第63部分(第2/7 頁)

me　years　later　a　gentleman　arrived　at　this　house　whose　name；　I　think；　was　Ebbage；　and　on　whose　card　was　printed　the　vague　and　remote　address；　“Matabeleland。”　He　informed　me　that　he　had　travelled　specially　from　London　to　inquire　how　on　earth　I　had　learned　the　details　of　his　escape　from　certain　savages；　as　he　had　never　mentioned　them　to　a　single　soul。　Before　he　left　I　satisfied　myself　that　his　adventure　and　that　invented　by　myself　and　described　in　the　tale；　which　I　had　thought　one　of　a　somewhat　original　sort；　were　in　every　particular　identical。

Again；　in　“Mr。　Meeson’s　Will”　I　set　out　very　fully　indeed；　the　circumstances　under　which　a　new　and　splendid　liner　was　lost　at　sea；　and　the　great　majority　of　those　on　board　of　her　were　drowned　owing　to　lack　of　boats　to　acmodate　them。　In　a　preface　to　this　story；　written　in　the　year　1888；　I　make　the　following　remark：

The　only　part　of　this　humble　skit；　however；　that　is　meant　to　be　taken　seriously　is　the　chapter　which　tells　of　the　loss　of　the　R。M。S。　Kangaroo。　I　believe　it　to　be　a　fair　and；　in　the　main；　accurate　account　of　what　must　and　one　day　will　happen　upon　a　large　and　crowded　liner　in　the　event　of　such　a　collision　as　that　described；　or　of　her　rapid　foundering　from　any　other　cause。　It　is　a　remarkable　thing　that　people　who　for　the　most　part　set　a　sufficient　value　on　their　lives；　daily　consent　to　go　to　sea　in　ships　the　boats　of　which　could　not　on　emergency　possibly　contain　half　their　number。

During　the　present　year　this　prophecy；　and　indeed　the　whole　scene　of　the　sinking　of　the　Kangaroo；　has　been　fearfully　fulfilled　in　the　instance　of　the　great　White　Star　liner　Titanic。　If　I　could　think　of　and　foresee　such　things；　how　is　it　that　those　who　are　responsible　for　the　public　safety　have　proved　themselves　so　lacking　in　pr