On reaching our port I there learnt, for the first time, the reason
these passengers had for seizing their opportunity of escaping from the
ship. I could only make the same statement to the authorities which I
have made here. They considered me to blame for allowing the discipline
of the vessel to be relaxed. I have expressed my regret on this score to
them, and to my owners.
Since that time, nothing has been heard to my knowledge of the three
Hindoos. I have no more to add to what is here written.
III
The Statement of MR. MURTHWAITE (1850)
(In a letter to MR. BRUFF)
Have you any recollection, my dear sir, of a semi-savage person whom you
met out at dinner, in London, in the autumn of 'forty-eight? Permit me
to remind you that the person's name was Murthwaite, and that you and
he had a long conversation together after dinner. The talk related to
an Indian Diamond, called the Moonstone, and to a conspiracy then in
existence to get possession of the gem.
Since that time, I have been wandering in Central Asia. Thence I have
drifted back to the scene of some of my past adventures in the north
and north-west of India.
Pages:
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874
875
876
877
878
879
880
881
882
883
884
885
886
887
888
889
890