ing the same cold,
unbending dignity of manner which covered a highly-sensitive and deeply
sympathetic nature.

But on this particular day, fatigue, the intense heat, which had
prevailed, a violent quarrel between the intriguing major commanding
the marines, and many other lesser worries, had been almost more than
he could bear, so it may well be imagined that he was more inclined for
rest than talk.

Ten, twenty minutes, and then the thin, spare figure raised itself
wearily from the rude sofa. He must see his visitor. He had promised to
do so, and the sooner it was over the better. He called to the orderly.

"Tell Mr.--Corwell you said?--to come in."

A heavy step sounded on the bare floor, and one ot the finest specimens
of manhood Governor Arthur Phillip had ever seen in all his long naval
career stood before him and saluted. There was something so pleasant and
yet so manly in the handsome, cleanshaven and deeply-bronzed face, that
the Governor was at once attracted to him.

"Be seated, Mr. Corwell," he said in his low, yet clear tones. "I am
very tired, so you must not keep me long."

"Certainly not, your Excellency. But I thought, sir, that you would
prefer to hear the report of my voyage personally. I have discovered a
magnificent harbour north of the Solomon Islands, and----"

"Ha! And so you came to me. Very sensible, very sensible of you. I am
obliged to you, sir. Tell me all about it."

"Certainly, your Excellency; but I regret I have intruded on you this
evening. Perhaps, sir, you will permit me to call again to-morrow?"

"No, no, not at all," was the energetic reply. I am always ready to hear
anything of this nature.

"I knew that, sir, for the masters of the _Breckenbridge_ and another
transport told me that you were most anxious to learn of any discoveries
in the Pacific Islands."

"Very true, sir. I am looking forward to hear from them and from the
masters of other transports which I am inducing to follow the whale
fishery on their return voyage to England _via_ Batavia. But so far I
have heard nothing from any one of them."

Encouraged and pleased at the Governor's manner, the master of the
_Ceres_ at once produced a roughly executed plan and a detailed written
description of the harbour, which, he asserted with confidence, was one
of the finest in that part of the Pacific. A broad, deep stream of water
ran from the lofty range of mountains which traversed the island north
and south and fe