Perilous adventures by land and sea
Subtitle: in Europe, Asia, Africa and America
By: by John Frost.
Publisher: Belford, Clarke & Co.
Published: 1889
Place of publication: Chicago
Language: eng
Number of pages: 544
Subjects: Adventure and adventurers.; Voyages and travels.
First sentence: Preface:
    There is a charm in "perilous adventures," which few readers can resist; and, accordingly, books containing thrilling narrations of exploits and escapes are generally popular. Most persons peruse these books for amusement; but is it obvious that such works as the one we now present to the public must be full of important instruction. The dangers attending travel in various modes and in various parts of the world; the characteristics of the people and countries observed by the adventurous travellers, and what sufferings men may endure, and what contrive, to surmount the greatest dangers and difficulties, are to be gathered from these pages; and surely such knowledge is worthy of attention.
    With most young persons books of travel are favourites. The names of Mango Park and others who have encountered terrible difficulties in exploring countries before unknown are familiar as "household words." Even the fictitious attractions of Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver's Voyage to Lilliput do not give them the superiority, in the youthful estimation. The desire to see other lands and other people, besides those among which we are born and reared in common. All, however, have not the means of gratifying themselves in this particular; and to those who are compelled to remain at home, narratives of adventurous travel must be a source of pleasure. To such, especially, our copious collection with its many illustrations may be recommended. [sic]
Description: This is a collection of short stories depicting the adventures, narrow escapes, and explorations of individuals.
<p>
The cover bears the quote: "May Blessing be upon the head of Cadmus, the Phœnicians, or whoever it was that invented books." -Thas Carlyle [sic] <p>
Thas Carlyle may be in reference to Thomas Carlyle.
Notes: The first adventure is introduced as being a story the narrator heard from a friend while he served in Napoleon's army and tells the narrow escaped of an unnamed Hungarian merchant. While traveling from a location known soon to come under siege of war he arrives at a hostel with all his earthly possessions reduced down to bank notes and gems. After turning in for the night, the Hungarian traveler is shocked to find a man climbing through his window. In fear, he threw himself under the bed, only to realize that the man that has broken into his room is a drunkard and had fallen asleep in the bed above him. He was about to leave when his host, followed by his son, came into the room and killed the drunkard in the bed, believing him to be the Hungarian Traveler. The story then tells the rest.

In a similar fashion, most of the stories of the volume present themselves as factual events.
Table of contents: pagenum: 9
class: section
title: Adventures of a Traveller in Hungary; pagenum: 21
class: part
title: Adventure on the St. Lawrence; pagenum: 30
class: part
title: Adventures of Mr. William Mariner; pagenum: 45
class: part
title: Adventure upon the Road; pagenum: 50
class: part
title: Notes of a Traveller in Texas; pagenum: 65
class: part
title: Singular Encounter with a Cobra di Capello; pagenum: 68
class: part
title: Tremendous Eruption of Mount Vesuvius; pagenum: 72
class: part
title: Adventures of James Bruce in Africa; pagenum: 82
class: part
title: Adventures of John Ledyard; pagenum: 86
class: part
title: Adventures of Mungo Park; pagenum: 92
class: part
title: M. Simond in Switizerland; pagenum: 99
class: part
title: Cavalier's Adventures in Egypt; pagenum: 106
class: part
title: A Winter in the Arctic Regions; pagenum: 110
class: part
title: Perilous Ascent of Adam's Peak, in Ceylon; pagenum: 117
class: part
title: Adventures of Burckhardt; pagenum: 135
class: part
title: A Traveller's Encounter with Albanese Brigands; pagenum: 141
class: part
title: Adventures in Mexico; pagenum: 180
class: part
title: Adventures in California; pagenum: 212
class: part
title: Roughing it in Canada; pagenum: 223
class: part
title: The Indians of Canada; pagenum: 254
class: part
title: Encounter with the Banditti and Smugglers of Andalusia; pagenum: 259
class: part
title: Meeting an Iceberg in the Northern Ocean; pagenum: 262
class: part
title: Adventures in Circassia; pagenum: 277
class: part
title: Encounter with Robbers in Turkey; pagenum: 282
class: part
title: Adventures in Oregon; pagenum: 297
class: part
title: Terrible Shipwreck at the Cape of Good Hope; pagenum: 299
class: part
title: Ascent of Mount Blanc by Mademoiselle D'Angeville; pagenum: 308
class: part
title: Loss of the Vryheid; pagenum: 313
class: part
title: Adventures upon the Upper Missouri; pagenum: 326
class: part
title: Wreck of the Forfarsuire Steamboat; pagenum: 330
class: part
title: The Cocodile Battery; pagenum: 346
class: part
title: Shipwreck at King's Island; pagenum: 350
class: part
title: Adventure and Exploit of two Guides; pagenum: 358
class: part
title: Destruction of an East Indiaman by Fire; pagenum: 363
class: part
title: Adventures in the Tyrol; pagenum: 372
class: part
title: Perilous Adventure of Lieutenant Slidell in Spain; pagenum: 382
class: part
title: Another Adventure of Lieutenant Slidell with Robbers in Spain; pagenum: 390
class: part
title: Adventures of Liet. Col. Denham in Africa; pagenum: 398
class: part
title: Visit of Mr. Ford to St. Yuste, the last Residence of Charles V.; pagenum: 406
class: part
title: Sufferings of a Party on Franklin's Journey to the Polar Sea; pagenum: 445
class: part
title: An Earthquake Adventure in Italy; pagenum: 457
class: part
title: Adventures of Captain Head in Canada; pagenum: 481
class: part
title: Adventures of an English Traveller at an Elephant hunt in Nepaul; pagenum: 491
class: part
title: Adventures of Capt. Golownin's Party in Japan; pagenum: 496
class: part
title: Loss of the Blendenhall; pagenum: 509
class: part
title: Mr. Borrow's Adventures amoung the Gipsies in Spain; pagenum: 532
class: part
title: Excursion to the Great St. Bernard, by an English Lady