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AN ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT. be strong enough for his needs.

And a certain man rose up and spake unto him saying, Behold! I have a ship which is so strongly built that no tempest can do it any hurt, neither can it be crushed by ice.

Give unto me six thousand pieces of gold, and I will deliver the ship unto thee, with all things in good order and ready for thee to start on thy journey.

And because he was in great haste, Shackleton bought the ship which he had not seen, for it was in a far country, but when it had been delivered unto him, he found that many shekels were needed to make the ship fit to go forth.

¶ Now it will of a surety be seen by all men of understanding, that no man could of himself do everything in this great work; so Shackleton took unto himself a portion of one of the great houses in the city, in the street which is called Regent;

And there did he work for many days assisted by his steward, a man who had had much dealings with food and with raiment, and all such things as would be needed.

Now this house was occupied at the lower part by people who sell food and drink, and above by some who did anoint the hair of those inhabitants of the