16 DOTTINGS ON THE ROADSIDE. [Chap. I.—B. S. 
of the latter kingdom, also formed one of the topics of 
conversation at Panama. I asked the Chilian Admiral 
(who is an Englishman, and came out with me in the 
Eoyal Mail Steamer) why the Chilians did not try to 
get the greatest of American republics to help them. 
He thought it was no use trying, because a couple of 
years ago he was sent to Washington to get the per¬ 
mission of that Government for the purchase and export 
of two vessels, at that time contraband of war. Presi¬ 
dent Lincoln received him with his usual affability; 
and while Seward was reading the Chilian state 
papers, Abraham Lincoln said, “ Admiral, I must 
tell you a little story. "When a young man I was 
very anxious to read a book which belonged to a 
neighbour of mine. ‘ Neighbour,’ I asked, 1 could 
you lend me this book?’ ‘Certainly,’ he replied, 
‘ you can come here and read it whenever you like.’ 
As the book was rather a bulky one, I thought this 
an odd way of lending it to me ; but I let that pass. 
Some time afterwards he came to me: 1 Lincoln,’ he 
asked, ‘ could you lend me your bellows ?’ ‘ Certainly,’ 
I replied, 1 here they are; you can come here and blow 
away as much as you like.’ And that is exactly the 
case with us; Admiral, you can come here and blow 
away as much as you like, but we cannot let you take 
the ships away.” 
