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if we could trace our ancestors back to the beginning； we should find that on one occasion or another they have happened to some of them。 I may add that by far the prettiest and most idyllic of these pictures was that of the primitive family in the midst of its green setting of hazel boughs by the mouth of the cave。 Only over it； as I have said； like a thunder…cloud brooded the sense of something terrible that was about to happen。 I wonder what it was。
And now farewell to the occult。 Mysticism in moderation adds a certain zest to life and helps to lift it above the level of the monplace。 But it is at best a dangerous sea to travel before the time。 The swimmer therein will do well to keep near to this world’s sound and friendly shore lest the lights he sees from the crest of those bewildering； phantom waves should madden or blind him； and he sink； never to rise again。 It is not good to listen for too long to the calling of those voices wild and sweet。
Chapter 20 THE ROOSEVELT LETTERS
Appointed missioner to report to Secretary of State for Colonies on Salvation Army Labour Colonies in U。S。A。 — Alfred Lyttelton — H。 R。 H。‘s daughter Angela goes with him as secretary — Washington — Mr。 Hay — President Roosevelt — The White House — Notes of interview with Roosevelt — Correspondence with Roosevelt。
On January 1905 I received； quite unexpectedly； the following letter from the Right Hon。 Alfred Lyttelton； who at that date was Secretary of State for the Colonies。
Downing Street： January 14； 1905。
Dear Mr。 Rider Haggard； — The Rhodes trustees have agreed to give a sum of 300 pounds （inclusive of all expenses） to defray the expense of sending a missioner to the United States to inspect and report upon the “Labour Colonies” established in the United States by the Salvation Army。 There appear to be at present three of these； in California； Colorado； and Ohio； and they are used for the transmigration of persons from the big American cities。 It is thought that if on inquiry this system is found to be financially sound and to be a real benefit to the poorer classes； it might prove a useful model for some analogous system of settlement from the United Kingdom to the Colonies。
It is the desire of the Rhodes Trustees that the missioner should be nominated by and report to the Secretary of State for the Colonies。
I should be very glad if you would consent to do the work； for which your experience as an observer both of men and agricultural affairs so eminently qualifies you。 The remuneration is not very great； but the interest of the question to which the inquiry will relate and the public service which the missioner will be able to do may induce you； I hope； to undertake it。
If you go； you would in the first place be put into munication with the Salvation Army authorities。 Mr。 Booth Tucker； who mands their United States branch； considers that the missioner should start as early in the year as practicable； because he would have better opportunities of seeing the settlers and talking with them before the more strenuous agricultural operations have menced。
I should therefore be obliged if you would be so good as to let me know in a few days whether you will be able and willing to go； and if so； whether you could start in February。
Yours faithfully；
Alfred Lyttelton。
H。 Rider Haggard； Esq。
I extract the following passage from my answer：
I thank you for your letter and the pliment you have paid me。 I accept your invitation to undertake this mission； especially as the subject is one that interests me very much； indeed I was speaking on a branch of it at the meeting at York last week of which Mr。 Seebohm Rowntree was chairman。 。 。 。 I understand that I shall receive my appointment as missioner and my instructions from you as Secretary of State； not from the Rhodes Trustees； and that it will be so gazetted。
Shortly after I received a letter from Mr。 Lyttelton’s secretary； Mr。 Graham； which I print to show what were the exact terms of my instructions。
Downing Street： January 31； 1905。
Sir； — I am directed by Mr。 Secretary Lyttelton to inform you that he has nominated you to be a missioner to proceed to the United States； and to inspect and to report to him upon the conditions and character of the Agricultural and Industrial Settlements which have been established there by the Salvation Army； with a view to the transmigration of suitable persons from the great cities of the United States to the land and the formation of Agricultural munities。
2。 It appears to the Secretary of State that； if these experiments are found to be successful； some analogous system might with great advantage be applied in transferring the urban populations of the United Kingdom to different parts of the British Empire。
3。 You should pay special attention to the class of persons taken by the Salvation Army； their training and success as agricultural settlers； and the general effect upon character and social happiness； you should also consider the financial aspects of the experiments。
4。 It would be desirable that； after you have inspected the several Settlements； you should proceed to Ottawa and discuss the subject with Lord Grey； who has taken great interest in it； as well as with such local authorities as may be indicated to you by the Governor…General as likely to aid you with advice and assistance as to the application of the system in a British Colony。
5。 The Rhodes Trustees； with whom the suggestion of the Inquiry originated； and by whom Mr。 Lyttelton has been asked to nominate a missioner； have made a grant of 300 pounds； including all travel expenses； to meet the cost of the Inquiry。
I am； Sir；
Your obedient servant；
Fred。 Graham。
H。 Rider Haggard； Esq。
I remember that when I went to see the Colonial Secretary to receive his verbal instructions before sailing； by some accident I missed the right entrance to the Colonial Office and finally obtained admission through a little back…door。 At the time this circumstance struck me as curiously emblematic of my position。 For after a cessation of twenty…six years was I not once again entering the official service of my country through a back…door； by means of this unexpected mission with which I was now honoured？
I inspected the Salvation Army colony at Hadleigh。 Also I had a long interview with General Booth； and in due course I arrived at New York acpanied by my daughter Angela； who acted as my secretary。 Here I was seized upon by interviewers； one instance of which I must record； because it is amusing。 In the Waldorf Hotel we had three rooms — my daughter’s； my own； and a place for sitting。 About two o’clock one night the telephone in each of these rooms （every room in an American hotel has a telephone） began to ring furiously。 I leapt from my bed and tried to attend to two of them。 While I was doing so my poor daughter arrived shivering in her nightgown （there were many degrees of frost）； exclaiming； “Oh； Dad； do e here！ There is a lunatic on the telephone who says he wants me to e out walking in the streets。”
It turned out that some enterprising newspaper was distributing food to the New York poor； and thought that it might get an advertisement by our presence at the process。
After