New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-18
THE SUNBEAM.
LADY BRAsSEY's LAST VOYAGE

LADY BRAsSEY,S LAST VOYAGE
rHE LAST VOYAGE TO INDIA ANp An ssv Brassey
7 LIE nv r. T. PrItchert and nom r Z ~
rpanbs svo pp. xxiv-4so Lonsmans, oiven .
This beautifully made ana sumpsuousn $3.50 tresb
.tv,a has commended her records OF naVei
a. ,to,s.nds all over tho world Lady BfSs'os hao'
~ 49, rdttor Of her Journals" Observes crea'ou au
,..o.drartlv intimate and friendly feelhs Deewosn
s.x..l and her readers everywhere lorhSPs 0no"s
10 ,he unaffected genality with when sne SiNay
sh them into her confidence, and the unfaihs spl''
- r,ra,,ness which distinguishes all her reneonons.
- a.. rresent case Lord Brassey has added 10 tho
,us Of the book by touching introduction addressed
70 his children In which he does heartfelt noinas0
the virtues and noble qualities OF his WE lno
count which he here gives Of her hie' moreo'o,' .
deeply interesting In itself. for 1t is inc
mare woman Of fashion and tha world tha' u aoSo
but that Of one who acknowledge he@ss ,~1S g.
bl,t,es Iabored increasingly to fulfil tho opiSauons IN,
"A nv srcent,onal means of usefulness. anu aeVo'e"
!, this work capacity for business ana perss'0n
In execution which IL employed In The pains Va YUM
msrce would have certainly commanoeo i0r'u
FOR many wears she was active in pushing ambulance
work. and wherever she wont In the yacns ou .."4.
~. n,apted the St. John Ambulance Asso''A'oN'
sro -. h.. Wide qualifications. She was also
aaar, ,n.sr,eted in all movements having Tor NOR
Objects the Improvement of the condition Oh w0rAins
men and women, the increase OF their oomi'i's 49,
The broadening of their movements Inc inuoiiS 49,
courage which sustained naturally frau orsanihaN
rher mother died Of decline. and her own on0sO W"
alwavs weak was shown at an carly neroa ~ --'
..,,rh,s .bo rave TO her husbands political carcer'
sn-,.,s- rs dangerous one The heir of man
"a reat abi,ity who had amassed very largo ior Juno
Nv ths bunding Of railroads. Lord Brassey Iouno nl
sef wealthy and aimless at the outset OF ni0'
for hs wife he might easily have become hior u'0
and eeotist she inspired him with purpose shsiou
~. work. made 10 her own, and infused into all the
family life that spirit Of seif-aonegauon wn'ch Pro
duees the finest results humanity is capable o. ing
H., voyage of the Sunbeam originally intehoeo
a. recruit and rest her exhausted system Malariai
tever suffered several times during her wanoernss'
had slapped her never superintendent v'anty' o"'
was hoped that long voyage, with plenty Oh 0h~nso
and interesting sights would lehabihtate nor. mo
hone proved Elusive but IT is difficult to avoid inc Sus
ron that the end was really hastencd by continuous
strain and excitement which would have seVeoH
tried far moro robust constitution.
The outward course Of the Sunbeam was ironi
,ortsmopth through the straits Of Gibraltar to tho
Mediterranean by the SueZ Canal 70 BOMBAY 'nei'oo
around Ceylon to Moulmein, thence 10 Singapore !"
Borneo and Celebes. thence entirely round Aus
The bomeward route was by the Mauridus and cape
=, Good Hope touching at Sierra Icons and tho
Azores ON the way. In order 10 carry out the pro-
cramme fully, it necessary to make Close ooh-
nectons everywhere, and this entaed constant hurry
tho rhne IN mort The fame Of the travellers was so
widespread, and their popularity so great that they
made a sort of royal progress everywhere AT every
mort alnos. there were special preparations for their
welcome special festivities In their honor Populations
and committees and parades and drives and balls and
excursions of every kind. Thus It happened that poor
Lady Brassey got scarcely any rest while In harbor.
and that instead of the calm and quiet which could
alone have restored her health, she found herself Obliged
TO shorten her nights at both ends In order to make
room for all the functions of the too busy day.
Nor was this the worst for In the abundance OF sight
seeing TO be done, and most Of which became In q
sense a duty because Of the strong and warm feel
ings underlying tho popular invitations, sho was con-
fjnualiy exposed to sudden and sometimes severe
changes of weather, as well to all tho
yicisstudos Of travel in sparsey settled and primitive
countries IKE the greater part Of Austrslis.
Several times she barely escaped serious accidents
from horses broken vehicles and bad roads Not
less frequently she was drenched with rain whom
far from shelter or she exposed to piercing
drauehts of cold while sti ianguid and cnnerVatod
from long residence in the tropics The " Journals
plainly show that all this unkettng and exploring ana
riding and driving and roughing' it In various forms
was too much for the invalid she herself never says
so. nor does she complain at ALL but when night after
night we find her going 30 bed at O'Clock and rising
nj O'Clock next morning. it does not require the sug
esson of malariaf fever 10 explain the seadily IN
creasing weakness which marks her condition during
the last six months of her life The fever, no doubt
finished the fatal work. but IL is not so clear that u
alone would have killed her. Her mdomtaole spirit
kept her up almost TO the last. her
Journal" ceases but four days before
her death, and 1t is clear intelligent and interest
ing down to the last written line. 1t is not the
record of powerful original mind but tho ooserva-
lions of simple but cultivated woman, filed with
loving kindness and sympathy and unfeigned plety'
wholesome and sweet She sets down everything, art
lessly, plainly, with little comment In short Just
az the facts struck her at the time; and this perfect
nat,ralness is great charm in her writings
The Illustrations consist Of fnll-psge plates and
vgnetes in monotone, and wood engravings scattered
through the text They are all of high order OF
merit and q large proportion remarkable for
beauty and effectiveness. Some of the marine
sketches possess feeling Of the sea and the
tropical foliage Is reproduced with delicacy and fdel-
ity The death of Lady Brassey occurred at sea,
soon after the Sunbeam left Australia homcward
bound and the funeral followed almost Immediately.
Her husband given her beautiful memorial In this
final volume Of her works. and 1t VIII be priced both
for tho interest and pathos Of its contents and for
the beauty Of its illustration.