yment was open at his office.
It would be necessary for him to get authority from Washington.
After this was obtained some hope might be held out, so I appeared
in the office from time to time as a visitor, my first visit being
that described in the opening chapter.

[1] I may remark, for the benefit of any medical reader, that it
involved the use of two pails, one full of water, the other empty.
When he got through the ablution, one pail was empty, and the other
full. My authority for the actuality of this remarkable proceeding
was some inmate of the house at the time, and I give credence to
the story because it was not one likely to be invented.

[2] Rev. Alexander H. Monroe, who, I have understood, afterward
lived in Montreal. I have often wished to find a trace of him,
but do not know whether he is still living.

[3] Our druggist was Mr. S. L. Tilley, afterward Sir Leonard Tilley,
the well-known Canadian Minister of Finance.

[4] Peake, notwithstanding his official title, would seem to have
been more than an ordinary janitor, as he was the author of a Guide
to the Smithsonian Institution.

III

THE WORLD OF SWEETNESS AND LIGHT

The term "Nautical Almanac" is an unfortunate misnomer for what is,
properly speaking, the "Astronomical Ephemeris." It is quite a
large volume, from which the world draws all its knowledge of times
and seasons, the motions of the heavenly bodies, the past and future
positions of the stars and planets, eclipses, and celestial phenomena
generally which admit of prediction. It is the basis on which the
family almanac is to rest. It also contains the special data needed
to enable the astronomer and navigator to determine their position on
land or sea. The first British publication of the sort, prepared by
Maskelyne, Astronomer Royal, a century ago, was intended especially
for the use of navigators; hence the familiar appellation, which I
call unfortunate because it leads to the impression that the work
is simply an enlargement and improvement of the household almanac.

The leading nations publish ephemerides of this sort. The
introductions and explanations are, of course, in the languages of
the respective countries; but the contents of the volume are now so
much alike that the duplication of work involved in preparing them
seems quite unnecessary. Yet national pride and emulation will
probably continue it for some time to come.

The first appropriation for an America