KINGSLEY, MARY HENRIETTA (1862-1900).—­Traveller, dau. of George Henry K. (himself a traveller, and author of South Sea Bubbles, a very successful book), and niece of Charles K. (q.v.).  She travelled in West Africa, where she made valuable observations and collections.  Her Travels in West Africa is one of the most original and stimulating books of its class.  Miss K. had a singular power of viewing the religious rites of savage peoples from their point of view.  She was about to undertake another journey, but stopped to nurse Boer prisoners, and d. of fever.

KINGSTON, WILLIAM HENRY GILES (1814-1880).—­Writer of tales for boys, b. in London, but spent much of his youth in Oporto, where his f. was a merchant.  His first book, The Circassian Chief, appeared in 1844.  His first book for boys, Peter the Whaler, was pub. in 1851, and had such success that he retired from business and devoted himself entirely to the production of this kind of literature, in which his popularity was deservedly great; and during 30 years he wrote upwards of 130 tales, including The Three Midshipmen (1862), The Three Lieutenants (1874), The Three Commanders (1875), The Three Admirals (1877), Digby Heathcote, etc.  He also conducted various papers, including The Colonist, and Colonial Magazine and East India Review.  He was also interested in emigration, volunteering, and various philanthropic schemes.  For services in negotiating a commercial treaty with Portugal he received a Portuguese knighthood, and for his literary labours a Government pension.

KIRKLAND, JOSEPH (1830-1894).—­Novelist, b. in New York State, was a lawyer in Chicago, then served in the war.  He is remembered as the author of two very vivid and life-like novels of pioneer life in the Far West, Illinois Zury and The McVeys.  Other works are The Captain of Company K. and The Story of Chicago.

KITTO, JOHN (1804-1854).—­Biblical scholar, s. of a Cornish stonemason, was b. at Plymouth.  At the age of 12 a fall led to his becoming totally deaf.  From poverty and hardship he was rescued by friends, to whom his mental powers had become known, and the means of education were placed within his reach.  By these he profited so remarkably that he became a valuable contributor to Biblical scholarship.  He travelled much in the East in the pursuit of his favourite studies.  Among his works are Scripture Lands, Daily Bible Illustrations, and The Lost Senses in 2 vols., one dealing with Deafness and the other with Blindness.  He also ed. The Pictorial Bible, The Journal of Sacred Literature, The Cyclopaedia of Bible Literature, and contributed to various periodicals.  He received a pension of L100 from Government.  In 1844 the Univ. of Giessen conferred upon him the degree of D.D.