A Queer Race: The Story of a Strange People — page 109: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

106 A QUEER RACE, “< Ay, ay, sir!” he muttered, and without another word left the room, greatly to my relief, for I could see that the queen was beginning to lose patience. ‘«<'These are strange stories you have told us, Mr. Erle,’ she said, turning to me, ‘‘ and no lessstrange is the man- ner of your coming hither. It would almost seem as if Fate, or Fortune, or Providence had directed your course and sent you to the Fair Island for some purpose which Is not yet clearly discernible. And no less strange than the story you have told me is the story which Lam about to tell you. Don’t shake your head, Waterlow Field. I shall tell Mr. Erle everything. He is a man of honor, and will neither abuse my confidence nor do aught to in- jure our people or compromise their safety. Besides, who knows? he may be persuaded to remain with us and give our commonwealth the benefit of his knowledge and ex- perience; and you must admit that we are sadly lacking in many things. If isolation has great advantages, it has also serious drawbacks! But to my story. You must ‘have already guessed, Mr. Erle, that we are the de- scendants of the Hecate’s crew; indeed, I just now told you that Conimander Fane was my great-great-grandfa- ther. The Santa Anna struck against those very Painted Rocks through which you so marvelously threaded your wa 33 fe Then the inscription | saw—-— “‘ You saw the inscription! That is the very place. It must be well-nigh obliterated bythistime. We will have it renewed. Since the wreck of the Santa Anna, several ships have been lost in the same place; for the most part they went to pieces immediately, and their crews per- ished to aman. Yours is the only ship that ever got through, and you are the first born Englishman who, since 1774, has landed on the island. Butif I go on at this rate I shall never finish my story, and I had perhaps better not attempt to finish it—at present. You shall read the log-books of the Hecate and the Santa Anna, also our records; they have been well kept, and then afterward—yes, that will be the better way-——-Mr. Field will place all the records at your disposal. Let him see everything, Mr. Field.” | Mr. Field bowed acquiescence, and I said I should read the log-books and records with the greatest interest. 3 33 (E(0) mm Cc JOO KS co