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86 been explored, probably in search of treasures, little more than a thousand years previously, a period which seemed to the enthusiastic student of Egyptian monuments so modern, as to deprive his labour of much of its interest.

story of the life of James Holman, the blind traveller, is probably without a parallel in the history of enterprise. It might be supposed that total loss of sight would at least prove an insurmountable obstacle to adventure in uncivilized countries; but, seized with a passion for wandering almost amounting to a new sense, this extraordinary man not only determined on undertaking a journey alone, and chiefly overland, around the world, but actually accomplished a considerable portion of his project, only at length relinquishing it from causes over which he had no control.

Holman was an officer in the British navy, who had already had considerable experience of travelling in wild countries. Even since his blindness he had made a tour through France, Italy, and Switzerland, and had published an interesting account of his travels; but the difficulties of a journey in these countries were comparatively slight. It is hardly to be wondered at that Holman's friends regarded him as visionary and imprudent, and that he found it convenient to avoid their