第40部分(第5/7 頁)

public　who　hurried　to　expose　my　ignorance。　In　a　subsequent　edition　I　rectified　the　mistake；　but　that　produced　more　trouble；　since　students　of　the　work　had　violent　arguments　between　themselves；　each　quoting　the　versions　that　they　had　read；　and　wrote　to　me　to　settle　their　disputes。　I　have　always　found　the　movements　of　the　heavenly　bodies　very　ticklish　things　to　touch。　Whatever　one　says　about　the　moon；　for　instance；　is　pretty　sure　to　be　wrong。

I　may　say　this　further；　that　no　book　that　I　have　written　seems　to　have　conveyed　a　greater　idea　of　reality。　At　this　moment　I　hold　in　my　hand　at　least　a　dozen　letters　sorted　from　what　I　call　“Unknown　Correspondents；”　by　which　I　mean　munications　received　from　individuals　with　whom　I　have　no　personal　acquaintance。　Every　one　of　the　writers　of　these　epistles　is　anxious　to　know　whether　or　not　the　work　is　a　record　of　fact。　Even　the　great　dealer　in　precious　stones；　Mr。　Streeter　—　I　fear　I　must　say　the　late　Mr。　Streeter　—　approached　me　on　the　subject。　I　believe　he　actually　sent　an　expedition　to　look　for　King　Solomon’s　Mines；　or　at　any　rate　talked　of　doing　so。　Nor　was　he　so　far　out　in　his　reckoning；　for　since　that　day　they　have　been　discovered　—　more　or　less。　At　any　rate　Rhodesia　has　been　discovered；　which　is　a　land　full　of　gems　and　gold；　the　same　land；　I　believe；　as　that　whence　King　Solomon　did　actually　draw　his　wealth。　Also　Queen　Sheba’s　Breasts　have　been　found；　or　something　very　like　to　them；　and　traces　of　the　great　road　that　I　describe。　Doubtless　I　heard　faint　rumours　of　these　things　during　my　sojourn　in　Africa；　having　made　it　my　habit　through　life　to　keep　my　ears　open；　but　at　the　best　they　were　very　faint。　The　remainder　I　imagined；　and　imagination　has　often　proved　to　be　the　precursor　of　the　truth。　The　mines　of　Kukuana　land；　alias　Rh