Wonderful Adventures of Mrs. Seacole in Many Lands

I should have thought that no preface would have been required to introduce Mrs. Seacole to the British public, or to recommend a book which must, from the circumstances in which the subject of it was placed, be unique in literature.

If singleness of heart, true charity, and Christian works; if trials and sufferings, dangers and perils, encountered boldly by a helpless woman on her errand of mercy in the camp and in the battle-field, can excite sympathy or move curiosity, Mary Seacole will have many friends and many readers.

She is no Anna Comnena, who presents us with a verbose history, but a plain truth-speaking woman, who has lived an adventurous life amid scenes which have never yet found a historian among the actors on the stage where they passed.

I have witnessed her devotion and her courage; I have already borne testimony to her services to all who needed them. She is the first who has redeemed the name of "sutler" from the suspicion of worthlessness, mercenary baseness, and plunder; and I trust that England will not forget one who nursed her sick, who sought out her wounded to aid and succour them, and who performed the last offices for some of her illustrious dead.

W. H. RUSSELL.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

My Birth and Parentage--Early Tastes and Travels--Marriage, and Widowhood 1

CHAPTER II.

Struggles for Life--The Cholera in Jamaica--I leave Kingston for the Isthmus of Panama--Chagres, Navy Bay, and Gatun--Life in Panama--Up the River Chagres to Gorgona and Cruces 6

CHAPTER III.

My Reception at the Independent Hotel--A Cruces Table d'Hote--Life in Cruces--Amusements of the Crowds--A Novel Four-post Bed 17

CHAPTER IV.

An Unwelcome Visitor in Cruces--The Cholera--Success of the Yellow Doctress--Fearful Scene at the Mule-owner's--The Burying Parties--The Cholera attacks me 23

CHAPTER V.

American Sympathy--I take an Hotel in Cruces--My Customers--Lola Montes--Miss Hayes and the Bishop--Gambling in Cruces--Quarrels amongst the Travellers--New Granadan Military--The Thieves of Cruces--A Narrow Escape 34

CHAPTER VI.

Migration to Gorgona--Farewell Dinners and Speeches--A Building Speculation--Life in Gorgona--Sympathy with American Slaves--Dr. Casey in Trouble--Floods and Fires--Yankee Independence and Freedom 46

CHAPTER VII.

The Yellow Fever in Jamaica--My Experience of Death-bed Scenes--I leave again for Navy Bay, and open a Store there--I am attacked with the Gold Fever, and start for Escribanos--Life in the Interior of the Republic of New Granada--A Revolutionary Conspiracy on a small scale--The Dinner Delicacies of Escribanos--Journey up the Palmilla River--A Few Words on the Present Aspect of Affairs on the Isthmus of Panama 59

CHAPTER VIII.

I long to join the British Army before Sebastopol--My Wanderings about London for that purpose--How I failed--Establishment of the Firm of "Day and Martin"--I Embark for Turkey 73

CHAPTER IX.

Voyage to Constantinople--Malta--Gibraltar--Constantinople, and what I thought of it--Visit to Scutari Hospital--Miss Nightingale 82

CHAPTER X.

"Jew Johnny"--I Start for Balaclava--Kindness of my old Friends--On Board the "Medora"--My Life on Shore--The Sick Wharf 92

CHAPTER XI.

Alarms in the Harbour--Getting the Stores on Shore--Robbery by Night and Day--The Predatory Tribes of Balaclava--Activity of the Authorities--We obtain leave to erect our Store, and fix upon Spring Hill as its Site--The Turkish Pacha--The Flood--Our Carpenters--I become an English Schoolmistress Abroad 102