might
be anticipated farther south, the air was soft and pleasant, and not
over warm, about 70 deg. in the shade.

"My excellent friend, Mr. Woolridge, has just reminded me of the promise
made by the commander that certain ancient travellers over the world
should be taken up, as we have frequent occasion to quote them,"
Professor Giroud began. "There are only three of them of any especial
note, the first of whom is Herodotus, 'the Father of History,' as he is
often called, and was worthy of the title.

"He was born about 485 years before the time of Christ, at
Helicarnassus, a Greek colony of Asia. This was about the time the
Persians were invading Greece. When this city obtained its freedom,
there was a dispute about the method of government, in which he was
involved, and which caused him to leave his native place. For the
ancient time, over two thousand years ago, when they had no railroads
and steamboats, his travels are remarkable for their extent. He went all
over Asia Minor and Greece proper, as well as the islands of the AEgean
Sea. He visited Macedonia, Thrace, and the coasts of the Black Sea.

"What was more remarkable, he penetrated to the Persian Empire and
Babylon, and toured Egypt more thoroughly than most modern travellers.
Then he extended his wanderings to Sicily and lower Italy. He was alive
at the first of the Peloponnesian War; but what became of him, when or
where he died, is not known.

"He spent the greater part of his life in travel, though not for
pleasure, but in acquiring knowledge which he intended to make useful to
the world. He was the most eminent geographer of his time, and he may
father that science as appropriately as that of history. But he treated
many other branches of knowledge, like the races of men and their
peculiarities, mythology, archaeology, and, in fact, everything that came
within the range of his observation. He was a man of a high order of
intellect, a philosopher in his criticism of governments. Modern
scholars are greatly indebted to him, and his works are still extant. He
did not have the highest style of composition; but he was an honest man,
and he wrote as he talked. You can understand the frequent references to
him in modern books of travel.

"Not as favorable a notice can be given of Strabo, who was an ancient
geographer. He was born about sixty-four years before Christ, at Amasia
in Pontus."

"Where was that?" asked the magnate, who was taking the deepest