Strange Fish. 303 



then recognize amongst the spectators a well-known official 

 of the Bank of England, that very day arrived from home 

 on his way to spend his holiday in Brisbane. I say it was 

 a coincidence, for when I had last seen him he was con- 

 ducting me through the treasure houses of Threadneedle 

 Street, and tantalizing me with a sight of cart-loads of 

 sovereigns and bales of bank-notes. Here we met by 

 accident, thousands of miles from home, and we agreed that 

 the old Chinawoman's fish ' was intended as a delicate 

 reminder to him that the power of the precious metal, with 

 which he had dealt until his hairs were grey, was simply 

 world-wide. 



