CHAPTER I.
A man may have no bad habits and have worse.
-- Pudd'nhead Wilson's New Calendar.
The starting point of this lecturing-trip around the world was Paris, where we had been living a year or two.
We sailed for America, and there made certain preparations.

This took but little time.

Two members of my family elected to go with me.

Also a carbuncle.

The dictionary says a carbuncle is a kind of jewel.