Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes by Robert Louis Stevenson

Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes (1879), a pioneering classic of outdoor literature, is one of Robert Louis Stevenson’s earliest published works. It gives an account of his 12 day, 200 kilometer hiking journey through the sparsely populated areas of the Cévennes mountains in south-central France. The Cévennes was the site of a Protestant rebellion around 1702, which was severely suppressed by Louis XIV. Stevenson was well-versed in the history and evokes scenes from the rebellion as he passes through the area of the rebellion during the final days of his trek. The terrain, with its heather-filled hillsides, reminded him of parts of Scotland. He was accompanied by Modestine, a stubborn and manipulative donkey. The book discusses hiking and camping and tells of commissioning one of the first sleeping bags.