see,
and was very glad to find on board several books descriptive of those
regions. The ship came to an anchor at Gravesend, where several
passengers joined her. Among them was a gentleman with very broad
shoulders, a broad forehead, and light curling hair covered by a very
broad-brimmed white hat. His eyes were blue and remarkably keen; he had
a nose somewhat turned up; and a firm mouth, with a pleasing smile,
showing a set of strong white teeth. He brought with him a number of
cases and boxes; among them gun-cases, and fishing-rods, and cases which
looked as if they enclosed instruments, with numerous other articles not
usually carried by travellers. His business-like, quiet manner showed
that he was well accustomed to move about the world. Who he could be I
could not tell. Soon after he came on board he called Oliver Farwell to
help him arrange his cabin; but as Oliver had other duties to attend to,
I offered my services.

"Yes, my lad, I shall be very much obliged to you," said the gentleman.
"I should have liked to have got these things on board before the ship
left the docks; but there was no time for that; and it is important that
they should be secured before we get into a tumbling sea, from which
they may receive damage."

I observed that Mr Nicholas Hooker was painted on all the cases, and of
course concluded that such was the name of the gentleman. He had a
number of screws with which he fastened some of the articles to the
bulkheads, and lashed others in a seamanlike fashion. There were charts
and telescopes; indeed, from the various articles he had with him, I
fancied that perhaps the gentleman was a naval officer. Still, as I did
not see R.N. at the end of his name, I thought again that he could not
be so.

At length Mr Hooker, having unpacked his books, various instruments,
and other articles, begged that the cases might be stowed away below.
His directions were promptly obeyed, and having surveyed his cabin, he
seemed satisfied that all was in perfect order.

"Now, young gentleman," he said, with a pleasant smile which won my
confidence, "I daresay you would like to know what all these things are
for. Some are for taking the latitude and longitude, ascertaining the
exact position of places on the earth's surface. Others are for
measuring the height of mountains, some the temperature of the air and
water, and so on. Then I have cases for creatures which move in the
water or fly in the ai