第56部分(第2/7 頁)

had　no　poem　ready　with　which　to　reply。

In　New　Orleans；　amongst　other　places　of　much　interest；　I　was　shown　a　park　in　which　duels　used　to　be　fought　in　the　early　days；　and　a　graveyard　where；　because　of　the　water　in　the　soil；　the　dead　are　buried　in　niches　in　the　surrounding　walls。

Leaving　that　most　hospitable　city；　we　travelled　on　to　El　Paso；　then　quite　a　small　town　on　the　Mexican　border。　I　remember　that　on　the　train　I　fell　into　conversation　with　a　gentleman　who；　much　to　my　astonishment；　informed　me　that　in　the　future　we　should　telegraph　through　the　air　without　the　use　of　any　connecting　wires；　and　furnished　me　with　the　details　of　how　this　would　be　done。　At　the　time　I　confess　it　occurred　to　me　that　he　was　amusing　himself　by　gammoning　a　stranger　who　was　known　to　write　romances。　Now；　however；　I　see　that　at　the　mencement　of　the　year　1891　there　was　at　any　rate　one　person　who　was　very　well　acquainted　with　the　system　of　wireless　telegraphy　which　is　now　identified　with　the　name　of　Mr。　Marconi；　then　a　lad　of　sixteen　years　of　age。

There　were　at　this　time　two　railway　lines　running　from　the　States　to　Mexico　City；　and　I　recollect　that　we　hesitated　long　by　which　of　them　we　should　travel。　Our　choice　was　fortunate；　since　the　train　which　left　on　the　same　day　by　the　other　line　met　with　many　adventures。　Amongst　other　things　it　was　twice　thrown　off　the　rails　by　intelligent　Mexicans　actuated　either　by　spite　or　the　hope　of　plunder；　and　some　of　its　occupants　were　killed。　Mexico；　even　in　those　days；　was　a　wonderful　city　of　almost　Parisian　appearance；　but　I　confess　that　what　interested　me　more　than　its　tramways　and　fine　modern　buildings　were　such　relics　of　old　Mexico　as　could　be　seen　in　the　museum　and　elsewhere；　and　the　mighty　volcano　of　Popocatepetl；　which　the　Aztecs　feared　an