The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1871-07-27
IRON, the 81. Louis Democrat, March 18th, 1870.
Walking over the Civilized World.

strange incidents oil private fortune, winch al
ford an inexliaustibe mine of wealth to be
worked by the novelist and romancer. One of
singular and varied novelty has come to our
notice, which battles the Imagination in any
effort to surpass it in richness aud effectiveness
We present to the novesty-oving public, tor
the first time, the true and wonderful story
which follows
COL NJ l.. DeAfahler is the name of the hero,
as the reader must confess he is after reading
his adventures. He is q native of Loudon
county, Virginia, the scion Of 4 long and hon
ored line of Huguenots who first settled in
that State about 200 years ago. He received a.
liberal education i'll Europe, returning to this
country just previous to the opening of the
conflict. He Immediately raised company of
infantry, rendered his sword to the Confederate
government, and, under Lee, was rapidly pro-
NOTED for gallantry and meritorous conduct.
fractures of bones, thereby so crippling him as
to compel his retirement from the service.
Tn 1860, when Selma was Threatened by the
Federals under Maj Gen. Wilson, the Colonel,
who was passing through that place, prompted.
by a sense of patriotic duty, assumed command
of regiment and took part in the terrible bat
tie which resulted in the capituation Of the
city. Here he received his seventh and eighth
wounds, each more severe than the others. One
ball entered his abdomen near the navel and
came out just to the right of the spinal column
the other entered and shattered the left shoul-.
der passed through both lungs, and issued I'M.
der the right arm. From these he suffered Sc,
verely, and as q consequence, of them and his
other wounds, paralysis ensued. =.
The war closing soon, he went to Paris and
after exhausting all the ordinary modes oftreat-
ment and deriving no benefit from them, by
advice of the members of the faculty of the
University of France he undertook walking to
obtain relief He started from Paris in No
vember, 1865 so crippled that it was with diff
Guilty three-fourths of q mile was accomplished
the first day, and it required four days for him
to clear the suburbs of the city. Taking
southerly direction, he travelled with much
difficulty through the vineyards Of France and
made his way to Spain.
The exercises now began to develop the most
q continuation of his tour would wholly restore.
his lost health and vigor. So he travelled.
thsough Spain, the home of romance and ex-.
citing legends of love and war, passed into Ita-
ly, through Southern France, taking in his.
route Florence with all her learning; Rome,
with all her ancient and glorious associations
Naples, in all her lovcliness, with her match
lessly beautiful bay and awe-nspiring Vesuvius;
up the western shore of the Adriatic, stopping
at Venice, and on to Trieste. From thence,
making an entire circuit of Austria. Through
the marshy districts Of the lower Danube
Transylvania, Gallicia, N[oravia, Bohemia, down
through mountainous Syria, then up, through
unhappy but proud, Poland, along the north
ern frontier of Prussia, into Hanover and the
Rhine country, thence south to Switzerland anP
on to Verona, thus making complete circuit
of continental Europe, Turkey and Russia ex-'
cepted.
From Verona his travels described second,'
though more contracted circle, with Frankfort
as the central or pivotal point, going through
Bavaria, SaXony, Southern Hanover WeStpha--
lia and the Palatinate and 4 third circuit Of
still smaller extent through Baden Wurtem-
berg, Franconia the land of the Hess, and then
around, entering Frankfort from the northwest
thus making three circuits in spiral form.
BY this time his health was very nearly re-
stored lie had contracted an Unsuitable pas
sion for travelling, and having exhausted all
the cnticing portions of Europe, he determined
to embark for America.
With this view he left Frankfort passing
through Strasburg and Paris to Havre, thence
sailing for Vera Cruz, Mexico, where he landed
in February, 1867. From here he resumed his
foct Journey going southwest, then north to
the city of Mexico, east to Jalapa, then north
west to Qucretcro, san Luis Potosi and Monte
rev, striking northwa-d to Ell Paso. From
here his route lay nor!herly through New Mex
ico northwest Texas, the southern portion of
the Indian Territory, to Baxter Springs, and
thence on to ST. Louis, Mo-, reaching here in July
of the same year. From our city he divergeds
south to Mississippi, through the Gulf States
aud then along the Atlantic board, visiting the
principal cities as far rs Augusta, Me. From
this point he struck West, following the course
of the lakes as far Minnesota. From thence he
made another circuit through the more CEN
trally located States, which he had gone around
in his first or border circuit, reaching st. Louis
for the second time in February 1869, where
he stopped for Il few days, and then proceeded
northwest and made a circuit Of the Territories
east of the Rocky Mountains, going through
Texas and Louisiana to New Orleans, and then
up the Mississippi, crossing and recrossing it
az various places, to ST. Louis, arriving here for
the third time on Friday last at p m.
We have thus followed the Colonel rather
minutely in his travels To give the reader a
more accurate conception of the vastness of
the undertaking, it must be borne in mind that
this enormous distance 900 miles) was ac-
complishcd on foot by one solitary man during
the short space of four years, and carrying an
average weight of forty-ivc pounds. He was
called upon to use almost every civilized tongue
one night beside the bright blaze of some
princely hearth, the next at the peat or turf
fire of the humble peasant to-day in the home
and study of the savan, tomorrow in the gilded
salon, where, pleasure wakes delight rs keen
and fresh as the breath of spring" and hoping,
as it were, against hope, in the effort to carry
out his medical advice, travelling alone in the
face OF usually unsurmouutablc obstacles, over
remote and trackless regions, day after day, :
under torrid SUNS, Or through the rigid cold OF
stormy winds of winter-thc Colonel instances
in his marvellous experiences what indomitable
pluck and courageous perseverance, which nei-
ther fatigue, hardship nor pain can subdue, ;
may finally accomplish.
Aside from the results sought for physically,
and happily found in his complete restoration
% hnalth and Strnnnth lis Scinnt; f;r dot, nnd