Seize mille lieues a travers l'Asie et l'Océanie. Voyage éxecuté pendant les années 1858-1861 par le comte Henry Russell-Killough..

Endearing account of a world voyage, including a sojourn in Victoria, by eccentric traveller and mountaineer Henry Russell (1834-1909). Henry Patrice Marie - Count Russell-Killough - was born in France of Irish descent. A comfortable inheritance left Russell free to travel and pursue his love of mountaineering. This book recounts his travels across the globe; including Siberia, central Asia, Nepal, East Asia and Hong Kong, before sailing for Australia and New Zealand.

Three chapters are concerned with the author's stay in Victoria, with notes on the Ballarat, Maryborough and Castlemaine mines. Russell recounts his impressions of day-to-day life, including Chinese miners, the culture of personal liberty and intemperance of colonial life. The travel notes are interspersed with observations on the native birds, tall forests and the vast silence of Australian landscapes. The author departed from Sydney to New Zealand in early 1860.

Upon returning to Europe, Russell became entranced with mountaineering in the French Pyrenees, spending weeks at a time in the wilderness. A harmless eccentric, Russell adored the Vignemale peak with such affection he had live-in caves constructed above a glacier flowing off her flank, and eventually conducted a wedding service uniting himself and the mountain forevermore.