I really enjoy history. A while back, I saw mention of "From The Cape To Cairo" The First Traverse of Africa from South to North by Ewart S. Grogan and Arthur H. Sharp in the newspaper. I tracked it down and am about 3/4's of the way through. It is an interesting look into the British Empire at the turn of the last century.

Back in 1898 Mr. Grogan, in an effort to impress the disapproving stepfather of his beloved, Gertrude, decided to walk the length of Africa. It will take him 2 ½ years, along the way; he shoots a couple dozen elephants, (and any rhinoceros, hippo, antelope…actually anything & everything with 4 legs that is unlucky to get close enough), has a close encounter with cannibals, is constantly battling bouts of “fever”, says very disparaging things about the Portuguese & Belgium-ese, but admires the orderliness of the Germans. His casual, ingrained racist attitude towards the Africans makes me gasp. On one level, I know that is how things were back in 1898, but to actually read it in ‘real time’ is eye opening.
Ewart Grogan lived until 1967 - I was 7 in '67 - I get a kick out of the idea that he was still alive when I was.