unhesitating way in which he took me to his heart； his fearless
frankness； the happy genial expression that played on his face； and
the extreme sweetness of his smilethese were the things that made
me say to myself that the 〃blazon of beauty's best〃 could tell me
nothing better than what I had found and lost within the last three
hours。 How small； too； I felt by comparison！ If for no other
cause； yet for this； that I； who had wept so bitterly over my own
disappointment the day before； could meet this dear fellow's tears
with no tear of my own。
But let this pass。 I got back to Harris's hut without adventure。
When there； in the course of the evening； I told Harris that I had
a fancy for the rug he had found on the river…bed； and that if he
would let me have it； I would give him my red one and ten shillings
to boot。 The exchange was so obviously to his advantage that he
made no demur； and next morning I strapped Yram's rug on to my
horse； and took it gladly home to England； where I keep it on my
own bed next to the counterpane； so that with care it may last me
out my life。 I wanted him to take the dog and make a home for him；
but he had two collies already； and said that a retriever would be
of no use to him。 So I took the poor beast on with me to the port；
where I was glad to find that Mr。 Baker liked him and accepted him
from me； though he was not mine to give。 He had been such an
unspeakable comfort to me when I was alone； that he would have
haunted me unless I had been able to provide for him where I knew
he would be well cared for。 As for Doctor； I was sorry to leave
him； but I knew he was in good hands。
〃I see you have not brought your knapsack back； sir；〃 said Mr。
Baker。
〃No；〃 said I； 〃and very thankful was I when I had handed it over to
those for whom it was intended。〃
〃I have no doubt you were； sir； for I could see it was a desperate
heavy load for you。〃
〃Indeed it was。〃 But at this point I brought the discussion to a
close。
Two days later I sailed； and reached home early in February 1892。
I was married three weeks later； and when the honeymoon was over；
set about making the necessary； and some； I fear； unnecessary
additions to this bookby far the greater part of which had been
written； as I have already said； many months earlier。 I now leave
it； at any rate for the present； April 22； 1892。
* * *
Postscript。On the last day of November 1900； I received a letter
addressed in Mr。 Alfred Cathie's familiar handwriting； and on
opening it found that it contained another； addressed to me in my
own； and unstamped。 For the moment I was puzzled； but immediately
knew that it must be from George。 I tore it open； and found eight
closely written pages； which I devoured as I have seldom indeed
devoured so long a letter。 It was dated XXIX。 vii。 1； and； as
nearly as I can translate it was as follows；…
〃Twice； my dearest brother； have I written to you； and twice in
successive days in successive years； have I been up to the statues
on the chance that you could meet me； as I proposed in my letters。
Do not think I went all the way back to Sunch'stonthere is a
ranger's shelter now only an hour and a half below the statues； and
here I passed the night。 I knew you had got neither of my letters；
for if you had got them and could not come yourself； you would have
sent some one whom you could trust with a letter。 I know you
would； though I do not know how you would have contrived to do it。
〃I sent both letters through Bishop Kahabuka （or； as his inferior
clergy call him； 'Chowbok'）； head of the Christian Mission to
Erewhemos； which； as your father has doubtless told you； is the
country adjoining Erewhon； but inhabited by a coloured race having
no affinity with our own。 Bishop Kahabuka has penetrated at times
into Erewhon； and the King； wishing to be on good terms with his
neighbours； has permitted him to establish two or three mission
stations in the western parts of Erewhon。 Among the missionaries
are some few of your own countrymen。 None of us like them； but one
of them is teaching me English； which I find quite easy。
〃As I wrote in the letters that have never reached you； I am no
longer Ranger。 The King； after some few years （in the course of
which I told him of your visit； and what you had brought me）；
declared that I was the only one of his servants whom he could
trust； and found high office for me； which kept me in close
confidential communication with himself。
〃About three years ago； on the death of his Prime Minister； he
appointed me to fill his place； and it was on this； that so many
possibilities occurred to me concerning which I dearly longed for
your opinion； that I wrote and asked you； if you could； to meet me
personally or by proxy at the statues； which I could reach on the
occasion of my annual visit to my motheryesand fatherat
Sunch'ston。
〃I sent both letters by way of Erewhemos； confiding them to Bishop
Kahabuka； who is just such another as St。 Hanky。 He tells me that
our father was a very old and dear friend of hisbut of course I
did not say anything about his being my own father。 I only
inquired about a Mr。 Higgs； who was now worshipped in Erewhon as a
supernatural being。 The Bishop said it was； 〃Oh； so very
dreadful；〃 and he felt it all the more keenly； for the reason that
he had himself been the means of my father's going to Erewhon； by
giving him the information that enabled him to find the pass over
the range that bounded the country。
〃I did not like the man； but I thought I could trust him with a
letter； which it now seems I could not do。 This third letter I
have given him with a promise of a hundred pounds in silver for his
new Cathedral； to be paid as soon as I get an answer from you。
〃We are all well at Sunch'ston； so are my wife and eight children
five sons and three daughtersbut the country is at sixes and
sevens。 St。 Panky is dead； but his son Pocus is worse。 Dr。 Downie
has become very lethargic。 I can do less against St。 Hankyism than
when I was a private man。 A little indiscretion on my part would
plunge the country in civil war。 Our engineers and so…called men
of science are sturdily begging for endowments； and steadily
claiming to have a hand in every pie that is baked from one end of
the country to the other。 The missionaries are buying up all our
silver； and a change in the relative values of gold and silver is
in progress of which none of us foresee the end。
〃The King and I both think that annexation by England； or a British
Protectorate； would be the saving of us； for we have no army worth
the name； and if you do not take us over some one else soon will。
The King has urged me to send for you。 If you come （do！ do！ do！）
you had better come by way of Erewhemos； which is now in monthly
communication with Southampton。 If you will write me that you are
coming I will meet you at the port； and bring you with me to our
own capital； where the King will be overjoyed to see you。〃
* * *
The rest of the letter was filled with all sorts of news which
interested me； but would require chapters of explanation before
they could become interesting to the reader。
The letter wound up：…
〃You may publish now whatever you like； whenever you like。
〃Write to me by way of Erewhemos； care of the Right Reverend the
Lord Bishop； and say which way you will come。 If you prefer the
old road； we are bound to be in the neighbourhood of the statues by
the beginning of March。 My next brother is now Ranger； and could
meet you at the statues with permit and luncheon； and more of that
white wine than ever you will be able to drink。 Only let me know
what you will do。
〃I should tell you that the old railway which used to run from
Clearwater to the capital； and which； as you know； was allowed to
go to ruin； has been reconstructed at an outlay far less than might
have been expectedfor the bridges had been maintained for
ordinary carriage traffic。 The journey； therefore； from Sunch'ston
to the capital can now be done in less than forty hours。 On the
whole； however； I recommend you to come by way of Erewhemos。 If
you start； as I think possible； without writing from England；
Bishop Kahabuka's palace is only eight miles from the port； and he
will give you every information about your further journeya
distance of less than a couple of hundred miles。 But I should
prefer to meet you myself。
〃My dearest brother； I charge you by the memory of our common
father； and even more by that of those three hours that linked you
to me for ever； and which I would fain hope linked me also to
yourselfcome over； if by any means you can do socome over and
help us。
〃GEORGE STRONG。〃
〃My dear；〃 said I to my wife who was at the other end of the
breakfast table； 〃I shall have to translate this letter to you； and
then you will have to help me to begin packing； for I have none too
much time。 I must see Alfred； and give him a power of attorney。
He will arrange with some publisher about my book； and you can
correct the press。 Break the news gently to the children； and get
along without me； my dear； for six months as well as you can。〃
* * *
I write this at Southampton； from which port I sail to…morrowi。e。
November 15； 1900for Erewhemos。
Footnotes：
｛1｝ See Chapter X。
End