PELOTOME

August 1886 – Published 1888.

Around the World on a Bicycle.

“From Teheran to Yokohama” was the second illustrated volume of Tom Steven’s pioneering ride around the globe and covers the second half of his journey on a fifty-inch Pope “Columbia” high-wheeler, from Persia to Japan, complete with observations presumably even deemed racist at the time.

After leaving modern day Pakistan at Lahore, which is also, “as the crow flies,” nearer to Farah – where he was turned back in Afghanistan – he crosses into modern day India at Amritsar, in Punjab, and cycles along the Grand Trunk Road – “beyond a doubt, the finest highway in the whole world” – to Jandiala Guru, Jalandhar, Phillaur, and Ludhiana, “through the territory of the Rajah of Sirhind”, “into low, flat jungle” to Rajpura, Ambala, Pipli, Karnal – “old beyond the records of history,” – the even “more ancient” Panipat, Rai, and “the old Mogul capital” of Delhi – “the Rome of Asia.”

While “waiting the arrival of a small bicycle-camera from Calcutta, which has been forwarded from America,” he takes “a spin out” to the Qutb Minar – “conceded to be the most beautiful minar-monument in the world,” – before continuing his journey through Palwal, Hodal, Mathura and Agra, “visiting that wonder of the world, the Taj Mahal.”

Continuing on, he cycles through Shikohabad, Mainpuri and Bhogaon, where he rejoins the Grand Trunk Road to Bewar, Miran-Serai (near Kenauj), Kanpur, Allahabad (now Prayagraj), Benares (or Varanasi), Mughalsarai, Sasaram, Dehri, Sherghati, Bagodar, Raniganj, Bardhaman, and Hooghly-Chinsura before reaching “The City of Palaces”, Calcutta (named Kolkata since 2001), on 13th September 1886.

As “to cross overland from India to China with a bicycle is not to be thought of”, he continued his journey around the globe by catching an opium steamer to Singapore, Hong Kong, and Canton (Guangzhou).

• By Thomas Stevens.
• Published by Sampson, Lowe, Marston, Searle and Rivington, London.

January 1889 – Published 1890.

Round About The World on Bicycles.

“The pleasure tour of G.W. Burston and H.R. Stokes, Melbourne Bicycle Club, Australia,” follows George Burston and Harry Stokes on their 56-inch high-wheel bicycle journey around the world, setting off from Melbourne, on 1st November 1888, arriving back in Australia on the 14th December 1889.

The Indian section of their journey was chronicled in The Australasian. on 8th June, 6th, 13th and 27th July, 1889.

Landing in Calcutta, they explored more of the country than Thomas Stevens three years earlier, and quickly got lost, cycling in the wrong direction to Habra and Bangaon, before correcting themselves by catching a train to Ranaghat and then struggling north on unmarked roads to Krishnagar, Debagram, Berhampore, Murshidabad, Bhagwangola, and Akhriganj, where they were ferried across the Padma River, presumably to Nirmal Char island.

Taking a steamer down the Ganges to Damukdia, in what is now Bangladesh, they left their bikes at the station and caught the train north from Sara Ghat to Siliguri (in India), where they switched to the famous Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, impressively built eight years earlier, to Kurseong, Ghoom and Darjeeling,

From here they returned to Calcutta by train, picking up their bicycles along the way, and then “set out on the big ride across India”, taking the Grand Trunk Road in the opposite direction to Thomas Stevens; passing through Howrah, Chandannagar, Hooghly-Chinsura, Khanyan, Burdwan, Raniganj, Barakar, Mount Parasnanth, Dumri, Bagodar, Barhi, Danua pass, Madanpur, Arungabad, Sasaram, Benares (Varanasi) – “a remarkable place” – and Allahabad (now Prayagraj).

Despite having “no desire to break records or anything of that sort,” they covered 131 miles (210 km) in one day to reach Kanpur, before making an excursion to Lucknow.

Continuing on through Naviganj, they diverge from Stevens’ route by remaining on the Grand Trunk Road through Etah, Aligarh, Chola, Sikandrabad, and Dadri, into Delhi, with all its “interesting memories and associations.”

“A whole book could well be written describing the scenes” they passed on the 6th February 1889, as they headed due south to Mathura, Agra, the Taj Mahal – “It is one of those places that must be seen to be understood” – and Dholpur.

Continuing south west to Gwalior, Kumbhraj, and Simrol – “This part of India is very interesting,” – they spent Valentine’s Day 1889 resting in Khandwa, which resulted in them being “laid up with a most severe attack of dysentery” – “and “our wheeling came to an abrupt close a few days earlier than we expected, for further exposure till quite recovered would have been suicidal. In two days the writer fell in weight from 12 st. 8 lbs. [79.8 kg] to 11 st. 6 lbs. [72.57 kg]/”

Making their way to Bombay (Mumbai), presumably by train, they got to spend five days exploring “the great Parsee centre”, where they “took a six-mile trip by sea to the Elephanta Caves”, a train trip to Khandala Ghat —”the highest point on the Western Ghauts, which the people think a great deal of”, and “a spin round the principal parts of Bombay, where many fine buildings exist,” before catching a steamer to Egypt.

• by G.W. Burston and H.R. Stokes.
• Published by George Robertson and Company, Melbourne, Australia “for private circulation only”