PREFATORY NOTE 



I HAVE never, even in my wildest moments, 

 aspired to be a literary person, a fact which 

 the reader will no doubt perceive if he 

 has the patience to peruse these pages. The 

 manuscript has been written up from old journals, 

 and was not originally intended for publication. 

 I have, however, been persuaded to bring out the 

 book, and have done my utmost to write only 

 what I know to be true. I can but hope that 

 it may interest my readers. Its production 

 would have been completely beyond my powers 

 had I not received the greatest help and advice 

 from my friends Miss Agnes Herbert and Mr. 

 W. E. W. Collins, to whom I take this oppor- 

 tunity of tendering my sincere thanks. 



THE AUTHOR. 



IX 



