“‘Later, a tame dog with a brass collar on his neck was taken from an ice-floe. Later still, by a few months, a small box and a snow-shoe drifted ashore. In your year 1890, the corpse of a white man, clothed in furs, was found on the beach, and the next morning two bodies of what are now known to have been Esquimaux, were found. As we lived on the ocean front, we knew whence these came. At this the State took up the work, made an appropriation, organised a party, and, well,’ said he, ‘they abundantly equipped an expedition, put me in charge, and I am here on my return to Cavitorus, after a five years’ tour, covering the countries of all the outer globe.’”
What masterly logic! What skill in the marshalling of details!
“Well,” adds Leo Bergin, soliloquizing, “if it is true, and it must be, for I am going there, how much stranger than fiction!”
The notes continue:—
“The captain inquired about the harbors along the coast of Cavitorus; the Boston man inquired if there were any gold mines; the parson, how high the Shadowas built their church spires; and the engineer, what motive power was used in their transportation.
“To these Mr. Oseba answered: ‘I fear, if I should tell you one half the truth about these things we should be “discovered,” to our sorrow.’
“The hour was late, and as all seemed dazed by the recital, the party dispersed, to bed,—
‘To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub.’”
BOILING IT DOWN.
Well, that is rich! Leo had to cut it short, but he saved me a lot of trouble. Let’s see. Here is a lot of interesting details—interesting if life were not so short—but I’ll have to “boil it down,” for “spice” is the word.