hundred ships and the
judiciously-assorted cargo were therefore under the necessity of
returning home.

No sooner, however, had they reached Vraibleusia than the markets were
immediately glutted with the unsold goods. All the manufacturers, who
had been working day and night in preparing for the next expedition,
were instantly thrown out of employ. A run commenced on the Government
Bank. That institution perceived too late that the issues of pink shells
had been too unrestricted. As the Emperor of the East had all the gold,
the Government Bank only protected itself from failure by bayoneting its
creditors. The manufacturers, who were starving, consoled themselves for
the absence of food by breaking all the windows in the country with
the discarded shells. Every tradesman failed. The shipping interest
advertised two or three fleets for firewood. Riots were universal. The
Aboriginal was attacked on all sides, and made so stout a resistance,
and broke so many cudgels on the backs of his assailants, that it was
supposed he would be finally exhausted by his own exertions. The public
funds sunk ten per cent. daily. All the Millionaires crashed. In a word,
dismay, disorganisation, despair, pervaded in all directions the wisest,
the greatest, and the richest nation in the world. The master of the
hotel added, with an air of becoming embarrassment, that, had not his
Excellency been fortunately absent, he probably would not have had the
pleasure of detailing to him this little narrative; that he had often
been inquired for by the populace at his old balcony; and that a crowd
had perpetually surrounded the house till within the last day, when
a report had got about that his Excellency had turned into steam and
disappeared. He added that caricatures of his Highness might be procured
in any shop, and his account of his voyage obtained at less than
half-price.

'Ah!' said Popanilla, in a tone of great anguish, 'and all this from
losing a lock of hair!'

At this moment the messenger whom Skindeep had despatched returned, and
informed him with great regret that his banker, to whom he had entrusted
his whole fortune, had been so unlucky as to stop payment during
his absence. It was expected, however, that when his stud was sold
a respectable dividend might be realised. This was the personage of
prepossessing appearance who had presented Popanilla with a perpetual
ticket to his picture gallery. On examining the banker's accounts, it