THE GEOGRAPHICAL VALUE OF _x_.
Fortunately for J. T. Maston, the Federal Government unexpectedly
received the following telegram:—
“To John S. Wright, Washington, U.S.A.
“Zanzibar, 13th September, 5 a.m., local time. Great foundries have been
established among the Wamasai to the south of Kilimanjaro. For eight
months Impey Barbicane and Nicholl have been there, with hundreds of
black workmen under the authority of the Sultan Bali-Bali. Information
for Government purposes.—Richard W. Trust, U.S. Consul.”
And that is how the great secret was discovered. And that is why the
secretary of the Gun Club was not hanged.
But who can say that he did not live to regret that he was not removed
from mankind in all the plenitude of his glory?
Anyhow the fact of the discovery is so important in our history that we
shall only be treating it with due respect in giving it this chapter to
itself.