Title:  The Adventures of a Special Correspondent

Author:  Jules Verne

Release Date:  February 24, 2004 [EBook #11263]

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

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The adventures
of A special
correspondent

Among the various races and
countries of central Asia

Being the exploits and experiences of
Claudius Bombarnac of “The twentieth
century” By

JULES VERNE

BIOGRAPHY AND BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jules Verne, French author, was born at Nantes, France, in 1828, and died in 1905.  In 1850 he wrote a comedy in verse, but he eventually confined himself to the writing of scientific and geographical romances, achieving a great reputation.  He visited the United States in 1867, sailing for New York on the Great Eastern, and his book, A Floating City, was the result of this voyage.  His best-known books are:  A Captain at Fifteen, A Two Years’ Vacation, A Voyage to the Center of the Earth (1864), From the Earth to the Moon (1865), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1870), A Tour of the World in Eighty Days (1873), Michael Strogoff (1876), Mrs. Branica (1891), Clovis Dordentor (1896), The Brothers Kip (1902).  Most of his works have been translated into English.

CLAUDIUS BOMBARNAC

CHAPTER I.

Claudius Bombarnac,
       Special Correspondent,
            “Twentieth Century.”
                   Tiflis, Transcaucasia.

Such is the address of the telegram I found on the 13th of May when I arrived at Tiflis.

This is what the telegram said: 

“As the matters in hand will terminate on the 15th instant Claudius Bombarnac will repair to Uzun Ada, a port on the east coast of the Caspian.  There he will take the train by the direct Grand Transasiatic between the European frontier and the capital of the Celestial Empire.  He will transmit his impressions in the way of news, interviewing remarkable people on the road, and report the most trivial incidents by letter or telegram as necessity dictates.  The Twentieth Century trusts to the zeal, intelligence, activity and tact of its correspondent, who can draw on its bankers to any extent he may deem necessary.”

It was the very morning I had arrived at Tiflis with the intention of spending three weeks there in a visit to the Georgian provinces for the benefit of my newspaper, and also, I hoped, for that of its readers.