They stopped there one night
to change baggage, and went across to Venice, where there was a great
meeting of the Geographical Congress. Burton was not asked to meet his
fellow-geographers, or to take any part in the Congress. The slight was
very marked, and both he and his wife felt it keenly. It was only one
more instance of the undying prejudice against him in certain quarters.
They met many friends, including Captain Verney Lovett Cameron. In
November Burton went with him to the west coast of Africa, to report on
certain mines which Burton had discovered when Consul at Fernando Po.
Isabel was anxious to accompany them; but it was the usual tale, "My
expenses are not paid, and we personally hadn't enough money for two,
so I was left behind."
The first part of 1882 Isabel spent without her husband, as he was absent
on the Guinea coast. She fretted very much at his long absence, and
made herself ill with disappointment because she was not able to join
him. The following letter shows _inter alia_ how much she felt the
separation[2]:
"I was so pleased you liked the scourging I gave the reviewers.[3] No
one has answered me, and it has well spread. I don't know how they
could. All Dick's friends were very glad. The Commentary is out, two
vols. (that makes four out and four to come). The 'Reviewers Reviewed'
is a postscript to the Commentary, and the Glossary is in that too. I
wrote the 'Reviewers' at Duino in June last, and I enjoyed doing it
immensely.
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