The Sea and the Jungle: An Englishman in Amazonia

By H.M. Tomlinson

Book Overview

"Suppose you were a quiet, respectable, sedentary business or professional man, and the captain of a tramp steamer bound to South America and up the Amazon suddenly dropped into your peaceful office, invited you to go along with him, got your acceptance by a clever trick, and had you at sea before you could stop to think -- wouldn't you expect to find 'something doing'?"
Thus begins this classic of travel literature, in which a London journalist sets sail for Brazil and traverses 2,000 miles of wilderness. Part diary and part adventure story, H. M. Tomlinson's eloquent and hauntingly poetic account of his first ocean voyage also constitutes a report on the first successful ascent of the Amazon River and its tributary, the Madeira, by an English steamer. Originally published in 1912, Tomlinson's travelogue was hailed decades later as "one of the few level-headed works in the literature of this region" by naturalist Peter Matthiessen, who pronounced it "accurate and difficult to improve upon."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 048679573X
• ISBN13: 9780486795737
• Release Date: May 2015
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 4.9" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

a must read for the adventure travel reader

Although this book may not appeal to all, to the adventure travel reader, it is a work of art, and a must read. Each description of an incident, landscape or interesting item paints in words a picture that is exquisite. I'm reading it for the second time, in case I missed anything. It's better the second time!

A Great Armchair Adventure

When I first read this book six years ago, I was struck by its leisurely pace -- some readers in today's "now" technological age might find the text maddeningly slow -- but that is the delight in a book of this sort, written in 1912. Tomlinson's meditations, ruminations and wanderings are part of the larger adventure reflected in the times in which he took the "Capella" voyage. And, from these digressions come crisp, first-rate descriptions of the ship, its crew, and the surroundings. Even today, I can recall certain passages that still strike me in their clarity and precision (Ex: the huge, turbine arms of the Capella's engines whir and thump with "bird-like alacrity."). This book requires patience and indulgence, but is extremely rewarding for someone in this right frame of mind.