New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-14
SIR SAMUEL BAKER.
A LIFE DEVOTED TO TRAVEL AND ADJ
VENTURE

SIR SAMUEL BAKER Memoir: BY T Douglas
Murray, r X. @. s.. and A. Silva White. Hen.
r. r. s. @ s PIP. XII. ~. Macmillan Co
The discoverer OF Albert Nyanza lived a life
such as most men envy. In the nrst place he
grew up healthy and strong with a muscular de-
velopment which. In primitive Helias. would
have made him demigod at the very least
Moreover he inherited wealth which relieved
him from the necessity OF doing anything he
did not wish 70 do. lie was born sportsman
with a marvellous talent for looking up novel
lines Of adventure He could tell the story OF his
exploit. in a brilliant and attractive way that
has left to his biographers n barren task. ~ II
IT, they have two important episodes In his ca
reer by which to connect his name with the his
tory OF his times For these two episodes his
whole previous life and his hereditary qualities
seem to have fitted him He was descended from
a line OF sea rovers. who owned and commanded
their own ships. and his paternal grandfather
distinguished himself In the naval war with the
French at the close OF the last century. The fam
ily also won civil renown under Henry VIII. In
the person OF Sir John Baker. Chancellor OF the
ExcheQuer
From infancy he displayed a love for geography
and n taste for experiment that was ardent II
not wisely directed. lie filled his pockets with
living insects nearly destroyed his sight by an
explosion OF gunpowder and planted one OF his
sisters up to her neck In the ground TO gee II
that would not make her grow faster lie failed
in the routine OF school. but under private tutor
became eager reader OF history. travels and
books OF adventure. his studies alternating with
outdoor sports In which he became expert IL was
in these yearp that he acquired the skill which
made him later an unerring shot. even In mo-
ments OF the greatest peril. course OF lectures
and the study OF German at Frankfort on the
Main completed his formal education. IL there
had been real necessity. he could doubtless have
held himself down to the routine Of school life.
and later TO that Of the business for which his
father intended him. namely TO take charge OF
an estate In the Mauritus. But the preliminary
training in his fathers London Office wcaricd
him. and when he did go to the Maurtius II
was az the assistant OF his brother Stories OF
elephant hunting In Ceylon awakened In him tho
spirit OF wandering He was able to do what few
Adventures could do. namely. take his wife and
children with him. lie was thus under less ob-
cation TO shorten his sojourn In strange lands.
The few months to which he intended to limit
his stay In Ceylon lapsed into years. and a
mere hunting adventure was merged in a sue
cessful attempt to build an English village on a
tropical island.
Inc experiment was costly one, but the re-
suit. as Baker himself said. fully met the pur-
pose with which he began wild plain shut in
by mountains was converted In few years into
a smiling garden. with good roads. with beds Of
English flowers. groups Of English houses. and
a happy population. At that time elephants
were numerous and injurious 10 the rice
fields in ceylon that the Government offered re-
wards to hunters. These offers did not tempt
Baker. but he found the forests Of Ceylon par
adise where he could study the traits OF animals
and the moods OF nature to his hearts content.
Best Of ALL the village which he founded contin-
ued to prosper under other hands, and In 1893
the price OF teas exported by the settlement was
quoted at the top Of the market
After the adventures In Ceyon. came bear
hunting in the Pyrenees. and a glimpse OF Greek
and Turkish life about Constantinople at the
close OF the Crimean War. His life was almost
wrecked at this time. the very summit OF his
strength. for he was then thrty-hve years OF
age. by the death OF his wife He was without
career or any special incentive to work. The
war with China and Persia. which followed close
ucon the conclusion Of the campaign In the Cri-