he study of Oriental languages, and at the time
he visited Fryston he was planning the most picturesque event of his
life--namely, his journey to Khiva, Bokhara and Samarcand, which in
emulation of Burton he accomplished in the disguise of a dervish.
[183] He told the company some Hungarian tales and then Burton, seated
cross-legged on a cushion, recited portions of FitzGerald's adaptation
of Omar Khayyam, [184] the merits of which he was one of the first to
recognise. Burton and Lord Houghton also met frequently in London, and
they corresponded regularly for many years. [185] "Richard and I," says
Mrs. Burton, writing to Lord Houghton 12th August 1874, "would have
remained very much in the background if you had not taken us by the hand
and pulled us into notice." A friendship also sprang up between Burton
and Mr. Swinburne, and the Burtons were often the guests of Mrs.
Burton's uncle, Lord Gerard, who resided at Garswood, near St. Helens,
Lancashire.

Chapter XI. August 1861-November 1863, Fernando Po

Bibliography:

18. Wanderings in West Africa. 2 vols. 1863. 19. Prairie Traveller, by
R. B. Marcy. Edited by Burton 1863. 20. Abeokuta and the Cameroons. 2
vols. 1863. 21. A Day among the Fans. 17th February 1863. 22. The Nile
Basin, 1864.

43. African Gold.

As the result of his exceptional services to the public Burton had hoped
that he would obtain some substantial reward; and his wife persistently
used all the influence at her disposal to this end. Everyone admitted
his immense brain power, but those mysterious rumours due to his
enquiries concerning secret Eastern habits and customs dogged him like
some terrible demon. People refused to recognise that he had pursued
his studies in the interest of learning and science. They said, absurdly
enough, "A man who studies vice must be vicious." His insubordination
at various times, his ungovernable temper, and his habit of saying out
bluntly precisely what he thought, also told against him. Then did
Mrs. Burton commence that great campaign which is her chief title to
fame--the defence of her husband. Though, as we have already shown, a
person of but superficial education; though, life through, she never got
more than a smattering of any one branch of knowledge; nevertheless by
dint of unremitting effort she eventually prevailed upon the public
to regard Burton with her own eyes. She wrote letters to friends, to
enemies, to the press. She wheedled,