pected, came another
invitation with Dr. Baker's name added. Consequently they went, and a
very grand dinner it proved--lasting, by Lady Burton's computation, six
hours on end. At St. Mortiz-Kulm, and often after, they met Canon Wenham
of Mortlake, with whom both Sir Richard and Lady Burton had long been on
terms of friendship.

170. At Maloja, July 1890.

At Davos they found John Addington Symonds, and at Maloja Mr. Francis
R. S. Wyllie, Mr. and Mrs. (Sir and Lady) Squire Bancroft, the Rev. Dr.
Welldon and Mr. and Mrs. (Sir and Lady) Henry Stanley. Mrs. Stanley,
apparently at Lady Burton's suggestion, took a sheet of paper and wrote
on it, "I promise to put aside all other literature, and, as soon as I
return to Trieste, to write my autobiography." Then doubling the paper
she asked for Burton's autograph; and her request having been complied
with, she showed him what he had put his hand to. The rest of the
company signed as witnesses.

For some days, though it was early autumn, the party was snow-bound, and
Burton relieved the wearisomeness of the occasion by relating some of
his adventures. Mrs. Bancroft told him many amusing stories as they
walked together in a sheltered covered way.

"He had interested me so greatly," writes Lady Bancroft to me, [624]
"that I felt myself in his debt, and so tried by that means to make it
up to him. He laughed heartily at them. Indeed, I never knew anyone who
more enjoyed my stories. One morning early I played a practical joke
upon him. He politely raised his hat and said: 'I will forgive you, dear
friend, on one condition. Play the same trick on Stanley when he comes
down and I will watch.' I agreed, and fortunately brought down my
second bird. Both victims forgave me. One day I posed the Burtons, the
Stanleys, Captain Mounteney Jephson (Stanley's friend and companion),
with Salah (Stanley's black servant) for a photograph, which was taken
by a young clergyman. I have the delightful result in my possession. I
remember on a splendid morning, when the weather had mended and the sun
was dancing over a neighbouring glacier, my husband saying to the
black boy, 'Salah, isn't this a lovely day--don't you like to see the
beautiful sun again?' 'No, sir,' was the answer, 'ice makes him cold.'
Both Stanley and Sir Richard interested me more than I can say; they
were wonderful personalities, and those were, indeed, happy days."

Almost every day during the trip Sir Richard brought