwards
Lord Napier), appointed to com-
mand military expedition to
Abyssinia, 210 ; composition of
force and plan of operations,
211-216 ; defeat of King Theodore
at Magdala, 21 7, 218 ; destruction
of Magdala, 220, 221; embarks
with force from Annesley Bay,
221; created a Peer, 222
Naples, 300
Nares, Admiral Sir George, in com-
mand of Arctic expedition (1875-
76), 230, 242, 244-246, 249
Nasca, 136, 142
Nassau, Duke of, 292
Nauplia, 306
Nautical instruments, proposal for
a collection at Greenwich, 301
Naval Exhibition (1891), 301
Navy Records Society, Vice-Presi-
dent of, 324
Nelson, Lord, lecture on, 342
Newcastle, Duke of, 358
New Guinea, " Discovery of," 267
New Siberia Islands, 256
New Zealand, arrival of Dis-
covery and Morning at, 335, 336
Nicolosi, ruins at, 302
Nithsdale, memorial to Joseph
Thompson at, 323
Nordenfelt, Mr., 293
Nordenskjold, Baron, 250, 287, 291 ;
" Facsimile atlas," 292, 295
North-East Passage, The, 250
North Water, 115
North- West Passage, The, 242
Norwegian Geographical Society,
327
Novoa, Don Manuel, 159
Nurnburg, 346
Oahu, island of, 55
Oban, 319
Oberea, Queen Regent of Tahiti in
(1767), 59
Ocururo, 160
Odda, 326
Odin, H.M.S., 102
Olympia, 306
Ollantay-tambo, 155, 156
Ommanney, Admiral Sir Erasmus,
no, 125
Orkneys, The, 319
Orton, Arthur, Tichborne claimant,
9i
Osborn (negro boy), 88
Osborn, Admiral Sherard, 23, 84,
107-109, no, 228-232
Otiavanna Harbour, 70
Otter, Admiral Von, 287
Otu, King of Tahiti in (1769), 59, 60
Oxford, School of Geography, 225,
33i
Oyster Fishery, River Colne,
" Report on," 203, 204
Pablo, 184
Pachacamac, temple of, 136
Paco, Angelino (guide) 191
Paco-bamba Range, 180
Paestum, 300
Palermo, 302
Palma, 343
Palmerston, Lord, 71
Palmite Grande, 146
Panama, 10
Pandora, H. M.S. ,241, 242, 244, 270
Papeete Harbour (Tahiti), 58, 61,
64
Paris, 289, 300, 346
Exhibition, 324
Parma, 289
Parry, Admiral Sir Edward, iii
Parry, Edward, Bishop of Dover
and Dean of Canterbury, 8
Patras, 305
Paucarcolla, 179
Paucartambo, 156, 157
Payta, 75
Peel, Captain Sir William, H.M.S.
Collingwood, 22, 26, 37, 39,
INDEX
leaves the, no; his subsequent
achievements and death, 40, 41
Peel Strait, 242
Penny, Captain, in, 119
Peru, 104, introduction of the
cotton plant into India from, 203 ;
translations from the Spanish of
Articles on, 261; Paper on, 301,
311; Congress of, 308; "The
Incas of," 347
Perugia, 289
Peterhead, 294
Phipps-Hornby, Admiral, 97
Phipps, Lieutenant G., 97
Pioneer, H.M.S., Franklin relief
ship, 108
Pisco, 140, 141
Pissac, 156
Pizarro, 90, 147, 151
Pizarro, Francisco and Gonzalo,
301
Polyphemus, H.M.S., 105
Pomare, King Otu of Tahiti (in
1769), 60
Pomare, Queen, 63
Pompeii, 300
Portland, H.M.S., 163
Portsmouth, 255, 256; arrival and
entertainment of the Discovery
at, 336, 337
Portugal, King of, 296; assassina-
tion of King and Crown Prince,
344, 345
Portuguese Minister, 325
Potato, " Its Original Home," 257,
274
Potosi, 178
Prescott, Mr. W. H., 133, 168
Prichett, Mr., 173
Prideaux, Lieutenant, R.E., 209
Prince Albert, Franklin relief ship,
in
Prince Regent Inlet, in
Pritchard, Mr., British Consul at
Tahiti, 60, 62
Probyn, General Sir Dighton, 339
Ptolemy editions of maps, 291
Pucara, 180
Puno, 174, 175, 177-180
Quiaca, The Alcalde of, 188
Quin, LieutenantR.,H.M.S. Colling.
wood, 22, 37
Quinones, Don Luiz, 180
Raiatea, Island, 70, 71
Raleigh, Sir Walter, 280
Rassam, Mr., special envoy to
Abyssinia, 209; identifies the
remains of King Theodore, 218
Ravn, Admiral, 291
Rawlinson, Sir Henry, President
of the Geographical Society, 228-
231
Rayleigh, Lord, 351
Reine Blanche, French man-of-war,
62
Rescue, Franklin relief ship, 112 n
Resht, 253
Resolute, H.M.S., Franklin relief
ship, 108, in, 121, 122, 231
Revello, Bovo de, 157, 158
Richard III., "Life of," 298, 299,
3i, 34
Richards, Admiral Sir Frederick,
231
Richmond, portrait of Markham by,
20
Richthofen, Baron, 326
Riley, Cape, relics of Franklin
expedition found at, 116, 117
Rink, Doctor, 291, 301
Rio Cosnipata, 158
Rio de Janeiro, 32, 33, 97
Rio Grande, 142
Rio Pinapina, 158
Rio Turo; 158
Ritenbenk, 238
Rome, visit to, 288, 300
Ross, Sir James, 108, in
Rossi, Signorina, 44, 97
Rover, H.M.S., 275, 277
Royal Geographical Society. See
Geographical Society.
" Royal Navy Club of 1765," 325
Royal Societies' Club, 322
Royal Society, Arctic exploration,
230; Antarctic exploration, 324
Royal Sovereign, H.M.S., 319, 322
Rua, a Chief in Tahiti, 60
Ruby, H.M.S., 290, 301
Saalburg, Roman camp at, 274
Sabine, Cape, 255
St. Gabriel's church, Warwick
Square, 268
St. Kitts, 277
St. Lucia, " Rodney's victory at,"
277
St. Patrick's Day, celebration of,
in the gunroom, 46, 47
St. Vincent, H.M.S., 18
Salamanca, 346
Salisbury, Lord, 314, 318
Salonica, 307
San Bias, 77
Sandia, 182-184, 188-192
Sandwich Islands, 52-63, history of
their sovereignty, 56 n, 57 n
San Jose, 181
382
INDEX
San Lorenzo, 89
San Miguel, 157, 158
San Remo, 289
Santa Ana, 142
Sarmiento, " Voyages of Pedro
de," 316
Schwatka, Lieutenant, journey to
King William Land, 254
Scott, Lady, 358
Scott, Peter Markham, 349, 360
Scott, Captain Robert F., 277;
appointed to command Antarctic
expedition, 328-330; receives
Victorian Order from the King,
330; reaches latitude 82 17' S,
winters in Macmurdo Sound,
335; arrival at Lyttelton (April,
1904), 336; receives special gold
medal from the Royal Geographi-
cal Society, and the Pennsyl-
vania Geographical Society's
medal, 338, 340, 342; second
Antarctic expedition, 347-350;
reaches latitude 87 32', 353;
reaches South Pole but perishes
on return journey, 356; memorial
service to, 357; dedication of
window to in Binton church,
358; unveiling of his statue in
Waterloo Place, 358
Seaford, Lady, 25
Segesta, ruins at, 302
Selinus, ruins at, 300, 302
Selkirk, Alexander, 94
Senate, Base camp of Abyssinian
expedition, 213
Seville, 296
Seward, Mr., 103
Seymour, Lady, her kindness to
Markham, 28; leaves H.M.S.
Collingwood at Valparaiso, 38, 71
Seymour, Miss, 91, 92
Seymour, Beauchamp, Lieutenant
H.M.S. Collingwood, 22, 52, 75,
76; Commander H.M.S. Cormo-
rant, 84
Seymour, Captain Charles, 77
Seymour, Admiral Sir George,
invites Markham to accompany
him in his flagship Collingwood
to the Pacific, 17; his family on
board, 22; views on smoking, 24;
kindness to Markham, 28;
assumes command of the Pacific
Station, 35; hoists his flag in the
Cormorant, 38; deals with an
incident with Peru, 44, 45;
instructions to acknowledge
French Protectorate at Tahiti
and Eimeo, 63, 69; visits Tahi-
tian camp at Bonavia, 67;
receives and advises the islanders
of Bola-bola, 70, 95, 132
Seymour, Captain George H., H.M.S.
Carysfort, 83
Shears, Lieutenant, H.M.S. Colling-
wood, 84
Sheffield, reception of Captain
Scott and his officers at, 338
Shenandoah Valley, 271
Sidon, H.M.S., 100, 103, 104, 106
Skodsborg, 291
Sledge travelling, 118 ; M'Clintock's
organization, 123 ; scheme and
work of search parties, 124-126
Smart, Captain, H.M.S. Colling-
wood, 23, 98
Smith, Mr. Leigh, 252, 254
Smith, Mr. T. K., 254
Smith Mr. W. E. (now Sir William),
Chief Constructor of the Admir-
alty, 328
Smith Sound, 242, 255
Society Islands, 62, 70, 71
Solutum, ruins at, 302
Somerset, Raglan, 8, 12
Somerville, Commander, H.M.S.
Collingwood, 84
Somerville Island, 118
Southampton Geographical Society,
33i
Speaker, The, 351
Spear, Doctor, H.M.S. Collingwood,
85
Spinola, General, 273
Spruce, Mr., 173
Spy, H.M.S., 79
Stanley, Sir H. M., 299
Staveley, General Sir Charles, 2nd
in command, Abyssinian expe-
tion, 218
Stock Exchange, The, 348
Stockholm, 291
Stokes Bay, The Discovery at, 330
Strachey, General Sir R., President,
Geographical Society, 286
Sunipana Pass, 181
Superb, H.M.S., 107, 109
Sweden, King of, 292, 313, 325
Queen of, 213
Tacna, Prefect of, 45
Tafaro, Doctor, 149-151, 159. 161
162
Tahiti, 48; discovered in 1767 by
Captain Wallis, 58, 59; events
leading to French Protectorate
at, 59-63, 82
Takkazye, Abyssinian expedition
at, 215
INDEX
383
Talbot, H.M.S., 78
Tambopata, 184, 187
Taormina, 300, 302, 309
Taunton, invited to contest, 267
Tello y Cabrera, Don Manuel,
Prefect of Ayacucha, 147
Terra Nova, Captain Scott's
Antarctic ship, 348, 349, 352, 353
Terror, H.M.S., 108, 112
Thasos, 307
Theodore, King of Abyssinia, 207 ;
his proposal to send an ambas-
sador to London ignored, 208-
210; arrests British Consul and
Special Envoy, 209, 210; his
army, 211; his country rises
against him, 213, 214; defeat
and death of, 217, 218; character
described, 218
Therese, Princess, 346
Thermopylae, 306, 307
Thomar, 347
Thompson, Joseph, memorial to,
323
Tinnevelly, pearl industry, 203, 204
Tiryns, 306
Titicaca, Lake, 176, 177
Tortorani, River, 177
Tournai, 251, 252
Towton, Battle of, lecture on, 257,
272
Trafalgar, H.M.S., 305, 306
Trapani, ruins at, 302
Travancore, " Report on Public
Works of," 205
Trent, 309
Troll-hattan, Falls of, 293
Tungasaca, Lake, 159, 160
Tupac Amaru, 160
Tuticorin, 203, 204
Tyneside Geographical Society, 311
United States, relief expedition for
Greely, 255; British Guiana-
Venezuela boundary question,
317. 3i8
Upernivik (Greenland), 114
Urubamba, 156
Utrecht, 252, 253
Valdivia, Mamita, and daughters,
85- 97
Valentia, 244
Valorous, H.M.S., 233, 236-240
Valparaiso, 35-38, 44, 71, 86
Valseca, Gabriel, Portolano of, 343
Vardo, arrival of Nansen at, 320
Vega, Nordenskjold expedition, 250
Venezuela, boundary line between
British Guiana and, 317, 318
Vengeance, H.M.S., 103
Venice, 309
Venloo, 250
Vere, Sir Francis, 251, 272
Vere, Sir Horace, 251, 272, 273
Vespucci, Amerigo, 305, 343
Victorious, H.M.S., 19
Victory, H.M.S., 100
Vido, 305
Vienna, 346
Vigo, 322
Vilcamayu, 154, 157
Vilcapampa, Mt., 154
Vilque, journey from Sandia to,
190, 192
Virginians, resemblance in manners
to the English, 271
Volage, H.M.S., 275, 277, 290
Wadela Plateau (Magdala), 216
Waigat Strait, 237
Wakefield, " Battle of," 252
Wales, Prince of (afterwards
Edward VII.), 322, 325, 328,
339
Wales, Prince of (now George V.),
332,333. 339
Walker, Captain, 124, 126
Wallis, Captain, discoverer of
Tahiti Island, 58, 59
Watches, on board ship, 49 n
Weir, Mr., botanist to Markham's
cinchona expedition, 173, 183,
191, 192
Wellington Channel, 117, 126
Wemyss, Mr., H.M.S. Collingwood,
52, 85, 90
West Indies, visits to, 275-281,
284, 285
Westminster School, 12-15, 15. *6.
302, 303; "Reminiscences of,"
308, 331, 332, 342
Whale fishery, lecture on, 257
Whalefish Islands, 114
Wiesbaden, 313
Wickham, William, M.P., 8, 12
Willem Barents, Arctic exploring
vessel, 252
Williams, Sir Roland Vaughan,
359
Wilson, Doctor E. A., of the Dis-
covery and Terra Nova expedi-
tions, 352
Windsor, early days at, 4, 5
Windward Islands, 279
Windward, Jackson -Harmsworth
Polar vessel, 313, 323
Wiseman, Cardinal, in
Wood, Sir Charles, Secretary of
State for India, 200
384
INDEX
Worcester, The, 258-260, 304, 305,
38, 313, 329
Working class, interest in boys of,
303
Worms (Germany), 273
Wundoor, village of, 196
Wylie, Mr., 55
Yanaoca, 159
Yea, 141, 142, 144
York, Cape, discovery of human
remains at, 115
York, Duke of, 311, 312, 314-315,
322, 325, 328
Yorkshire Archaeological Associa-
tion, 272
Young, Sir Allen, 241 - 244, 252,
254
Ypres, visit to, 251
Yule, Sir Henry, 297
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