The Boy Travellers in the Far East
PART THIRD
ADVENTURES OF TWO YOUTHS IN A JOURNEY
TO
CEYLON AND INDIA
WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF BORNEO, THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS
AND BURMAH
BY
THOMAS W. KNOX
AUTHOR OF
"THE YOUNG NIMRODS" "CAMP-FIRE AND COTTON-FIELD" "OVERLAND THROUGH ASIA"
"UNDERGROUND" "JOHN" "HOW TO TRAVEL" ETC.
Illustrated
NEW YORK
HARPER & BROTHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE
1882
to Act of Congress, in the year 1881, by
HARPER & BROTHERS,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
All rights reserved.
PREFACE
This volume completes the series of "The Boy Travellers in the FarEast." It attempts to describe Ceylon and India, together with Borneo,the Philippine Islands, and Burmah, in the same manner that thepreceding volumes gave an account of Japan, China, Siam, Java,Cochin-China, Cambodia, and the Malay Archipelago.
Frank and Fred have continued their journey under the guidance of DoctorBronson, and the plan of their travels is identical with that previouslyfollowed. The words of the last preface may be repeated in this: "Theincidents of the narrative were mainly the experiences of the author ata recent date; and the descriptions of countries, cities, temples,people, manners, and customs are nearly all from his personalobservations and notes. He has endeavored to give a faithful account ofCeylon, India, Burmah, and the Philippine Islands as they appear to-day,and trusts that the only fiction of the book is in the names of theindividuals who tell the story."
As in the foregoing volumes, the narrative has been interruptedoccasionally, in order to introduce matters of general interest tojuvenile readers. The author hopes that the chapters on meteors,sea-serpents, and outrigger boats will meet the same welcome that wasaccorded to the episode of a whaling voyage, in the first volume, andthe digressions concerning naval architecture, submarine explorations,and the adventures of Marco Polo, in the second.
The publishers have kindly allowed the use of illustrations that haveappeared in previous publications, in addition to those speciallyprepared for this volume. The author has consulted the works of previoustravellers in the Far East to supplement his own information, and isunder obligations to several of them. As in the last volume, he isspecially indebted to Mr. Frank Vincent, Jr., author of "The Land of theWhite Elephant," for his descriptions of Burmah, and for the use ofseveral of the engravings relative to that country. Other authoritieshave been generally credited in the text of the work, or in foot-notesto the pages where quotations are made.
In their departure from Bombay, Frank and Fred have left the Far Eastbehind them; but, as they are yet a long way from home, they can hardlybe said to have finished their travels. It is quite possible that theymay be heard from again, in the company of their good friend, theDoctor, and may allow us, as they have heretofore, to glance at theirletters to friends at home.
T. W. K.