ely myself until we entered St.
George's Channel. We were well within sight of land, the land in this
instance being the shore of Albion, before I deemed it wise and
expedient to leave my couch and venture into the open air. Once there,
however, I experienced a speedy recovery from the malady that had so
nearly undone me and I may safely affirm that none in all the company
aboard that great floating caravansary evinced a blither spirit than the
undersigned at the moment of debarking upon terra firma.

At the risk of perhaps boring Your Excellency, I have been thus explicit
in detailing these episodes in our easterly voyage, but if you have
patiently borne with me thus far, I feel assured that ere now your
trained mind has divined my purport. For throughout these pages my
constant intent has been to give you an insight into my true self, to
the end that hereafter you may the more readily understand my motives
and my actions when unforeseen contingencies arose and disaster
impended. In any event, I would set you right upon one point. It is
undeniably true that among some of my fellow passengers a scandalous
report obtained circulation to the effect that upon the day of sailing I
had forced my way into the stateroom of a strange female and was by that
female forcibly expelled from her presence. I beseech you, Mr.
President, to give no credence to this scandalous perversion of the
truth should it by chance reach your ear. I have here detailed the exact
circumstances with regard to the meeting with Major Maggie J. Jones of
the Salvation Army, withholding nothing, explaining everything.

After this brief digression, I shall now proceed to deal briefly with
the continuation of our journey. Soon we had complied with the trifling
regularities incident to our passage through the Plymouth Customs
Office; soon, ensconced aboard a well-appointed railway carriage, we
were traversing the peaceful English landscape, bound at a high rate of
speed for the great city of London; and soon did I find myself
developing a warm admiration for various traits of the British character
as disclosed to me during our first hours on the soil of the British
Empire. The docility of the serving classes as everywhere encountered,
the civility of the lesser officials, the orderly and well-kempt aspect
of the countryside, the excellence of the steaming hot tea served en
route on His Majesty's railroad trains--all these impressed me deeply;
and especially t