He explained that, through the enterprise of the Council of State, and the intrepidity of Amoora Oseba and his brave comrades, that question, the most momentous in the long history of Cavitorus, it was hoped, had been solved, and they had met to hear a report on that most interesting matter. He said, as the Committee had given the most careful attention to the books, maps, charts, and globes brought by the returned party, and having had the generous assistance of Oseba himself, and Leo Bergin, a native of the upper world, they had familiarized themselves somewhat with the geography, history, customs and manners of the various nations of the upper world, by the assistance of the views to be presented, a fair understanding would be easily reached. Then, too, as the press had been generous and enterprising, he thought the people were quite prepared for an intelligent appreciation of the gifted traveller's oration. "Mr. Oseba, the father of the new philosophy," said he, "will now speak to us, as to his children." However, as the people had requested that the poetess Vauline be permitted to ask for occasional explanations, this was provided for. Here the record tells us--I have boiled out twenty pages of delightful "toffy"--that the chairman introduced Amoora Oseba as: "The most intrepid explorer the world ever knew," at the same time inviting Leo Bergin and the other members of the returned party to the platform. Of this episode of the ceremony, the modest Leo Bergin says: "I was embarrassed." A fine canvas, some sixty feet square, had previously been raised at the end of the hall, and, with the assistance of attendants, a large instrument, from which could be thrown moveable views of the earth's surface, was properly adjusted. With an explanation all too brief, as Leo himself thinks, the first picture was thrown on the wall. It was our planet, represented by a globe forty feet in diameter, revolving slowly on its axis. It was a true model of our globe, on Symmes' theory, the angle to the axis being 23°, with the north opening plainly visible, and Cavitorus was easily located. This, we are told, was entirely novel, even to the Committee; but so skilful are the mechanics of Eurania, that from a small model or instrument taken across by the party, this wonderful piece of complicated mechanism was perfected. What a revelation this must have been, bursting so unexpectedly upon the astonished gaze of these strange people! But as in the magic hand of the "loved and lost" Leo Bergin there are both pen and brush, I here invoke his genius, for my pen falters. He says:-- "As the vast assembly gazed in almost breathless awe, the master said: 'This is Oliffa, our own planet, as it is hurled through space at 68,000 miles an hour, with this brief forty feet expanded to 8,000 miles.' [Illustration: _The Drop Scene, Wanganui River._]