4 A GARDEN DIARY 
Coccospheres, of Rhabdospheres, and other long- 
titled occupants of abyssmal depths. And if 
one has been tempted to now and then share 
the dismay felt by the youthful lieutenant, upon 
being shown that single teaspoonful of grey 
slop, as the result of nights of toil, which kept 
the whole crew of Her Majesty’s ship from 
their bunks, well, one reflected that the wise 
men probably knew what they were about, and 
that the teaspoonful in question could hardly 
be an ordinary teaspoonful. Later, hand in 
hand one has journeyed with other travellers, 
some biological, others merely exploratory, or 
geographical. With Stanley groped for weeks 
in African forests, and been shot at by un- 
pleasant little beasts with hands. With Miss 
North travelled far, yet unweariedly, in search 
of unknown flowering trees, and other forms of 
vegetation. With Nansen, until one grew to 
feel brittle as any icicle, and occasionally almost 
as callous as one. With Mrs. Bishop, across 
many seas, and scenes; and last of all with 
Miss Kingsley, the only one of these illustrious 
travellers in whose company I have always felt 
entirely secure, sure that no dangerous animal 
—lion, rattlesnake, cobra, shiny tattooed warrior, 
German trader, or the like—would dare molest 
me while under her egis.* 
Yes, I have been a great explorer. The earth, 
* Written in September, 1899. Alas! 
