LPR recently carried out a content experiment using Joomla CMS software, which involved publishing a full E-Text Book.
I was asked to search around for a suitable book, no longer in copyright; I found one of my favourite Jules Verne books from my school (1960's) reading list.
The experiment went quite well and the full book was published yesterday using the http://www.articlecritics.com/ web site.
It's really amazing to re-read the full book with an "adult" perspective. Some of the comments and actions are definitely NOT "politically correct" in today's atmosphere and will probably
pander to the denial and shame some people feel regarding the British Empire.
I guess the first few paragraphs might be cause for concern in some circles:
There was a large audience assembled on the 14th of
January, 1862, at the session of the Royal Geographical Society, No. 3
Waterloo Place, London. The president, Sir Francis M----, made an important
communication to his colleagues, in an address that was frequently interrupted
by applause.
This rare specimen of eloquence terminated with the
following sonorous phrases bubbling over with patriotism:
"England has always marched at the head of
nations" (for, the reader will observe, the nations always march at the
head of each other), "by the intrepidity of her explorers in the line of
geographical discovery." (General assent). "Dr. Samuel Ferguson, one
of her most glorious sons, will not reflect discredit on his origin."
("No, indeed!" from all parts of the hall.)
"This attempt, should it succeed" ("It will
succeed!"), "will complete and link together the notions, as yet
disjointed, which the world entertains of African cartology" (vehement
applause); "and, should it fail, it will, at least, remain on record as
one of the most daring conceptions of human genius!" (Tremendous
cheering.)
The full index of chapter links are included below; you'll have to make-your-own-mind-up regarding how relevant this is in today's enlightened society.
Introduction
Five Weeks in a Balloon or Journeys and Discoveries in Africa by
Three Englishmen is, in a measure, a satire on modern books of African travel.
So far as the geography, the inhabitants, the animals, and the features of the
countries the travellers pass over are described, it is entirely accurate. It
gives, in some particulars, a survey of nearly the whole field of African
discovery, and in this way will often serve to refresh the memory of the reader.
The mode of locomotion is, of course, purely imaginary, and the incidents and
adventures fictitious. The latter are abundantly amusing, and, in view of the
wonderful "travellers' tales" with which we have been entertained by
African explorers, they can scarcely be considered extravagant; while the
ingenuity and invention of the author will be sure to excite the surprise and
the admiration of the reader, who will find M. VERNE as much at home in voyaging
through the air as in journeying "Twenty Thousand Leagues under the
Seas."
FIVE WEEKS IN A BALLOON
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER
FIRST.
The End of a much-applauded Speech.--The Presentation of Dr. Samuel Ferguson.
--Excelsior.--Full-length Portrait of the Doctor.--A Fatalist convinced. --A
Dinner at the Travellers' Club.--Several Toasts for the Occasion
CHAPTER
SECOND.
The Article in the Daily Telegraph.--War between the Scientific Journals.--Mr.
Petermann backs his Friend Dr. Ferguson.--Reply of the Savant Koner. --Bets
made.--Sundry Propositions offered to the Doctor
CHAPTER
THIRD.
The Doctor's Friend.--The Origin of their Friendship.--Dick Kennedy at London.
--An unexpected but not very consoling Proposal.--A Proverb by no means
cheering.--A few Names from the African Martyrology.--The Advantages of a
Balloon.--Dr. Ferguson's Secret
CHAPTER
FOURTH.
African Explorations.--Barth, Richardson, Overweg, Werne, Brun-Rollet, Penney,
Andrea, Debono, Miani, Guillaume Lejean, Brace, Krapf and Rebmann, Maizan,
Roscher, Burton and Speke
CHAPTER
FIFTH.
Kennedy's Dreams.--Articles and Pronouns in the Plural.--Dick's Insinuations.
--A Promenade over the Map of Africa.--What is contained between two Points of
the Compass.--Expeditions now on foot.--Speke and Grant.--Krapf, De Decken, and
De Heuglin
CHAPTER
SIXTH.
A Servant--match him!--He can see the Satellites of Jupiter.--Dick and Joe hard
at it.--Doubt and Faith.--The Weighing Ceremony.--Joe and Wellington. --He gets
a Half-crown
CHAPTER
SEVENTH.
Geometrical Details.--Calculation of the Capacity of the Balloon.--The Double
Receptacle.--The Covering.--The Car.--The Mysterious Apparatus.--The Provisions
and Stores.--The Final Summing up
CHAPTER
EIGHTH.
Joe's Importance.--The Commander of the Resolute.--Kennedy's Arsenal. --Mutual
Amenities.--The Farewell Dinner.--Departure on the 21st of February.--The
Doctor's Scientific Sessions.--Duveyrier.--Livingstone.--Details of the Aerial
Voyage.--Kennedy silenced
CHAPTER
NINTH.
They double the Cape.--The Forecastle.--A Course of Cosmography by Professor
Joe.--Concerning the Method of guiding Balloons.--How to seek out Atmospheric
Currents.--Eureka
CHAPTER
TENTH.
Former Experiments.--The Doctor's Five Receptacles.--The Gas Cylinder.--The
Calorifere.--The System of Manoeuvring.--Success certain
CHAPTER
ELEVENTH.
The Arrival at Zanzibar.--The English Consul.--Ill-will of the Inhabitants.--The
Island of Koumbeni.--The Rain-Makers.--Inflation of the Balloon.--Departure on
the 18th of April.--The last Good-by.--The Victoria
CHAPTER
TWELFTH.
Crossing the Strait.--The Mrima.--Dick's Remark and Joe's Proposition.--A Recipe
for Coffee-making.--The Uzaramo.--The Unfortunate Maizan.--Mount Duthumi.--The
Doctor's Cards.--Night under a Nopal
CHAPTER
THIRTEENTH.
Change of Weather.--Kennedy has the Fever.--The Doctor's Medicine.--Travels on
Land.--The Basin of Imenge.--Mount Rubeho.--Six Thousand Feet Elevation.--A Halt
in the Daytime
CHAPTER
FOURTEENTH.
The Forest of Gum-Trees.--The Blue Antelope.--The Rallying-Signal.--An
Unexpected Attack.--The Kanyeme.--A Night in the Open Air.--The
Mabunguru.--Jihoue-la-Mkoa.--A Supply of Water.--Arrival at Kazeh
CHAPTER
FIFTEENTH.
Kazeh.--The Noisy Market-place.--The Appearance of the Balloon.--The Wangaga.
--The Sons of the Moon.--The Doctor's Walk.--The Population of the Place.--The
Royal Tembe.--The Sultan's Wives.--A Royal Drunken-Bout.--Joe an Object of
Worship.--How they Dance in the Moon.--A Reaction.--Two Moons in one Sky.--The
Instability of Divine Honors
CHAPTER
SIXTEENTH.
Symptoms of a Storm.--The Country of the Moon.--The Future of the African
Continent.--The Last Machine of all.--A View of the Country at Sunset.--Flora
and Fauna.--The Tempest.--The Zone of Fire.--The Starry Heavens.
CHAPTER
SEVENTEENTH.
The Mountains of the Moon.--An Ocean of Venture.--They cast Anchor.--The Towing
Elephant.--A Running Fire.--Death of the Monster.--The Field Oven.--A Meal on
the Grass.--A Night on the Ground
CHAPTER
EIGHTEENTH.
The Karagwah.--Lake Ukereoue.--A Night on an Island.--The Equator. --Crossing
the Lake.--The Cascades.--A View of the Country.--The Sources of the Nile.--The
Island of Benga.--The Signature of Andrea Debono.--The Flag with the Arms of
England
CHAPTER
NINETEENTH.
The Nile.--The Trembling Mountain.--A Remembrance of the Country.--The
Narratives of the Arabs.--The Nyam-Nyams.--Joe's Shrewd Cogitations.--The
Balloon runs the Gantlet.--Aerostatic Ascensions.--Madame Blanchard.
CHAPTER
TWENTIETH.
The Celestial Bottle.--The Fig-Palms.--The Mammoth Trees.--The Tree of War.
--The Winged Team.--Two Native Tribes in Battle.--A Massacre.--An Intervention
from above
CHAPTER
TWENTY-FIRST.
Strange Sounds.--A Night Attack.--Kennedy and Joe in the Tree.--Two Shots.
--"Help! help!"--Reply in French.--The Morning.--The Missionary.--The
Plan of Rescue
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SECOND.
The Jet of Light.--The Missionary.--The Rescue in a Ray of Electricity.--A
Lazarist Priest.--But little Hope.--The Doctor's Care.--A Life of Self-Denial.
--Passing a Volcano
CHAPTER
TWENTY-THIRD.
Joe in a Fit of Rage.--The Death of a Good Man.--The Night of watching by the
Body.--Barrenness and Drought.--The Burial.--The Quartz Rocks.--Joe's
Hallucinations.--A Precious Ballast.--A Survey of the Gold-bearing Mountains.
--The Beginning of Joe's Despair
CHAPTER
TWENTY-FOURTH.
The Wind dies away.--The Vicinity of the Desert.--The Mistake in the WaterSupply.--The
Nights of the Equator.--Dr. Ferguson's Anxieties. --The Situation flatly
stated.--Energetic Replies of Kennedy and Joe. --One Night more
CHAPTER
TWENTY-FIFTH.
A Little Philosophy.--A Cloud on the Horizon.--In the Midst of a Fog.--The
Strange Balloon.--An Exact View of the Victoria.--The Palm-Trees.--Traces of a
Caravan.--The Well in the Midst of the Desert
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SIXTH.
One Hundred and Thirteen Degrees.--The Doctor's Reflections.--A Desperate
Search.--The Cylinder goes out.--One Hundred and Twenty-two
Degrees.--Contemplation of the Desert.--A Night
Walk.--Solitude.--Debility.--Joe's Prospects.--He gives himself One Day more
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SEVENTH.
Terrific Heat.--Hallucinations.--The Last Drops of Water.--Nights of Despair.
--An Attempt at Suicide.--The Simoom.--The Oasis.--The Lion and Lioness.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-EIGHTH.
An Evening of Delight.--Joe's Culinary Performances.--A Dissertation on Raw
Meat.--The Narrative of James Bruce.--Camping out.--Joe's Dreams.--The Barometer
begins to fall.--The Barometer rises again.--Preparations for Departure.--The
Tempest
CHAPTER
TWENTY-NINTH.
Signs of Vegetation.--The Fantastic Notion of a French Author.--A Magnificent
Country.--The Kingdom of Adamova.--The Explorations of Speke and Burton
connected with those of Dr. Barth.--The Atlantika Mountains.--The River Benoue.--The
City of Yola.--The Bagele.--Mount Mendif
CHAPTER
THIRTIETH.
Mosfeia.--The Sheik.--Denham, Clapperton, and Oudney.--Vogel.--The Capital of
Loggoum.--Toole.--Becalmed above Kernak.--The Governor and his Court. --The
Attack.--The Incendiary Pigeons
CHAPTER
THIRTY-FIRST.
Departure in the Night-time.--All Three.--Kennedy's
Instincts.--Precautions.--The Course of the Shari River.--Lake Tchad.--The Water
of the Lake.--The Hippopotamus.--One Bullet thrown away
CHAPTER
THIRTY-SECOND.
The Capital of Bornou.--The Islands of the Biddiomahs.--The Condors.--The
Doctor's Anxieties.--His Precautions.--An Attack in Mid-air.--The Balloon
Covering torn.--The Fall.--Sublime Self-Sacrifice.--The Northern Coast of the
Lake
CHAPTER
THIRTY-THIRD.
Conjectures.--Reestablishment of the Victoria's Equilibrium.--Dr. Ferguson's New
Calculations.--Kennedy's Hunt.--A Complete Exploration of Lake Tchad.--Tangalia.--The
Return.--Lari
CHAPTER
THIRTY-FOURTH.
The Hurricane.--A Forced Departure.--Loss of an Anchor.--Melancholy
Reflections.--The Resolution adopted.--The Sand-Storm.--The Buried Caravan.--A
Contrary yet Favorable Wind.--The Return southward.--Kennedy at his Post
CHAPTER
THIRTY-FIFTH.
What happened to Joe.--The Island of the Biddiomahs.--The Adoration shown
him.--The Island that sank.--The Shores of the Lake.--The Tree of the
Serpents.--The Foot-Tramp.--Terrible Suffering.--Mosquitoes and
Ants.--Hunger.--The Victoria seen.--She disappears.--The Swamp.--One Last
Despairing Cry
CHAPTER
THIRTY-SIXTH.
A Throng of People on the Horizon.--A Troop of Arabs.--The Pursuit.--It is
He.--Fall from Horseback.--The Strangled Arab.--A Ball from Kennedy.--Adroit
Manoeuvres.--Caught up flying.--Joe saved at last
CHAPTER
THIRTY-SEVENTH.
The Western Route.--Joe wakes up.--His Obstinacy.--End of Joe's Narrative. --Tagelei.--Kennedy's
Anxieties.--The Route to the North.--A Night near Aghades
CHAPTER
THIRTY-EIGHTH.
A Rapid Passage.--Prudent Resolves.--Caravans in Sight.--Incessant Rains.--Goa.--The
Niger.--Golberry, Geoffroy, and Gray.--Mungo Park.--Laing.--Rene
Caillie.--Clapperton.--John and Richard Lander
CHAPTER
THIRTY-NINTH.
The Country in the Elbow of the Niger.--A Fantastic View of the Hombori
Mountains.--Kabra.--Timbuctoo.--The Chart of Dr. Barth.--A Decaying
City.--Whither Heaven wills
CHAPTER
FORTIETH.
Dr. Ferguson's Anxieties.--Persistent Movement southward.--A Cloud of
Grasshoppers.--A View of Jenne.--A View of Sego.--Change of the Wind.--Joe's
Regrets
CHAPTER
FORTY-FIRST.
The Approaches to Senegal.--The Balloon sinks lower and lower.--They keep
throwing out, throwing out.--The Marabout Al-Hadji.--Messrs. Pascal, Vincent,
and Lambert.--A Rival of Mohammed.--The Difficult Mountains. --Kennedy's
Weapons.--One of Joe's Manoeuvres.--A Halt over a Forest
CHAPTER
FORTY-SECOND.
A Struggle of Generosity.--The Last Sacrifice.--The Dilating Apparatus.--Joe's
Adroitness.--Midnight.--The Doctor's Watch.--Kennedy's Watch.--The Latter falls
asleep at his Post.--The Fire.--The Howlings of the Natives.--Out of Range
CHAPTER
FORTY-THIRD.
The Talabas.--The Pursuit.--A Devastated Country.--The Wind begins to fall.--The
Victoria sinks.--The last of the Provisions.--The Leaps of the Balloon.--A
Defence with Fire-arms.--The Wind freshens.--The Senegal River.--The Cataracts
of Gouina.--The Hot Air.--The Passage of the River
CHAPTER
FORTY-FOURTH.
Conclusion.--The Certificate.--The French Settlements.--The Post of Medina.--The
Battle.--Saint Louis.--The English Frigate.--The Return to London.
