‘It is dangerous—for both. The animals must be cared for by a competent force. How many animals are there?’ ‘Big ones, seven thousand; big and little together, ninety-eight thousand.’ ‘You must provide twelve hundred keepers. How is the vessel lighted?’ ‘By two windows.’ ‘Where are they?’ ‘Up under the eaves.’ ‘Two windows for a tunnel six hundred feet long and sixty-five feet deep? You must put in the electric light—a few arc lights and fifteen hundred incandescents. What do you do in case of leaks? How many pumps have you?’ ‘None, sir.’ ‘You must provide pumps. How do you get water for the passengers and the animals?’ ‘We let down the buckets from the windows.’ ‘It is inadequate. What is your motive power?’ ‘What is my which?’ ‘Motive power. What power do you use in driving the ship?’ ‘None.’ ‘You must provide sails or steam. What is the nature of your steering apparatus?’ ‘We haven’t any.’ ‘Haven’t you a rudder?’ ‘No, sir.’ ‘How do you steer the vessel?’ ‘We don’t.’ ‘You must provide a rudder, and properly equip it. How many anchors have you?’ ‘None.’ ‘You must provide six. One is not permitted to sail a vessel like this without that protection. How many life-boats have you?’ ‘None, sir.’ ‘Provide twenty-five. How many life-preservers?’ ‘None.’ ‘You will provide two thousand. How long are you expecting your voyage to last?’ ‘Eleven or twelve months.’ ‘Eleven or twelve months. Pretty slow—but you will be in time for the Exposition. What is your ship sheathed with—copper?’ ‘Her hull is bare—not sheathed at all.’ ‘Dear man, the wood-boring creatures of the sea would riddle her like a sieve and send her to the bottom in three months. She _cannot_ be allowed to go away in this condition; she must be sheathed. Just a word more: Have you reflected that Chicago is an inland city, and not reachable with a vessel like this?’ ‘Shecargo? What is Shecargo? I am not going to Shecargo.’ ‘Indeed? Then may I ask what the animals are for?’ ‘Just to breed others from.’ ‘Others? Is it possible that you haven’t enough?’ ‘For the present needs of civilisation, yes; but the rest are going to be drowned in a flood, and these are to renew the supply.’ ‘A flood?’ ‘Yes, sir.’ ‘Are you sure of that?’ ‘Perfectly sure. It is going to rain forty days and forty nights.’ ‘Give yourself no concern about that, dear sir, it often does that here.’ ‘Not this kind of rain. This is going to cover the mountain-tops, and the earth will pass from sight.’ ‘Privately—but of course not officially—I am sorry you revealed this, for it compels me to withdraw the option I gave you as to sails or steam. I must require you to use steam. Your ship cannot carry the hundredth part of an eleven-months’ water-supply for the animals. You will have to have condensed water.’ ‘But I tell you I am going to dip water from outside with buckets.’