of Central Africa." I own I did wonder whether this could be true.
"'Justum et tenacem propositi virum!' Nothing can turn him from his
purpose, or induce him to change his inflexible will. You know him,
and I know him, and he is well known throughout England. Persuasion
can never touch him; fear has no power over him. He, as one unit, is
strong against a million. He is invincible, imperturbable, and ever
self-assured."

I, as I sat there listening to this character of myself, heroic
somewhat, but utterly unlike the person for whom it was intended,
felt that England knew very little about me, and cared less; and
I could not but be angry that my name should be used in this
way to adorn the sentences of Sir Ferdinando's speech. Here in
Gladstonopolis I was well known,--and well known to be neither
imperturbable nor self-assured. But all the people seemed to accept
what he said, and I could not very well interrupt him. He had his
opportunity now, and I perhaps might have mine by-and-by.

"My friends," continued Sir Ferdinando, "at home in England, where,
though we are powerful by reason of our wealth and numbers--" "Just
so," said I. "Where we are powerful, I repeat, by reason of our
wealth and numbers, though perhaps less advanced than you are in
the philosophical arrangements of life, it has seemed to us to be
impossible that the theory should be allowed to be carried to its
legitimate end. The whole country would be horrified were one life
sacrificed to this theory." "We knew that,--we knew that," said the
voice of Tallowax. "And yet your Assembly had gone so far as to give
to the system all the stability of law. Had not the John Bright
steamed into your harbour yesterday, one of your most valued citizens
would have been already--deposited." When he had so spoken, he turned
round to Mr Crasweller, who was sitting on my right hand, and bowed
to him. Crasweller looked straight before him, and took no notice of
Sir Ferdinando. He was at the present moment rather on my side of the
question, and having had his freedom secured to him, did not care for
Sir Ferdinando.

"But that has been prevented, thanks to the extraordinary rapidity
with which my excellent friend Captain Battleax has made his way
across the ocean. And I must say that every one of these excellent
fellows, his officers, has done his best to place H.M. ship the John
Bright in her commanding position with the least possible delay."
Here he turned round and