第63部分(第1/7 页)

ests　were　less　known；　and　those　who　devoted　themselves　to　this　chase　were　few　in　number　and　supremely　qualified　for　the　business。　Now　travelling　is　cheap；　hundreds　handle　the　；　and　all　e　home　with　something　that　is　offered　for　sale　under　the　ancient　label。

It　is　curious　how　often　imagination　is　verified　by　fact　—　perhaps；　as　I　said　at　the　beginning　of　this　screed；　because　the　lines　in　which　it　must　work　are　narrow　and　after　all　based　on　fact；　perhaps　because　it　does　possess　some　spiritual　insight　of　its　own。　Many　instances　have　e　within　my　own　experience　of　which　I　will　quote　a　few　that　I　chance　to　remember。

I　pass　over　“King　Solomon’s　Mines；”　a　work　of　pure　imagination；　for　in　my　day　very　little　was　known　of　the　regions　wherein　its　scenes　were　laid；　many　details　of　which　have　been　verified　by　subsequent　discovery。　In　its　sequel；　“Allan　Quatermain；”　however；　occurs　a　fine　example　of　the　literary　coincidence。　In　this　book　I　invented　a　mission　station　at　an　unexplored　spot　on　the　Tana　River；　which　station　I　caused　to　be　attacked　by　the　Masai。　In　subsequent　editions　of　the　work　I　inserted　the　following　note；　which　explains　itself：

By　a　very　strange　and　sad　coincidence；　since　the　above　was　written；　the　Masai；　in　April　1886；　massacred　a　missionary　and　his　wife；　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Houghton　—　on　this　same　Tana　River；　and　at　the　spot　described。　These　are；　I　believe；　the　first　white　people　who　are　known　to　have　fallen　victims　to　this　cruel　tribe。

Again；　in　a　tale　called　“Maiwa’s　Revenge；”　I　gave　an　elaborate　description　of　a　certain　escape　of　Allan　Quatermain　from　pursuing　savages；　who　hunted　him　up　the　face　of　a　cliff　and　seized　hold　of　his　ankles。　He　freed　himself　from　their　attentions　by　firing　down　on　them　along　the　line　of　his　leg　with　a　pistol。　So