Travels in India, Ceylon and Borneo

First published in 1931. 'Hall is the ideal travel-writer. He never wearies his readers, but makes them love him.' Times Literary Supplement Basil Hall's Fragments of Voyages and Travels originally appeared in nine volumes. Miscellaneous in their topics, and arranged without any order the volumes re-issued here have been selected for their clarity and interest, both geographical and historical. Few books give a more graphic picture of the Royal Navy a century ago and Hall's volumes are full of nautical information. Hall was also an indefatigable traveller and a keen observer who learnt Hindustani, Malay and Japanese, studied Hindu mythology, flora, fauna and geology and compiled the first ever vocabulary of the language of the Loo Choo Islands.

Captain Basil Hall, H. G. Rawlinson

INTRODUCTION, I. BOMBAY, II. SIR SAMUEL HOOD AND THE ALLIGATOR, III. PICNIC PARTY IN THE CAVE OF ELEPHANTA, IV. EXCURSION TO CANDELAY LAKE IN CEYLON, V. GRIFFINS IN INDIA - SINBAD'S VALLEY OF DIAMONDS - A MOSQUITO HUNT, VI. CEYLONESE CANOES - PERUVIAN BALSAS - THE FLOATING WINDLASS OF THE COROMANDEL FISHERMEN, VII. THE SURF AT MADRAS, VIII. THE SUNNYASSES, IX. PALANKEEN TRAVELLlNG-IRRIGATING TANKS IN THE MYSORE COUNTRY, X. THE DESSERA FESTIVAL AT MYSORE, XI. GRANITE MOUNTAIN CUT INTO A STATUE-BAMBOO FOREST, XII. VISIT TO THE SULTAN OF PONTIANA, IN BORNEO, INDEX