MARLBOROUGH COLLEGE. 31 



accompany him to the native market, where we might find perhaps 

 some rare bird, or curious fish, exposed for sale. One day we 

 interviewed an orang-outang, possessed by a wealthy native, and I 

 began in my usual reckless way, to make comments, far from 

 favourable to the brute. Blythe heard me with impatience, for so 

 far as I could learn, he thought ever}' created thing fitted the 

 situation it was called upon to occupy, and was beautiful in its way. 

 " Come ! come ! " he said, " let us have no more of this, or I shall 

 be compelled to tell you what that handsome ape is thinking now of 

 you." And eyeing me askance, he muttered something which 

 sounded like, " Those who live in glass houses should be careful 

 how they fling mud or stones about." 



" The Origin of Species " had lately been published, and I read 

 with interest the correspondence which passed between Blythe and 

 Darwin. One of the letters declared that the only critique on the 

 Evolution theory, which demanded special notice, was one written 

 by a friend of mine, a youthful member of the Geological Survey, 

 and Darwin naively added, "My critic is a clever fellow;" as indeed 

 he was. 



Much as I appreciate the society of savants, it has ver)- seldom 

 been my good fortune to enjoy it ; and the smattering of knowledge 

 which I possess, certainly affords ample reason for learned men to 

 give me what sailors call, plenty of sea-room. 



The second time I was en route to India, on arriving at Marseilles, 

 I ran down to the cabin of the steamer which was to take me to 

 Alexandria, and put my card upon a plate in the saloon, as is the 

 custom when anyone wishes to secure a place at dinner. The same 

 evening, when all the passengers had assembled, I found myself 

 seated next to an intelligent-looking gentleman, who listened good- 

 humouredly whilst I talked on Natural History, and when the dinner 

 ended, I generously declared that, as we should have plenty of 

 spare time upon our hands during the coming week, I would put my 

 neighbour into the wa}' of knowing something about the classification 

 of birds and other animals, and, if he liked, I would even go further, 



