The winding-up of my father's estate was a very simple matter, and by the
beginning of September 1891 I should have been free to start; but about
that time I became engaged, and naturally enough I did not want to be
longer away than was necessary. I should not have gone at all if I could
have helped it. I left, however, a fortnight later than my father had
done.
Before starting I bought a handsome gold repeater for the Mayor, and a
brooch for Yram, of pearls and diamonds set in gold, for which I paid 200
pounds. For Yram's three daughters and for Mrs. Humdrum's grand-daughter
I took four brooches each of which cost about 15 pounds, 15s., and for
the boys I got three ten-guinea silver watches. For George I only took a
strong English knife of the best make, and the two thousand pounds worth
of uncoined gold, which for convenience' sake I had had made into small
bars. I also had a knapsack made that would hold these and nothing
else--each bar being strongly sewn into its place, so that none of them
could shift. Whenever I went on board ship, or went on shore, I put this
on my back, so that no one handled it except myself--and I can assure the
reader that I did not find it a light weight to handle. I ought to have
taken something for old Mrs. Humdrum, but I am ashamed to say that I
forgot her.
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