Wild Life in Southern Seas. 
3*4 
affair, when the Consul stopped him and told 
him “ to hold his tongue.” 
Had a thunderbolt fallen at his feet the old 
fellow could not have shown greater surprise. 
For a moment he gazed at the consular repre¬ 
sentative of Britain’s power and might with a 
ludicrous expression of mingled amazement, 
anger, and contempt ; and then stepping up 
to the captain of the warship, he addressed him. 
“ Look here, sir. You don’t know me, and 
you might think I’m lying. But I’m not. 
Ask any man here—except any of these miser¬ 
able Dutchmen” (indicating the German Consul- 
General for the Pacific), “or a blatherskitin’ 
Yankee like him ” (nodding at the American 
official), “ or a shuffling old henwife like this 
apology for an Englishman ” (pointing his 
finger at the British Consul)—“ ask any one 
here, I say, if this fussy ass would have 
dared to tell me to hold my tongue if the 
captain of a man-o’-war wasn’t here ? ” And 
he turned wrathfully to the amused assemblage 
to corroborate his remarks. 
Trying hard to restrain a smile, the naval 
officer advised the old man not to interrupt, 
and to “ treat the court with respect.” 
