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第77部分（第2页）

Good　luck　to　you！　In　triumph　or　disaster　God’s　blessing　and　peace　on　you　who　are　striving　for　the　truth　and　right。

Thus　prays　your　friend；

H。　Rider　Haggard。

Here　ends　my　Roosevelt　correspondence　up　to　the　present　time。　If　he　survives　me　—　which；　being　so　strong；　is　more　than　probable　—　I　do　not　think　that　he　will　be　vexed　with　me　for　including　what　he　wrote　to　me　in　my　autobiography；　seeing　that　it　is　in　a　sense　all　public　matter　and　reveals　his　true　character　in　the　most　favourable　of　lights。

How　wrong；　in　my　opinion；　are　those　who　so　bitterly　abuse　Mr。　Roosevelt！　I　think　him　a　noble…hearted　and　upright　man　who　is　striving　for　the　good　of　humanity。

Chapter　21　REPORT　ON　LABOUR　COLONIES

Letter　to　Alfred　Lyttelton　—　Interview　with　him　—　Opportunities　of　Conservative　Government　—　How　used　—　Nature　of　H。　R。　H。‘s　scheme　—　Approved　by　Earl　Grey；　Governor…General　of　Canada　—　Cold　reception　by　Government　—　Alfred　Lyttelton　a　believer　in　it　—　Referred　to　a　Departmental　mittee　—　The　bottom　knocked　out　of　it　—　Letters　from　Earl　Grey　—　Letter　from　Bramwell　Booth。

On　my　homeward　way　across　the　Atlantic　I　wrote　the　following　private　letter　to　Mr。　Lyttelton：

R。M。S。　Majestic：　April　23；　1905。

Dear　Mr。　Lyttelton；　—　I　hope　within　a　few　days　to　let　you　have　my　Report；　or　rather　Reports　—　for　I　have　written　a　general　Report　and　separate　Remarks　upon　each　of　the　Salvation　Army　Colonies。

I　am　glad　to　be　able　to　tell　you　that　on　the　whole；　although　mistakes　have　been　made；　I　formed　a　favourable　opinion　of　these　colonies。

I　am　also　thankful　to　be　able　to　add　that　the　results　of　my　negotiations　with　the　Canadian　Government　are；　in　my　opinion；　very　satisfactory。　They　have　given　me　240；000　acres　of　land　outright　（to　be　selected　wherever　one　likes）　and　a　promise　of　as　much　more　as　is　wanted。　This　is　really　very　handsome。　Up　to　the　present；　however；　I　have　not　been　able　to　get　their　promise　that　they　would　join　in　guaranteeing　a　loan　for　Emigration　purposes。　Still　Mr。　Fielding　was　very　well　disposed　towards　so　doing　and　promised　me　that　he　would　consult　his　colleagues　and　municate　with　me　further。　I　owe　it　to　Lord　Grey　and　Mr。　Sifton　that　things　went　so　smoothly　in　Canada。　I　cannot　be　grateful　enough　to　them；　as　will　be　seen　from　my　Report。　I　was　fortunate　enough　to　be　able　to　convince　everybody　I　met　there；　from　Sir　Wilfrid　Laurier　down；　that　the　scheme　I　have　evolved　is　sound　and　workable　—　to　the　benefit　of　Canada　also；　so　they　all　set　to　and　helped　me　after　reading　my　reports　on　the　Colonies。　（I　had　roughly　drafted　these　Reports　during　my　train　journeys。　—　H。　R。　H。）　Also　I　think　that　Sir　Wilfrid　was　approached　in　a　fortunate　hour　—　just　when　he　wished　to　do　something　for　the　Protestants。

At　any　rate　when　I　took　some　opportunity　to　point　out　to　him　that　the　Salvation　Army　put　no　religious　pressure　on　its　settlers　and　that　there　were　Roman　Catholic　families　at　Fort　Romie；　after　thinking　a　moment；　he　answered　formally：

“I　think　that　no　Public　Body　could　be　better　fitted　to　carry　out　Land　Settlements　in　Canada　than　is　the　Salvation　Army。”

It　seemed　to　me　that　this　was　holding　out　the　hand　of　wele。

The　Report　covers　many　documents　that　have　to　be　checked　and　prepared　for　press；　but　I　am　pushing　on　with　them　as　fast　as　possible；　and　if　I　am　wanted　a　wire　to　Ditchingham　will　always　find　me。

I　had　a　most　interesting　interview　with　President　Roosevelt；　of　which　I　will　bring　or　send　the　private　notes。

Our　journey　was　very　long　and　arduous；　and　towards　the　end　of　it　my　daughter　developed　influenza　in　the　train　which；　as　I　did　not　know　what　it　was；　frightened　me。　Also　we　had　a　great　escape　of　being　drowned　in　the　Colorado　River。　However；　I　am　glad　to　say　we　got　through　safely。　Hoping　that　my　Report　and　scheme　may　be　thought　satisfactory。

Believe　me；

Very　truly　yours；

H。　Rider　Haggard。

Some　weeks　after　my　return　I　had　a　brief　interview　with　Mr。　Lyttelton　at　the　House　of　mons　—　it　may　have　extended　to　half　an　hour；　though　I　think　it　was　less。