Chapter I: Preface

These “Memories” are arranged under the subjects to which they refer, and only partially in chronological order. A copious list of my memoirs will be found in the Appendix with dates attached to them. These show what inquiries were going on at or about any specified year. The titles of books are printed in heavy letters. They summarise, as a rule, the best parts of the corresponding memoirs up to the dates of their publication. Nevertheless, a considerable quantity of matter remains in the memoirs as yet unused in that way.

It has been a difficulty throughout to determine how much to insert and how much to omit. I have done my best, but fear I have failed through over-omission.

The method of that most useful volume, the _Index and Epitome of the Dictionary of the National Biography_, has been adopted, of adding to each name the dates of birth and death. They serve for identification and for giving a correct idea of the age of each man as compared with those with whom he was associated. The dates are mostly taken from the _Dictionary_, so the reader will nearly always find in that work a biography of the person in question.

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE

I. PARENTAGE 1

II. CHILDHOOD AND BOYHOOD 13

III. MEDICAL STUDIES 22

IV. SHORT TOUR TO THE EAST 48

V. CAMBRIDGE 58

VI. EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN—(_map_) 83

VII. SYRIA 101

VIII. HUNTING AND SHOOTING 110

IX. SOUTH-WEST AFRICA—(_map_) 121

X. LANDS OF THE DAMARAS, OVAMPO, AND NAMAQUAS 138

XI. AFTER RETURN HOME—MARRIAGE 152

XII. “ART OF TRAVEL” 161

XIII. SOCIAL LIFE—(_medallions_) 169

XIV. GEOGRAPHY AND EAST AFRICA 198

XV. BRITISH ASSOCIATION 213

XVI. KEW OBSERVATORY AND METEOROLOGY—(_meteorological
tracings_) 224

XVII. ANTHROPOMETRIC LABORATORIES 244

XVIII. COMPOSITE PORTRAITS AND STEREOSCOPIC MAPS 259

XIX. HUMAN FACULTY 266

XX. HEREDITY 287

XXI. RACE IMPROVEMENT—(_Galtonia Candicans_) 310

APPENDIX.—BOOKS AND MEMOIRS BY THE AUTHOR 325

PRINCIPAL AWARDS AND DEGREES 331

INDEX 332

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PORTRAIT _Frontispiece_
From the Painting by C. W. FURSE, A.R.A.

PORTRAIT _Facing p._ 244
From a Photograph.

IN THE TEXT PAGE

EGYPT AND SYRIA 88

DAMARALAND 129

YEARLY MEDALLIONS 196

METEOROLOGICAL TRACINGS 237

GALTONIA CANDICANS 323

MEMORIES OF MY LIFE