course it has been brought here by
the ocean currents."

"Why, if it were thrown off the coast of England it would be carried
away, in the ordinary course of things, and might make the tour of the
world."

"The ocean currents," said the doctor, "have undoubtedly brought this
to us. Of that I shall have more to say presently--but just now, in
reference to your notion of a sensation novelist, and an English
origin, let me ask your opinion of the material on which it is
written. Did you ever see anything like it before? Is it paper?"

"No," said Melick; "it is evidently some vegetable substance. No doubt
the writer has had it prepared for this very purpose, so as to make it
look natural."

"Do you know what is is?" asked the doctor.

"No."

"Then I'll tell you; it's papyrus."

"Papyrus?"

"Yes, actual papyrus. You can find but little of that in existence at
the present day. It is only to be found here and there in museums.
I know it perfectly well, however, and saw what it was at the first
glance. Now, I hold that a sensation novelist would never have thought
of papyrus. If he didn't wish to use paper, he could have found a
dozen other things. I don't see how he could have found anyone able to
prepare such a substance as this for writing. It must have come from a
country where it is actually in use. Now, mark you, the papyrus-plant
may still be found growing wild on the banks of the upper Nile, and
also in Sicily, and it is made use of for ropes and other things of
that sort. But as to making writing material out of it, that is hardly
possible for the art is lost. The ancient process was very elaborate
and this manuscript is written on leaves which resembled in a
marvellous manner those of the Egyptian papyrus books. There are two
rolls at Marseilles which I have seen and examined, and they are
identical with this. Now these papyrus leaves indicate much mechanical
skill, and have a professional look. They seem like the work of an
experienced manufacturer."

"I don't see," said Melick, obstinately, "why one shouldn't get
papyrus now and have it made up into writing material."

"Oh, that's out of the question," said the doctor. "How could it
ever enter into anyone's head? How could your mere sensation-monger
procure the raw material? That of itself would be a work of immense
difficulty. How could he get it made up? That would be impossible.
But, apart from this, just consider the strong internal evidence that