Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-20

Sketch OF t,ic Life and Character OF
The Writer Ortic Above Letter.

Now York HERALD
Sir Richard Francis Burton, Il. e. NJ. g..
fhc di,coyerer with Spoke OF Lake Tangan-
vika. j. bevond doubt one OF the best-in-
formed men Of the present day concerning
All matters pertaining to Mr.. uenry Stanley
and Equatorial Africa, in which region Sir
Richard himself was once isolated for
fully three years. An explorer himself OF
far more than ordinary TenOwu, one OF the
greatest OF modern travellers, and also one
OF The best known among Oriental
scholars, IL Is scarcely necessary 10 say that
the views OF Sir Richard. as set forth in to-
DAYS HtrQid will most assuredly command
The attention aud respect OF those interested
In African travel and development. No man
better qualified to speak concerning STANLEY
and his present whereabouts could be found
TODAY outside the " Dark Continent" Itself
than sir Richard Francis Burton, Il. {.
If. G..
twill surprise but few people TO be told
that sir Richard Is ga rolhcking Irish gem
tleman." one Of the good old kind. having
seen the light Of Heaven for the first time at
Tuam. GALWAY, in 1921. As a boy he was
destined for the Church, and even went 10
oxford, but he gave his father. Colonel Bur-
ton, no rest until he got him commission
I'm The army. In lS42 he left Oxford TO join
the Bombay army. lie employed his time to
such advantage in the study OF Hindustanl
during the voyage by the Cape OF Good
Hope that, four months after his arrival, he
was able 10 pass the examination as Inter
preter feat which was very seldom accom-
pIshed In other instances under twelve or
eighteen months. To lItndustani he added
in amarvellously short time Mahratti, QUEER
atbi, Persian, Slndi and Puniabi rs the lam
guages IN which DC was i"passed " inter-
prefer. ooo
la 1876 he became lieutenant and in 1860
captain. Next year the Indian army changed
hauas, aud Captain Burton quilted the ser
vice, where, in truth, be had found scant
acknowledgment OF his deserts. Sir Charles
Napier had seen of what stun the young su0-
altern was made and had utilized and praised
him 10 the utmost of his power. But Napiers
good patronage was not always an unquali-
fed boeu, seeing that ilustrious general was
commonly lighting some big wig at home as
we'll as the enemy abroad. and high officials
who had had their cnrns trodden on gave FAR
more trouble than Sinks or Aighnps. Lieu
tenant Burton next served under Colonel
(afierward geueraD BeaiSon, who had the
same facility for plunging into bot water as
Napier; but without the lattei's skill Tor get
ting out OF It.
Richard Burton was rot meant by nature
TO be a soldier. There was ne pipeclay IN
bis organization. A story Is told OF his beng
ordered by bis commanding officer on parade
10 remove bis forage esp when his HAIR ap-
peared bound UP Ike that OF Sepoy, for
which he was Informed that he ought to be
ashamed OF himself. He served live years on
the Seinde survey. after which he took deti-
nitely TO travelling.
HIS PILGRIMAGE TO MECCA.
His most famous exploit was the pilgrimage
he undertook 10 Mecca and Medina a few
months before the outbreak OF the Crimean
war. when Turkish fauaiicism was at its
height. Discovery would baye meant death,
and probobly a lingering death by torture.
He went disguised rs n theological student,
having passed through a course OF Ma
bomcdaB divinity under priest OF that
faith. lie accomplished his object. pene-
frating into the hitherto sealed city OF Nee.
ca. An account OF his Journey is given IN
ips book. " A Pilgrimage 10 Mecca aud Me-
dina.o lie so much resembled an Arab
and spoke The language so perfectly that
he was never even suspected. In spite OF
bis efficiency IN Arabic, when seeking to
pass an examination In that tongue soon
after his return from Mecca, ne was "pluck-
ed" la his natural indignation be forward
ed bis papers to the Rev. MIR. Badger. the
first Arabic scholar IN the presidency, who
SIMPLY said that The examiners were wholly
unqualified for their office.
captain BuFton's next work was the ex-
ploration OF iIaiar in Moslem Abyssina, and
sonai land, In East Africa. Captain speke
accompanied bin. ibey passed through
many dangers, being attacked on one oeca-
sion by the natives. Ia the flKht Burton aud
spske were severely wounded.
As chief Of stah 10 general BeatsoU Cap.
tain Burfondie good work as the organizer Of
the irregular cavalry, aud Lord Psmsrston
was on The point OF sending him 10 raise q
large contingent Of KURDISH horse when
peace was declared. In 1856 he explored
with Spoke she lake region OF EqualeriaI
Africa. discovering Lake rauganyiki. The
expedition was absent three years. After
thls be took holiday In this eouctfy, going
10 the Pacific coast. and also spending some
time In Salt Lake City, In 1861 be lcit the
srmy aDd soon after joined the consular ser
vice. II came about IN this way: lie had
married Miss Arundel. one OF The Arupdfls
Of Wsrdour, aitef couflship OF eight years.
Both OF them were equally untronbled with
the cares attending the possession OF an I'M.
due proportion Of this worlds goods, and
tDs profession 81 traveller, though su yesy