Would the two
gentlemen kindly read and acknowledge receipt of the Governor's
epistles?
Both were purely formal documents. They set forth the official demand
that the _Aphrodite_ should not attempt to land any of her occupants on
Italian territory at other than a recognized port, and warned her owner
and commander that the _Cigno_ would enforce observance of the request.
At first, Mr. Fenshawe refused angrily to give a written reply, but von
Kerber prevailed on him, and he wrote:
"Mr. Hiram Fenshawe begs to inform the Governor of Erythrea that his
prohibition of the landing of a British scientific expedition in the
colony he rules is arbitrary and unwarranted. Mr. Hiram Fenshawe is
further of opinion that the said prohibition is part of the lawless
treatment to which he and other members of the yacht's company were
subjected during their visit to the 'recognized port' of Massowah.
Finally, Mr. Hiram Fenshawe intends to lay the whole matter before the
British Foreign Office."
This stiff-necked answer showed clearly that the writer was still on
von Kerber's side, no matter what revelations were contained in the
letter from London which Royson knew of.
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