230 NATHANIEL SOUTHGATE SEALER 



of wind power by shrieking at the top of his voice, " Don't hit 

 him, Shaler, don't hit him; kick him if you must." Tawney's 

 longer experience on the Continent had taught him that instead 

 of the serious punishment inflicted for a blow with the fist only 

 a small fine was exacted for a kick. 



On one occasion of a conflict with such officials, however, in 

 an out-of-the-way part of France, neither threats nor bland- 

 ishments were of avail. Suspicion happening to fall upon the 

 contents of their map-cases, the travellers were accused of 

 being German spies and of having rifled the secrets of French 

 fortifications. Geographical and geological information was 

 showered upon the gendarme without the least effect, and the 

 two were marched off to jail. Here they were strictly guarded 

 for some hours, until at length the absurdity of the situation 

 induced such peals of laughter from them that the policeman 

 himself became moved to mirth. He had wit enough to reflect 

 that criminals were not usually hilarious, and now was per- 

 suaded to send for the chief man of the place. This functionary 

 appeared, a thick-headed, pursy magistrate, who solemnly 

 turned the map-cases upside down and inside out, examined 

 bags of specimens with the awe inspired by dynamite, then sat 

 for a long time meditating upon the complicated plot. Event- 

 ually, under the influence of a good cigar and a potent drink 

 from the combined brandy-flasks, he solved the problem to his 

 satisfaction and permitted the strangers, late in the evening, 

 to become the guests of the village inn instead of guests of the 

 state. 



Map-cases in those days were a source of frequent bother, 

 for in the eyes of the custom-house officer every one with an 

 unusual package was regarded as a Prussian spy, devoting his 

 life to mastering the art of French defensive warfare. The 

 boxes of geological specimens that were forwarded from time 

 to time also fell under the ban of suspicion and caused trouble. 

 And the trouble was not always confined to custom-house 

 officers. I have cause to remember some of the specimens he 



