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OCR Rendition - approximate
The Reawakening : Scientific Exploration 217 and before the writer of these lines ; they indicate very fully the thoroughness with which he now went to work. Of the sketches we reproduce some in the Plates of this chapter, but it is not our intention here to rewrite or even to abstract the account of the African journey; we propose to bring the reader again in touch with Galton himself, chiefly by printing in part his letters home. They bear the mark of the immediate impression made upon him by his environment, and are largely written in the old playful strain of the Cambridge days. Individual occurrences are coloured with the feeling of the moment and by the writer's relation to the recipient, in a manner which must be set aside, when a serious narrative is written a year afterwards for the public eyes. We now turn to the letters of this period. Friday night [22nd March, 1850]. DEAREST MOTHER, I shall turn up some day next week but I cannot tell when. The " Dalhousie," my ship, is at anchor in the river now. The Captain's name is Butterworth and my books are at the Pantechnicon, Belgrave Square. Ever in great haste, Affectionately, F. G. THE DALHOUSIE. PLYMOUTH HARBOUR, Tuesday [April 2]. DEAREST MOTHER, I sha'nt, hang the ship, be off till Friday I fear, so I will write again. I came down from London by last night's mail train and am now fairly settled on board. It's blowing hard. Ever affectionately, FRANK GALTON. OFF PLYMOUTH HARBOUR, April 5, 1850. DEAREST MOTHER, At length we are off. You will soon receive 4 copies of my Telotype; keep one, send one to Darwin, one to Emma, and one to my most useful amanuensis and draughtswoman Anne Broadley'. The weather has been very wild here, but has now reformed. Good bye for 41 months when you will get my next letter. Ever affectionately, FRANK, G. outward journey (p. 200). The superstitions about it are like those of the Mummelsee in the Schwarzwald-i.e. no living thing which gets in ever gets out again. Galton, Andersson and Allen swam about the lake and astonished the natives, who had never seen swimming before. "We had great fun at Otchikoto, there was a cave there full of bats and owls, which we swam to and explored." The position appears to be about Long. 17°•5 E. and Lat. 19°•25 S. Professor H. H. W. Pearson of the South African College, most kindly reported to me in 1912, that the name GALTON had been recently found painted on a rock, only accessible by swimming, above a small lake in Damaraland. The letters appeared still quite fresh. I think this must be at Omutchikoto, otherwise Otchikoto : see Plate LVII. ' See p. 98. P. G. 28
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