great deal if I tell you at the outset that we are all absolutely of one
mind regarding the matter which I have been deputed to lay before you."

"I understand," said I. "Pray proceed, Mr Wilde," for the man had
paused, as though to afford me an opportunity to speak.

He bowed slightly in acknowledgment of my permission to continue, and
resumed:

"When Polson, the boatswain of this ship, boarded the _Salamis_, he
informed your captain that the _Mercury_ was bound from Liverpool to
Sydney, New South Wales, and in a sense the statement was true, inasmuch
as that when the ship sailed from Liverpool her captain had instructions
to navigate her to Australia. But since then many things have happened,
as you are aware. One very important happening, however, of which as
yet you know nothing, is this: After most carefully weighing every
point, for and against, we have arrived, with absolute unanimity, at the
determination that, instead of continuing our voyage to Australia, we
will proceed to the Pacific Ocean, where, on some suitable island--for
which we will search until we find it--we will establish ourselves as a
little community, to be governed upon the simple, old-fashioned,
patriarchal system of perfect equality. And my object in explaining
this scheme of ours to you is to request that you will have the goodness
to change the course of the ship accordingly."

This extraordinary statement, with its concluding request, was made in
so perfectly calm and matter-of-fact a manner, and in a tone of such
absolute finality, that for a space of several seconds I was rendered
literally speechless with amazement. The colossal impudence and
audacity of the proposal took my breath away. But I soon collected my
scattered faculties, and forthwith proceeded vigorously to remonstrate
with the visionary enthusiast who, I instantly recognised, must be the
originator of the scheme.

"Sit down, Mr Wilde," said I, seating myself upon a hencoop, and
signing to him to place himself beside me. "You have sprung upon me a
matter that is not to be dealt with and dismissed in a breath; indeed,
it involves so many momentous questions that I scarcely know where to
begin. But, by way of a starter, let me ask you whether you are aware
that you have no right whatever to make use of this ship for such a
purpose as that which you have outlined to me? The contract of the
owners was to convey you to Sydney, and land you there, and you can
claim