Punch (98.1890)

June 28, 1890.] PUNCH, OK THE LONDON CHAR1VAPJ.

IT was a Midsummer Night, and Mr. Ponch in his sanctum dreamed a Dream ! To adapt the Laureate's lay :—
He read, before his eyelids dropt then- shade, Sung by the Lusitanian bard, who made

The Lusiads of Camoeks, long ago | Great Gama's glories glow.

It was the wondrous tale of Stai..ley which had turned the Sage's attention to the pages of the great Epic of Commerce.

He had read :— » Afric behold! alas, what altered view!

Her lands uncultured, and her sons untrue;
Ungraeed with all that sweetens human life,
Savage and fierce, they roam in brutal strife;
Eager they grasp the gifts which culture yields,
Yet naked roam their own neglected fields."

And though even Africa has considerably changed since the year of grace 1497, when " daring Gama " went " incessant

labouring round the stormy Cape," Mr. Ponch thought of that great gloom-shrouded Equatorial Forest and its secular savage

dwarf-denizens, and mused how much there was yet for our modern Camas to do in the Dark Continent.

Mr. Punch found himself in the lovely " Isle of Venus," the delicious floral Paradise which the Queen of Love, "the

guardian goddess of the Lusian race," created " amid the bosom of the watery waste," as " a place of glad repast and sweet

repose," for the tired home-returning Gama and his companions.

" Of' glad repast,'" said a familiar voice, " there is plenty and to spare; but for the ' sweet repose,' 'tis not to be
found in this ' Isle of Banqueting.' "

" Mr. Stakley, I presume ? " said the Sage.

•' You cannot presume," rejoined H. M. neatly. " But some of these gregarious dinner-givers do, and sometimes,—yes,
sometimes I'm afraid I let them see that I'm aware of it."

"As fame-preoccupied, country-loving Gama, wearied of the 'feasts, interludes, and chivalrous entertainments,'
with which • the taste of that age demonstrated the joy of Portugal,' might perchance have snubbed some too importunate
Don. ' The compliments of the Court and the shouts of the streets were irksome to him,' says the chronicle."

" Salisbury is not quite a Prince Henry apparently," remarked the modern Gama. " He and his father John did
not find the discoveries and acquisitions of their heroic compatriot' embarrassing.' ' The arts and valour of the Portuguese
had now made a great impression on the minds of the Africans. The King of Congo, a dominion of great extent, sent the
sons of some of his principal officers to be instructed in aits and religion.' This was four hundred years ago! AnJ now