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AURORA AUSTRALIS. wouldest do, and he would have thee take thy ship Nimrod to the city of Cowes, and there abide for a space till he may come to thee.

¶ Straightway therefore, did Shackleton bestir himself, and with all haste betook his ship and his company to the city aforesaid.

And in due time, amid the clang of mock battle and the ﬂaring of trumpets, came on board the Great King, and also did he bring with him the Queen, and the Royal Princes and Princesses his children.

And after that he had surveyed the ship, the King did bestow upon Shackleton a mark of honour, and the Queen did with her own hand graciously entrust unto him a banner of the country, and spake kind words to him and his company, so that their hearts did swell within them.

¶ Now it was even so that the ship Nimrod, although made so strong, did not possess great speed; Shackleton did therefore bid the captain whom he had chosen, to take the ship to that portion of the dominions of the Great King which is called New Zealand, and did also send in the ship two men who were to dwell with him in the strange land.

One of these was of the number of wise men, who did know all things about the fish that swim in