Isabella Lucy Bird was a clergyman’s daughter, born in North
Yorkshire in 1831. From early childhood, she suffered from a painful spinal
condition, fatigue, insomnia, and depression. She was frequently bedridden. When
her doctor suggested a sea voyage, her father handed her £100 and said to stay
away until the money ran out. The letters she wrote as she traveled became her
first book: An Englishwoman in America. Isabella visited Australia,
Hawaii, the Rockies, Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaya. Having
decided her initial ventures were pointless, Isabella studied medicine and
photography. As a missionary, she traveled to Tibet, Iran Kurdistan and Turkey.
In Kashmir, she helped to build a hospital and dispensary. Wherever she went,
she wrote about what she saw and heard and did. Her photos and stories captured
a world that was quickly vanishing. When Isabella died in Edinburgh at the age
of 72, she was planning another trip to China.
No comments:
Post a Comment