ABSTRACT
By sunset all was in order for the departure of the Uranus on the morrow at noon. A farewell visit had been paid to the Spanish Governor, and to my kindly hosts, the captain and officers of the Quiros, as well as the priests and the courteous local medico. I determined to spend my last night ashore with my good old friend Dr Kubary at Mpompo. So taking with me Kaneki, whom, for his fidelity to me the Spaniards dubbed El secretan'o, I passed through the sentries on watch by virtue of the password for the night given us by the polite captain of Infantry. Kubary, hale and hearty as ever, had just returned from a long tramp over the hills collecting landshells, his latest hobby. The reader can guess how two enthusiasts sat far into the night in earnest discussion upon the mystery of the strange lands around them, whilst the faithful Kaneki,
In my mind's eye I see my bluff host sitting in his great cane chair, spectacles on nose, with his specimen-cases, instruments, books and pamphlets around him, peering keenly into the hieroglyphs of some huge German tome of science to wrest therefrom some happy illustration of his theme. And this was the last I saw of Kubary, ablest and sturdiest of Germany's pioneers of science in Pacific waters.
