Brave traveler Isabella Bird

Women writers, traveler Stephen Hartshorne, the traveler If you make a request in the search engine Google «courageous woman traveler, then immediately get on a photo of Isabella Bird. An important feature that unites all women equally with men overcame the hardships of long journeys, was to publish his impressions of familiarity with other countries, obtained through multi-day transitions and relocations. In England, the second half of the XIX century. the genre of the description of the journey was one of the most popular and sought-after audience. In addition to just the natural human interest to all sorts of unusual stories, the important role played by this surge of interest in English to non-European cultures, due to further expansion of the empire. Isabella Bird - a brave traveler I read a book by Isabella Bird of Colorado, which she visited in 1870. This is very, very exciting work. In addition to North America, the brave woman also visited Australia and Hawaii, comprehended the secrets of oriental culture in Japan, China, Vietnam, Korea and Singapore. Isabella spent much time in India, Tibet, Persia, and Kurdistan. The list does not end, Barnett also visited Baghdad, Iran, Turkey and Morocco. Later, having acquired izvestnoct, she used her status to benefit the people by opening their own money for two hospitals in India. Here are a few paragraphs from her notes, "Life Lady in the Rocky Mountains." The book reads in one breath, while the top you can not immediately interested. Here's how it Isabella Bird describes an interesting episode connected with a huge herd of buffalo in the Park goes without saying, Colorado. A herd of buffalo, "Somehow in the course of our trip to Colorado we had to go down a steep, heavily populated with pine swamp. We jumped over fallen logs, making their way between the trees so as not to get caught on branches. In addition, it should be very careful, as there was a lot of old dead logs and branches. By careless touching everything it could collapse to fall down, catching any of our comrades. Suddenly we noticed a flock of thousands of buffaloes, which were munching grass in a nearby valley. Pets feel our smell and, frightened, took to their heels in the open park. This is despite the fact that we were a mile from them, and on a small hill. "Catching them boys!" - Shouted John, who was regarded as a senior in the group. With loud cries, we set off at a gallop down the slope. I barely managed his horse, she carried me up and down the hill, leaping over rocks and logs every minute faster and faster. John encouraged us: "Come on, guys!". Horses galloped at high speed, catching up and overtaking each other. I felt dizzy and short of breath. In fact, had not the strength to continue to participate in this terrible race. However, very soon we could still catch up with the herd. We rode next to a huge throng of bones, meat and antlers. It was a grand sight: huge bulls lowed and bellowed, and cows with yearling calves, raced like horses. We moved along with them, and eventually intercepted them in the blink of an eye fenced off from the entrance to the valley. It was like the infantry, cavalry, expecting a blow. But we stood firm, despite the extreme overexcitation of our horses. I even almost got scared, when a wave of animals was offensive, but as soon as they came closer to us, my companions cried out, frightening, and we rushed forward accompanied by our dogs. In this case, we yelled a heart-rending to further frighten the buffalo. The goal was achieved, the herd slowly retreated. I drove up to John, who greeted me with a smile. He said I was "good shepherd", and even he admitted that during the horrifying horse racing, he has forgotten that this man's entertainment involved a woman. And he only realized the danger I was exposed to it until I saw my "jump over a log and rushing ahead with all." Isabella met with Jim, "We have entered into a long narrow and very deep gorge. Cute, but somewhat lame, the mare near peacefully munching grass. Between our two horses ran shaggy dog ??breed collie, and loudly barked at us. Between the bushes near the road, stood a rough black log cabin, so neglected, as generally rough and uncomfortable can be a temporary haven away from the centers of civilization. From the window of the smoke was thick and raised a pillar of this shack. It goes without saying Park, Colorado We went to the outhouse. This accommodation is hard to be called housing here is more suited word "lair". Yes, there could have lived some notorious ruffian and desperado. One of my two companions went on another road an hour earlier, left a city boy. I was somewhat uncomfortable, but I'm looking forward to the opportunity to talk with someone who loved the mountains. I called hut den - she looked like a wild beast's lair. The dirty rooftop dried skins of beaver, lynx, and others unknown to me animals. To the left of the hut on a hook hung the carcass of a deer, before the door had been dumped in a pile of fur, most likely prepared for shipment for sale. On the wall of the hut was located an impressive collection of beaver paws. Everywhere, in a terrible mess, littered with antlers, old horse horseshoes and offal of many animals. Having heard the barking of dogs, we went to the shack owner, broad stocky man of medium height, with an old cap on his head. He was dressed in hunter's costume, which was almost impossible to wear, but to be more precise, he almost broke into pieces. Klondike, gold-standard attribute, was wrapped around his waist. On the left, on a belt, hung a hunting knife, and from the breast pocket of his coat looked out his revolver. His legs seemed very young, were almost without shoes, except moccasins worn out horse skin. It was even somehow surprising that all the clothes in general keep him on it. Apparently, the whole affair was a scarf that was wrapped in his waist. The man's face was very memorable. It was a man aged about forty-five years. Probably before he was pretty good himself. Large blue-gray eyes, deep set, with clearly defined eyebrows, a handsome aquiline nose, and a very nice line of lips. His entire face except for his mustache and goatee, was clean-shaven. Stray curls of brown hair sticking out from under a hunting cap, covering his collar. The man had no right eye, because of what he looked right repulsive, while his left side could be immortalized in marble ... "The man's name was Jim. At my request, he brought me water in the battered bank, bringing his apologies for the fact that there was nothing more presentable. We talked. I asked some paws beaver and gave them to me. Isabella Bird in Kurdistan conversation began about the local wildlife. Jim told me that he lost his eye during a recent meeting with a grizzly bear, which put him in a deadly embrace, one movement after breaking his hand. He was only with great difficulty managed to get to his hut, as in outside help can not count. It's time to go back, the sun inexorably drooped. Jim said politely: "You're not American. I hear in your voice that you are my compatriots. I hope you will allow me to somehow visit you. " Isabella, Jim Ring and a dog During the trip to Colorado in 1873, Isabella Bird finally arrived at the place in which she has a very long time tried to get in the Park goes without saying. She had hoped to climb the Matterhorn mountain, but was almost the end of the year, and it seemed that nature was against this company. But suddenly the weather improved, and Jim volunteered to accompany her. They volunteered to go two sullen young men. In the writer a lot of interesting things written about this campaign. Here's how, for example, Isabella was a portrait of his companion: "Jim looked shockingly high boots and old leather trousers leather deer, which could hardly stand on it. On top of a leather jacket wore three or four vests. On his head was an old crumpled wide-brimmed hat. Spur on his boot was somehow one, but long and rusty. On his belt hung a knife in a loin cover, as expected, there was a revolver. Saddle of his horse was covered with an old beaver skin from drooping to the ground claws. Behind him was not clear how reinforced blanket, which, obviously, he slept at night. The shotgun lay ahead before him across the saddle. Immediately hung a water bottle, an ax and other tools. His face, which was missing one eye, complements the image of a robber with a big road. They reached the border of the forest, Jim made a fire. They drank tea made from tin cans and ate sliced ??beef with a smell of burning pine wood on the fire. Above them hung a large crescent, guided to understand their sharp horns. "Take Jim as a gentleman, and you will be much easier with him - I said to myself. Despite the fact that he is currently casually than other men, and manners it more bluntly, in general, it is not a bad person. With it easy enough to find a common language, it's quite a civilized man, though a child of nature. He was quite polite and courteous to me. And it can be seen by all that he wants to impress me about him as a civilized man. That evening I met with his dog named Ring. It seemed to me that this is the best hunting dog in Colorado. With regard to breed, then it was an interesting mixture of genotypes. Body and his feet were on the collie, the shape of the head of a mastiff, a noble type of face bore the imprint of pure human misery and profundity. As far as the eye, it's been very honest eyes, so far as can be honest eyes of animals. His owner loved his dog, if he is able to do something or someone to love. Ring said the owner reciprocate his loyalty was absolute and unshakable. He is so fond of his master, he tried never taking his eyes off his face. Ring was clever enough, that sometimes his actions and facial expressions was comparable with the manifestations of human intelligence. It seemed that the dog understands that he told associates, but he never responded to commands and requests from other people, and unquestioningly obey only the owner. To understand how this unique dog is enough to remember when Jim looked at the dog, pointed to me and tone, which is usually spoken with a man, said: "The Ring, come to this lady and would never leave her this one" . Dog immediately came up to me, looked me straight in the eye, put his head on my shoulder, and then lay down beside me. His head lay on my lap, but this time the dog did not take his eyes from the host person. Long shadows of pines covered the frosty grass, inevitably morning comes, and the light of the moon, although he was bright enough, but lost galloping flame inflamed pine logs. Glowing red light from the fire in turn snatched from the darkness that we, our equipment, the muzzle of the Ring, with its ever-sincere and faithful expression. The book "Lady of Life in the Rocky Mountains" is full of extraordinary adventures and vivid descriptions of nature and unusual situations that fall traveler. Its hard to find, but if you succeed, the reading will be unforgettable. See also: The famous traveler Soviet times