The speech ended with warm applause - Introducing Dr. Ferguson Ferguson - "Excelsior" ——The appearance of the doctor ——A fatalist through and through — Dinner at the Travelers Club ——Frequent toasts without losing the opportunity On January 14, 1862, at a meeting of the Royal Geographical Society in London, 13 Waterloo Square, a huge audience.The chairman of the society, Sir Francis MXX, is making an important academic report to his esteemed colleagues.His words were often interrupted by bursts of applause.Jazz ended this rarely moving speech with a few impassioned words.These few words are filled with incomparably full patriotic passion:

"England has always been ahead of all the nations of the world (for it has been noted that there is always a front and a back in the country's progress), and this is entirely due to the intrepidity of British travelers in geographical exploration (approval from the audience). Ferguson  Dr. Ferguson is one of the glorious sons and daughters of Britain. He will not fail the great trust of the motherland. It can complete our fragmented basic knowledge of African cartography into a whole. But if it fails (never! never!), it will at least live on as one of mankind's most daring ideas (all A frantic stamp)!"

"Hurrah! Hurrah!" cried the crowd in unison, enthralled by the provocative words. "Long live the fearless Ferguson!" cried a deeply emotional audience. Enthusiastic cheers erupted, everyone uttered Ferguson's name in unison, and the entire conference hall was shaken.We have every reason to believe that the name of Ferguson will be more respected after being shouted by the British. Many of the people here were once daring explorers.Their active nature makes them want to travel to the five continents of the world!But though there were many of them, they were all old and weary.All people have more or less escaped the threat of death in body and spirit: shipwreck at sea, fire, Indian tomahawk, savage club, torture, and predation.Still, their hearts could not help beating when Sir Francis M.You know, this speech must be the best ever given by the Royal Geographical Society in London.

But in Britain, enthusiasm isn't just lip service.It minted coins faster than the "Royal Mint" minting machines.During the meeting, it was immediately voted to give Dr. Ferguson a sum of money to promote activities, and the amount was as high as 2,500 pounds (ie 62,500 francs).Such a large sum just shows how important the cause is. A member of the society greeted the chairman and asked if Dr. Ferguson could be formally introduced to everyone. "The Doctor is at your service," replied Sir Francis M. "Let him in! Let him in!" the people chanted. "This brilliant, brave man must be seen!"

"This expedition claim is unbelievable, maybe it's just a lie to us!" said an old captain who suffered a stroke. "Perhaps, Dr. Ferguson doesn't exist at all!" a man exclaimed maliciously. "Then make him up!" replied a joking member of the austere society. "Dr. Ferguson, please come in," said Sir Francis M. X. briskly. So, amidst thunderous applause, the doctor walked calmly into the hall without showing any sign of emotion. This is a man in his forties, with a medium build and a normal build, his overly ruddy face reveals the characteristics of a sanguine temperament.He was calm and well-proportioned, with a big nose on his face.This nose, like the prow of a giant human ship, was born for exploration.The kindly eyes shone with bravery, more of wisdom, and his appearance produced a powerful magic.His arms were long, and his feet planted firmly on the ground with the smoothness of a strider.

The Doctor's entire appearance reveals a quiet and serious expression.How could he be the kind of man who perpetrates the most ignorant deceptions, no one would ever think of him. Therefore, the cheers and applause did not subside until Dr. Ferguson asked everyone to be quiet with a friendly gesture.He walked to the easy chair where he had introduced himself, and then stood there motionless, gazing intently at the venue.He raised his right hand, pointed his index finger to the air, opened his mouth, and said only one word: "Excelsior!" Absolutely!Neither a surprise inquiry in Parliament nor the Duke of Paston's application for special funds to strengthen the British Crags' coastal defenses had ever been more popular.Its enthusiasm surpassed Sir Francis MXX's speech, and even higher.The doctor behaved both noble and great, but also humble and prudent.He just said a very timely word:

"!" The old captain was overwhelmed and resolutely sided with the outsider.He requested that Ferguson's speech be published "in its entirety" in "the Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society of London," Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society of London. Who is this doctor?What career does he intend to devote himself to? Young Ferguson's father was an honest captain in the British shipping industry.When Ferguson was very young, the captain let his son experience with him the dangerous taste and the joy of adventure in his career.Never seeming to be afraid, this lovely child soon showed a quick mind, a good thinking mind, and an incomparable love for the merits of the scientific enterprise.Plus, he's shown a remarkable talent for getting out of trouble.He was never stumped, and even seemed sophisticated the first time he ate with a fork.It is well known that children generally seldom use a fork at first.

Readings of books of adventure and seafaring expeditions soon fueled his fantasies.He obsessively followed the important discoveries of the early nineteenth century.He dreams of the kind of honor that,,,, Levaillon received.Even a little of that Robinson Crusoe honour, he didn't think it was bad.How much time he had spent with Selkirk on the island of Juan Fernandez!He often agreed with the outcast sailor, and sometimes took issue with his plans and designs.The young Ferguson thought that if it was him, he would have adopted another approach, which might be better, at least it would not be a bad job!It was evident, however, that in his place he would never have shunned that very happy island.There he would be as happy as a king without subjects...  Even if asked to make him the Secretary of the Admiralty, he will never leave!

One can imagine to what extent these tendencies developed in Ferguson's youth as he ventured around the world.Ferguson's father was a man of insight, and naturally he would not neglect to develop the child's quick intelligence.He gave his son a serious study of hydrology, physics, and mechanics, and, incidentally, a little botany, medicine, and astronomy. Ferguson Ferguson was 22 when the venerable captain died, but had already traveled the world.He had served in the Bengal Corps of Engineers and had served in many battles.However, he was not satisfied with this military life.He doesn't want to command others, and he doesn't like others to shout at him.He offered to retire.Then, while hunting and gathering plants, he set off again to travel to the north of the Indian peninsula.From Calcutta to Surat, he crossed the entire peninsula.To him, it's just another stroll for a travel enthusiast.

In Surat we saw him set off for Australia. There, in 1845, he joined the captain's expedition commissioned to find that inland sea that was supposed to exist in the middle of the country. Ferguson Ferguson returned to England around 1850, more obsessed with travel and exploration than ever.He went to the expedition to accompany Captain Mike Ruhr from the Bering Strait around the American continent.The expedition did not end until 1853. No matter what kind of fatigue and hardship, no matter how bad the weather, Ferguson's physique can withstand it inconceivably.Even in the worst environment with nothing, he can live at ease.He is the kind of authentic traveler: the stomach can shrink and expand at will; the legs can be bent and stretched according to the length of the makeshift bed;

Thus we find that this indefatigable traveler, accompanied by the brothers Schlackingtwidt, visited all the western part of Tibet from 1855 to 1857, and brought back some curious ethnographic observations. report, no wonder. During these tours Ferguson Ferguson became the most active and visible correspondent of the Daily Telegraph.The newspaper is cheap, you can buy a copy for a penny.Although the daily circulation of the newspaper is as high as 140,000 copies, it barely meets the needs of tens of thousands of readers.So, although Dr. Ferguson is not a member of any body of scholars, neither the Royal Geographical Society of London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, or St. Petersburg, nor the Travelers' Club, nor the Royal Technological Society (his friends count Cockburn was the head of the Society), and his name is still well known.One day, his scholar friend made him laugh, and even asked him to answer such a question: Given the number of miles traveled by the doctor around the earth, due to the different radii, how much more miles did his head travel than his feet?In other words, the distance between the doctor's feet and head is known, and his height can be accurately calculated with an error of no more than 1 French inch (1 French inch is about 2.25 millimeters).However, Ferguson always kept those scholar groups at arm's length.Because he is a person who works hard and doesn't want to talk too much, he thinks that spending time on exploration and discovery is much better than arguing and talking. It is said that an Englishman came to Geneva to watch Lake Geneva one day.He got into an old-fashioned carriage, which was like a stagecoach, with seats on either side of the interior.Coincidentally, our Englishman was seated on the side facing away from the lake.The car made a steady circle around the lake, during which he didn't even think to turn his head to take a look, and finally, he left Lake Geneva happily and returned to London. Dr. Ferguson looked back, and more than once, during his travels.Because of this, he saw many things.Besides, it was just in his nature.We have every reason to believe that he is somewhat fatalistic.In fact, he is a fatalist through and through.He believed in fate, even in God's will.He felt that he was not so much attracted as driven by some force to travel and travel around the world.Just like a locomotive, it does not lead itself, but the road leads it. "I don't drive the road, the road drives me." He often said that.No wonder, then, that he faced the applause of the Royal Society so calmly.He didn't have the slightest arrogance, nor the slightest vanity.He doesn't care about these little things.He thought the advice to Sir Francis M. X. so commonplace that he never realized that he had made such a big splash and made a name for himself. After the meeting, the doctor was escorted to the "Traveler's Club" in Avenue Palmer.There, a grand banquet was held for him.From the size of the fish on the dinner table, we can see how important the invited people are.Especially the sturgeon that was brought to the banquet was almost as long as Ferguson Ferguson himself. People drank a variety of French wines and raised their glasses to travelers with great reputation on the African continent.Dry for their health, drink for their honor.People even toasted the travelers in alphabetical order of their names (which is thoroughly British): .Finally, a toast to Dr. Ferguson Ferguson.The latter intends to use his extraordinary attempt to integrate the fruits of labor of these famous travelers in front of him and complete the series of materials related to the great discovery of Africa.

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Notes: The prototype of the protagonist.