第83部分(第2/7 頁)

　to　knock　off　one　name　—　I　believe　it　was　that　of　my　friend　and　colleague；　Professor　Somerville；　though　of　this　I　am　not　sure　—　but　saying　“I　must　have　Rider　Haggard。”　To　this　Mr。　Long　agreed；　and　the　matter　was　then　adjourned　to　the　following　night　—　I　think　the　last　of　the　session。　Again　the　trouble　began；　and　Sir　Frederick　Banbury；　either　throwing　over　or　not　knowing　of　the　arrangement　with　Mr。　Long；　threatened　to　stop　the　whole　thing；　once　more　in　a　thin　House；　unless　the　number　of　missioners　was　reduced　to　eight。　So；　as　my　name　was　the　last　on　the　list；　for　all　the　others　had　been　announced；　it　was　struck　off　to　prevent　the　hanging…up　until　after　the　adjournment　of　the　Amendings　Act；　which　I　think　was　being　rediscussed　upon　its　return　from　the　House　of　Lords。

Thus　it　came　about　that　I；　who　directly　and　indirectly　had　played　a　considerable　part　in　connection　with　this　beneficent　measure；　was　prevented　from　having　any　share　in　its　administration。

The　Royal　mission　on　Coast　Erosion　and　Afforestation　came　to　its　end　at　last　when　we　signed　a　Report　that　was　practically　unanimous；　save　for　one　or　two　reservations；　of　which　I　drafted　all　that　portion　that　has　to　do　with　Reclamation。　I　believe　that　our　remendations；　which　contain　nothing　very　startling；　are　to　be　made　the　subject　of　an　Act　of　Parliament　at　some　future　date。

I　made　some　good　friends　upon　that　mission；　notably　that　charming　and　able　geologist；　Professor　Jehu　（to　whom　I　dedicated　my　tale　“Red　Eve”）；　who　was　my　constant　panion　during　those　five　years；　and　dear　old　Sir　William　ffolkes；　now　gone　from　among　us。

I　missed　that　mission　very　much；　since　its　sittings　took　me　to　London　from　time　to　time；　and　gave　me　a　change　of　mental　occupation　and　interests。　Indeed　I　do　not　remember　ever　b