第68部分(第1/7 页)

and　as　a　result　of　his　observations　informed　me　that　he　was　sure　from　their　conduct　at　night　that　they　possessed　some　elementary　instinct　of　prayer。　His　reasons　are　too　long　to　set　out；　but　they　were　very　striking。

In　Rhodesia　he　discovered　a　large　amount　of　treasure　buried　in　one　of　the　prehistoric　ruins　and　old　forts；　with　the　skeletons　of　unknown　ancients。　I　have　a　gold　bead　from　it　which　he　gave　me；　mounted　as　a　pin；　also　some　iron　arrow…heads　which　he　found　amidst　the　bones；　showing　that　these　men　died　in　an　attack　by　enemies。

Such　are　a　few　of　the　incidents　of　Major　Burnham’s　career。　The　reader　might　judge　from　them　that　he　is　a　rough　and　uncultured　man；　but　this　is　far　from　being　the　case。　Like　old　Allan　Quatermain；　he　is　an　extremely　polished　and　thoughtful　person；　and　one　with　an　extraordinarily　wide　outlook　on　affairs　in　general。　I　remember；　for　instance；　that　he　took　a　most　lively　interest　in　parish　councils；　their　constitution　and　business。　This；　after　all　the　vast　issues　of　life　and　death　in　which　he　had　been　engaged　for　many　years；　struck　me　as　strange　—　though；　as　we　know；　elephants　are　adepts　at　the　picking　up　of　pins。

When　I　was　missioner　in　America　in　1905　I　stayed　with　the　Burnhams　at　their　charming　house　in　Pasadena；　Los　Angeles。　After　I　parted　from　them　I　travelled　with　another　remarkable　man；　Mr。　Hays　Hammond　—　who　was　once　condemned　to　death　with　Jameson　at　Pretoria　—　across　America　in　his　private　car；　and　spoke　with　him　of　Burnham。　Also　I　told　him　the　strange　tale　of　a　certain　odd　gentleman　of　the　name　of　Carmichael；　now　I　believe　long　dead；　who　thought　that　he　had　discovered　the　secret　of　the　hidden　city　of　the　Aztecs；　that　lies　somewhere　at　the　back　of　Chiapas；　in　which　treasure　to　the　value　of　three　million　sterling　is