Part 26 (2/2)

Tender, constant, huo to make a poet, he was yet almost unrivalled as a man of action and a citizen of the world I never knew any one so coment of men and their motives 'I have studied huht to know so about it,'

and he certainly did He had but two faults--one was his excessive ht tendency which he had to be jealous of anybody on whoards the first of these points, anybody who reads what he has written will be able to form his own opinion; but I will add one last instance of it

As the reader will doubtless remember, it is a favourite trick of his to talk of hih very cautious, he possessed a most intrepid spirit, and, what is reat battle of the Pass, where he got the wound that finally killed hiives of the occurrence that it was a chance blow that fell on hie As a allant and successful attempt to save Good's life, at the risk and, as it ultimately turned out, at the cost of his own Good was down on the ground, and one of Nasta's highlanders was about to dispatch him, when Quatermain threw himself on to his prostrate for, killed the soldier

As regards his jealousy, a single instance which I give in justice to myself and Nyleptha will suffice The reader will, perhaps, recollect that in one or two places he speaks as though Nyleptha monopolized me, and he was left by both of us rather out in the cold Now Nyleptha is not perfect, any eante at tiination Thus when he co to see him when he is ill, the fact was that, in spite of my entreaties, the doctors positively forbade it Those little remarks of his pained me very much when I read theh he weree to interfere with that affection But let it pass; it is, after all, but one little weakness, whichso many and such lovable virtues

Well, he died, and Good read the Burial Service over him in the presence of Nyleptha and myself; and then his rereat public funeral, or rather cre, however, as Iand splendid procession up to the Te could he have been there to see it, for he had a horror of ostentation

And so, a few ht after his death, they laid hi before the altar, and waited for the last ray of the setting sun to fall upon his face Presently it ca the pale broith glory, and then the tru revolved, and all that remained of our beloved friend fell into the furnace below

We shall never see his like again if we live a hundred years He was the ablest entleman, the firmest friend, the finest sportsman, and, I believe, the best shot in all Africa

And so ended the very remarkable and adventurous life of Hunter Quaterone very ith us Good has been, and still is, busily employed in the construction of a navy on Lake Milosis and another of the large lakes, by means of which we hope to be able to increase trade and commerce, and also to overcome some very troublesome and warlike sections of the population who live upon their borders Poor fellow! he is beginning to get over the sad death of that uided but most attractive woman, Sorais, but it is a sad blow to him, for he was really deeply attached to her I hope, however, that he will in tiet that unhappy business out of his head

Nyleptha has one or two young ladies in view, especially a daughter of Nasta's (as a er), a very fine iuing, and yet haughty, spirit to suit my taste

As for in if I set to work to describe s, so I had best leave the that, on the whole, I a-Consort--better, indeed, than I had any right to expect But, of course, it is not all plain sailing, and I find the responsibilities very heavy Still, I hope to be able to do soreat ends--naether overn of the power of the priesthood The first of these reforms will, if it can be carried out, put an end to the disastrous civil wars that have for centuries devastated this country; and the second, besides reer, will pave the road for the introduction of true religion in the place of this senseless Sun worshi+p I yet hope to see the shadow of the Cross of Christ lying on the golden dome of the Flower Temple; or, if I do not, thatthat I intend to devote ners froet here, but if they do, I warn them fairly that they will be shown the shortest way out of the country I do not say this from any sense of inhospitality, but because I am convinced of the sacred duty that rests upon enerous-hearted people the blessings of comparative barbaris rascal were to attack us with field-guns and Martini-Henrys? I cannot see that gunpowder, telegraphs, steae, etc, etc, have made mankind one whit the happier than they used to be, and I ahtover this beautiful country to be torn and fought for by speculators, tourists, politicians and teachers, whose voice is as the voice of Babel, just as those horrible creatures in the valley of the underground river tore and fought for the body of the wild swan; nor will I endoith the greed, drunkenness, new diseases, gunpowder, and general deress of civilization ast unsophisticated peoples If in due course it pleases Providence to throw Zu-Vendis open to the world, that is another matter; but of myself I will not take the responsibility, and I may add that Good entirely approves of my decision Farewell

Henry Curtis

Deceot to say that about nine o Nyleptha (who is very well and, in my eyes at any rate, more beautiful than ever) presented ular curly-haired, blue-eyed young Englishh he is destined, if he lives, to inherit the throne of Zu-Vendis, I hope I entleenerally is--which is toborn heir apparent to the great House of the Stairway, and, indeed, the highest rank that a man can reach upon this earth

H C