Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-16
HINTS TO TRAVELLERS.
Englishman Tells Tourist How "a
Get on in America.

FROM the New York Evening Post
Globe-trotting is so universally cater
ed to nowadays that 1t would seem that
no traveller could be In doubt exactly
what he would find, or precisely what
he ought to do, In even the most remote
country on earth. Guide books swarm
like novels Books Of travel are kept re-
ligiously up to date. Foreign correspon-
dence in the newspapers has, in some
forms, largely gone out OF style. but let
ters from abroad that touch upon out
of-the-way routes and detail the meth
DDS Of life and are full of character
sketches are still printed in great num-
bers- With all this Information shower
ed upon the intending traveller, one
might think that the least expert could
go ON his way rejoicing In the certainty
that nothing he encountered could take
him by surprise, or leave him at q loss
what to think or do.
However, the old question frequently
arises. who will guarantee the guar
antors? Who will certify to the ac-
curacy OF the guide books, and give a
bond that the information published is
correct? These doubts concern not SO
much the ordinary facts as the niceties
Of observation. the peculiarities of man.
ners and customs-au those little points
about life and travel in a strange land
which the foreigner would like to know
IN advance. but which many there be
to tell him that he can by no means
ascertain from the printed page. Hence
the practice OF turning for gertrude to
the man who has been there" Hence
also. the Impulse of the man who has
been there to step forward and tell his
departing friend all that he ought to
know. but can find out from no other
source, about the people and their ways
In the country to which he is going
One such lot of volunteered informa-
ton, based on personal experience, was
lately offered by an Englishman to a
fellow-countryman about to travel in
the United States. 1t contains many
things which must have been news to
the traveler-as also many that would
be news to the people among whom he
was to travel. He was told, for instance
that the "black attendant" on his train
in this country would slap him on the
back and ask him how he was. At this
the Englishman was to show no sur
prise. If he did not, he would be able
to do what no American could. The
Briton is also advised that every Ameri-
can he casually meets will invite him
to take drink. This he must not re-
fuse. for 1t would only expose him to
the charge of displaying English side"
this slang term being, of course, ia
miliar to all misunderstanding Amer-
cans. The Englishman about to sail for
this country was informed. likewise,
that he would be almost torn apart, on
At these gentry he was not to swear.
The thing to do was to take them quiet
ly. although they will probably make
Your life hell In fact. he was to
take everything quietly; certainly excel
lent advice for any traveller anywhere.
The United States he was not to expect
to find anything like what you have
read" This was the reason why his
friend was doing him the kindness Of
letting him into all the inner secrets Of
fEn fr0y P,Yf xr,ft1 II to oyN hra
would not be equipped at all points,
and 30 the final all-embracing word of
counsel was: Don't be surprised at any
thing"