I have often heard him tell his own story, and it is a curious one. He had noticed a ship loading treasure in Hongkong harbour, and accidentally heard afterwards that a wreck had been seen on a certain shoal in the China seas which answered the description of the treasure ship: he went there and recovered a large amount of silver. He took it to Hongkong, and ultimately, there being no claimants, received the whole. Some of his enemies in Manilla took offence at his not bringing it to his own port, and accused him of having committed acts of piracy during the time he was engaged trading in the isles farther east. He heard of this charge while cruising in the Sulu seas, passing the necessary time before the treasure would be adjudged to him. Distrusting colonial justice, and to avoid pursuit, he burnt his vessel and escaped in a native boat. After some months all charges were withdrawn, and he returned to Europe, and presenting himself before the Pope, explained his desire to found and manage a mission in Borneo. He was permitted to do so, and remained in Rome some years, in order to study, and after visiting Spain and Manilla, at last reached Labuan, with four Italian priests, two destined for the Bornean mission. I need not comment on the singularity of some parts of this history. He placed one of the priests at Brunei, the other at Labuan, while he himself commanded a station at Gaya Bay. His principal object in establishing the mission was, he said, to recover from slavery those poor Christian brethren who, having been captured by pirates, had been sold on the north-west coast of Borneo. They are there doubtless, but he never appears to have made a sensible effort to free them. There are three hundred in Brunei, all of whom could have been obtained at 7_l._ a head, but I never heard of his paying but for one old woman. He used to threaten the Brunei authorities with Spanish steamers, but I imagine his own Government was too well aware of the real state of the case to listen to him. Nine-tenths of the Manilla captives could be free if they chose, as they might easily escape to our colony of Labuan, but the fact is, they have intermarried with the inhabitants and turned Mahomedans, and, therefore, will not leave the country, except under compulsion.