Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1904-06-15
9an1es HOLMAN.

Hardly less wonderful than the
story of Helen Keller is that of James
Holman, the blind traveller. Not even
the celebrated Baron Won Humboldt
travelled SO far, visited so many dis
tant countries. Eighty years ago, too,
when Holman lived, travel was vastly
more difficult and perilous than now.
At an early age James Holman had
entered the English navy as a mid
shipman. For several years his ship
was with the squadron at Halifax,
Nova Scotia. In 1907 he was promoted
to be naval lieutenant.
Three years later there befell him
a severe illness, accompanied by an
acute inflammation of the eyes, which
resulted in complete loss of sight.
Thus, almost in day, an ambitious
f, officer found every plan and ardent
hope of his youth faded out in dark
ness. For time grief and despair
quite overcame him; he would gladly
have died.
King George III, in whose service
he met with his misfortune, n><de
him a knight of Windsor, and gave
him some nominal duties at court,
with pension.
Afterward, when the natural buoy
ancy of youth had revived, the mac
k1vity and aimlessness of life at Wind
sor Castle preyed upon Holman's
spirits and seriously affected his
health. He obtained leave of absence,
took two years course of study at
Edinburgh University, and then form
ed the bold plan of making a European
tour in search of health and informa-
tion. All arguments failed to move
him, and to the CONSERVATION of his
friends, he set off entirely alone to
feel his way in the dark through
stra lge lands.
What rendered such an undertaking
still more difficult was the fact that
at first he could not speak French,
German or italian. But his indomit-
able will, his resourcefulness, and a
happy faculty of making friends, car
ried him through successfully, and
he returned in triumph to tell of two
years wanderings in France, Italy,
Switzerland, Germany and Holland.
He wrote q narrative of his travels,
which proved interesting enough to
his contemporaries to go through sew
eral editions.
Each succeeding journey was fol-
lowed by volume, and these, the En-
cyclopaedia Britannica says, are "of
considerable value as books of travel, :"
as well as occupying "a unique place
In literature as products of very extra
ordinary energy and perseverance"
Young Holman, for all his iron will
was of a genial disposition. He sell
dom referred to his affection, and
never sought pity He bad a good
share of humor, which perhaps ac-
counts for his happy faculty Of maxi
ing friends, who were glad to serve
as eyes for him.
For fifteen years Lieutenant Holman
travelled almost constantly. He visited
Brazil, Chile, the west coast of Africa
Barbary, South Africa, Madagascar.
Zanzibar, Mauritius, India, China,
Singapore and Java. Space prevents
making even catalogue of these brave
voyages. Although often exposed to
grave perils and repeatedly in the
power of robbers and savages, he
came safely back from every Journey
His most notable adventure, indeed,
was at the hands of the Russian au-
thorities, while in Siberia. Travelling
leisurely from city to city, he had
reached the distant northern town of
Irkutsk, in the winter Of 1923. His
character and the objects of this trav-
els bad been abundantly certified In