“That’s what I thought. Are you forming a settlement, then, farther down the river? Is that where you have come from?”
“Yes.”
“You arrived in the steamer you spoke of—I forget the name?”
“The Rajah. Yes. I am a mining engineer, and we are experimenting with the mineral resources of this country.”
“I see. Then you are probably loading the Rajah with such ore as you can find, and are taking it back to Europe to test it.”
“Exactly.”
“What you tell me is most interesting, but surely you were not here when I came up this river in my yacht less than a month ago?”
“No, we were not here then, but we prospected, and secured possession more than a year ago.”
“Then you are clothed with authority to order me to move on?”
“I assure you, Mr. Stranleigh, that so far as I am personally concerned you might form your settlement, or stay here as long as you please, but I am not acting for myself. In the interest of my employers, and to prevent future complications, should we discover valuable minerals, I fear I must warn you off.”