AS COMMISSIONER TO SANTO DOMINGO- 1871 499 



the vice-president, when two sailors came in, bringing the 

 precious burden. 



Now came a catastrophe. Turning the key, I noticed 

 that the brass fittings of the lock were covered with verdi- 

 gris, and, as the trunk opened, I shrank back in horror. It 

 was filled, apparently, with a mass of mossy white-and- 

 green mold from which cockroaches of enormous size 

 darted in all directions. 



Hastily pulling down the cover, I called a council of 

 war; the main personages in it being my private secre- 

 tary, Professor Crane, since acting president of Cornell 

 University, and sundry of the more important men in the 

 expedition. To these I explained the situation. It seemed 

 bad enough to lose all means of presenting a suitable ap- 

 pearance at the approaching festivity, but this was no- 

 thing compared with the idea that I had requited the hos- 

 pitality of my host by spreading through his house this 

 hideous entomological collection. 



But as I exposed this latter feature of the situation, I 

 noticed a smile coming over the faces of my Dominican 

 attendants, and presently one of them remarked that the 

 cockroaches I had brought would find plenty of compan- 

 ions; that the house was doubtless already full of them. 

 This was a great relief to my conscience. The trunk was 

 removed, and presently the clothing, in which I was to 

 be arrayed for the evening, was brought in. It seemed in 

 a fearful condition, but, curiously enough, while boots, 

 shoes, and, above all, a package of white gloves care- 

 fully reserved for grand ceremonies, had been nearly de- 

 voured, the garments of various sorts had escaped fairly 

 well. 



The next thing in order being the preparation of my 

 apparel for use, the men proceeded first to deluge it with 

 carbolic acid; and then, after drying it on the balconies 

 in front of the vice-president's house, to mitigate the 

 invincible carbolic odor by copious drenchings of Florida 

 water. All day long they were thus at work making 

 ready for the evening ceremony. In due time it ar- 



