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Quote by Richard Francis Burton

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Wanderings in West Africa from Liverpool to Fernando Po

This book offers a firsthand account of the author's exploration of West Africa, starting from Liverpool and culminating in Fernando Po. The narrative provides insights into the landscapes, cultures, and people encountered during the voyage. more

Author

Richard Francis Burton
Richard Francis Burton

Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) was a British explorer, translator, writer, and diplomat renowned for his expeditions in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Fluent in multiple languages including Arabic, Swahili, and Hindi, he is best known for his complete English translation of One Thousand and One Nights. His travels and writings significantly influenced Western understanding of Eastern cultures. more

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“And in that narrow cockpit I wept, as I shall never weep again, when I felt the concrete brush against his wheels and, with a great sweep of the wrist, dropped him on the ground like a cut flower. As always, I carefully cleared the engine, turned off all the switches one by one, removed the straps, the wires and the tubes which tied me to him, like a child to his mother. And when my waiting pilots and my mechanics saw my downcast eyes and my shaking shoulders, they understood and returned to the dispersal in silence.”

“Now shut the engines off. Come down and flatten out, feel the long float, and at the given moment pull the stick right home. She's down. Now taxi in. Switch off. It's over - but not quite, for the port engine, just as if it knew, as if reluctant at the last to let me go, kicked, kicked, and kicked again, as overheated engines will, then backfired with an angry snorting: Fool! The best is over ...But I did not hear.”