Furneaux

“ Furneaux, quivering with silent wrath, soon abandoned the search when this pièce de conviction was found at the root of the Dorothy Perkins rose-tree. Seeing the lamp relighted, he peremptorily bade Grant and Bates come in with him. He closed the window, adjusted the blind again, and poured generous measures of port wine into two glasses. Handing one to Bates, he took the other himself.
“Friend,” he said, “some men have fame thrust upon them, but you have achieved it. ”

“ Grant draw any blind or curtains?”
“There are muslin curtains attached to each side of the window. One cannot see into the room from a distance.”
Furneaux measured an imaginary line drawn from Doris’s bedroom to the edge of the cliff, and prolonged it.
“Nor can you see the river or foot of the lawn from your room,” he commented.
“No. In winter I can just make out the edge of the lawn. When the trees are in leaf, all the lower part is hidden.” ”

“ Furneaux had gauged the artistic temperament accurately. Without another word of protest Trenholme placed the disputed canvas on the easel.
"Do you smoke?" inquired the detective suddenly.
"Yes. What the deuce has my smoking got to do with it?"
"I fancied that, perhaps, you might like to have a pipe while I examine this gem at leisure. One does not gabble the common-places of life when in the presence of the supreme in art. I find that a really fine picture induces a feeling of reverence, an emotion akin to the influence of a mountain range, or a dim cathedral. Pray burn incense. ”

“ Henry Furneaux, a well-known Oxford scholar, his family consisting of a son and two daughters. He was always a man of much physical activity, fond of a horse, of field sports and games, and of yachting. ”

“ He ordered two of the water-casks to be filled, to shew the Indian that we wanted water, and produced some hatchets, and other things, to intimate that he wished to trade for provisions. The old man, during this pantomimical conversation, in some degree recovered his spirits; and Mr Furneaux, to confirm his professions of friendship, gave him a hatchet, some nails, beads, and other trifles; after which he re-embarked on board the boats, and left the pendant flying. ”

“ Dear Miss Martin.
I am here vice Mr. Furneaux, who is engaged on other phases of the same inquiry. My business is absolutely unknown. I figure at the inn as “Mr. W. Franklin, Argentina.” Indeed, Mr. Furneaux left the village because he realized the difficulties facing him in that respect. Now, I trust you, and I hope you will justify my faith. You know Superintendent Fowler. I want you to meet me and him this afternoon at two o’clock at the crossroads beyond the mill. A closed car will be in waiting, and we can have half an hour’s talk without anyone in Steynholme being the wiser. ”

“ A small, wiry individual who looked like a comedian and spouted the truisms of the studio, a wizened little whippersnapper who put hardly one direct question to a prospective witness, but whose caustic comments had placed a new and vastly disagreeable aspect on the morning's adventure—such a man to be the representative of staid and heavy-footed Scotland Yard! Well, wonders would never cease. It was not for a bewildered artist yet to know that Furneaux's genius alone excused his eccentricities.
And he, Trenholme, was to meet the girl! He turned to the easel and looked at the picture. ”

“ I at first rather wondered that Captain Furneaux would encumber himself with this man, who, in my opinion, was not a proper sample of the inhabitants of these happy islands, not having any advantage of birth, or acquired rank; nor being eminent in shape, figure, or complexion: For their people of the first rank are much fairer, and usually better behaved, and more intelligent, than the middling class of people, among whom Omai is to be ranked. ”

“ Henry Furneaux
Oxford has sustained a great loss in the lamented death of Rev. Henry Furneaux, M.A., from failure of action of the heart. Mr. Furneaux, who was in his 71st year, was a Winchester boy, where he was noticeable for a remarkably retentive memory. He obtained a scholarship at Corpus Christi College, and a first class in 1851, and became in due course Fellow and tutor of his college, was moderator in 1856, in which year he was ordained, proctor in 1865, and examiner in Lit. ”

“ It is not likely that Furneaux ever saw land so far west. "It cannot be the same, as Mr. Bass was afterwards convinced," wrote Flinders. Governor Hunter, "at our recommendation," named it Wilson's Promontory, "in compliment to my friend Thomas Wilson, Esq., of London." It has been stated that the name was given to commemorate William Wilson, one of the whaleboat crew, who "jumped ashore first." [5] Nobody "jumped ashore first" on the westward voyage, when the discovery was made, because, as Bass twice mentions in his diary, "we could not land." ”

“ Birds fluttered uneasily on the upper branches of the trees—indeed, Furneaux was lucky in that the occasional gleam of the torch had not sent a pheasant hurtling off with frantic clamor ere ever the rendezvous was reached—and some winged creature, probably an owl, swept over the rock in stealthy flight. The rabbits were all out in the open, nibbling grass and crops at leisure, but there were other tiny forms rustling [Pg 282] among the shrubs and scampering across the soft carpet of fallen leaves. ”

“ After remaining five days in Adventure Bay, captain Furneaux sailed along the coast to the northward, in order to discover whether Van Diemen's Land were joined to New South Wales. He passed the Maria's, Schouten's, and Vanderlin's Islands of Tasman, at some distance; and then, closing more in with the coast, he found the land to be low and even, and of an agreeable aspect, "but no signs of a harbour or bay, where a ship might anchor in safety." In latitude 40° 50′, the coast, from running nearly north, turned to the westward, and, as captain Furneaux thought, formed a deep bay. ”

“ Trenholme, like the average reader, did not know that such self-appointed sleuths are snubbed and despised by Scotland Yard, that they seldom or never base their fantastic theories on facts, or that, in fiction, they act in a way which would entail their own speedy appearance in the dock if practiced in real life. Furneaux came as a positive revelation. ”

“ Hylda Prout knew the name and history of every one, and murmured an explanation as Furneaux bent in scrutiny.
"Those are what are called 'celts,'" she said; "they are not very uncommon, and are found in every country—made of flint, mostly, and used as ax-heads by the ancients. ”

“ They’ve been soaked in turpentine, which, chemist or no chemist, is still the best agent for removing stains. We’ll put ’em under the glass after we’ve examined the book. Siddle keeps a sort of diary, a series of jumbled memoranda. If we can extract nutriment out of that we may have something tangible to go upon. Let’s begin at the end.”
Opening the leather-bound note-book, Furneaux stood with his back to the window. Winter, owing to his superior height, could look over the lesser man’s shoulder. ”

“ But Winter was well aware of, and kept to himself one phase of the art deal, at any rate. Furneaux had persuaded Siddle to fasten two bulky packages with string!
He was shaving next morning when his colleague entered, spruce as ever in attire, but looking rather weary. The little man flung himself at full length on Winter’s bed.
“Been up all night,” he explained. “Chemical analysis is fascinating but slow work—like watching a moth evolve from a grub. Had a fearful job, too, to get an analyst to chuck a theater and attend to business. ”

“ Furneaux, you seem primed with information. Why should Mr. Trenholme, if that is his name, have the audacity to call on Miss Manning? He might have the impudence to skulk among the shrubs and watch a lady bathing, but I fail to see any motive for his visit to The Towers this evening."
Furneaux shook his head. Evidently the point did not appeal to him.
"There is no set formula that expresses the artistic temperament," he said. "The man who passes whole years in studying the nude is often endowed with a very high moral sense. Mr. ”

“ Theydon, but I am older than you, and may 'venture on advice,'" he said. "A writer who has his way to make in the world cannot afford to slight a man of Mr. Forbes's standing. Go to him at once. It will please him. Don't hurry."
Theydon realized that a continued refusal would certainly set Furneaux's wits at work, and he dreaded the outcome. He went without another word. When the outer door had closed behind him Winter turned to Furneaux.
"Well?" he said.
For answer Furneaux waved a hand and tiptoed into the hall. Waiting until he heard the door of No. 18 slam he opened the latch of No. ”

“ Accordingly, early the next morning, I set out in company with Captain Furneaux, Mr Forster, and several of the natives. We met the chief about a mile from the landing-place, towards which he was advancing to meet us ”

“ During the whole voyage Furneaux made many attempts, some of which had permanent success, to introduce into the islands domestic animals and useful vegetables, especially potatoes. It is also noteworthy that he brought home in the Adventure, Omai, a native of Ulaietea, who remained in England for two years, and was taken back in Cook's third voyage. Omai, as the first South Sea islander who had ever been seen in England, attracted much attention. ”

“ FURNEAUX, TOBIAS (1735–1781) , English navigator, was born at Swilly near Plymouth on the 21st of August 1735. He entered the royal navy, and was employed on the French and African coasts and in the West Indies during the latter part of the Seven Years’ War (1760–1763) . ”

“ This family contains about twenty species, several of which rank among the commonest as well as the most beautiful of the Geometræ. Their wings are more or less angulated; and the antennæ are generally pectinated in the males.
The larvæ are generally humped and twig-like; and, as in the last species, the semblance is increased by the position they assume when at rest. The number of limbs varies from ten to fourteen, but where the claspers exceed two pairs, the additional two or four, as the case may be, are seldom used in walking. ”

“ South-west Wales is said to be the headquarters of this pretty sea flower, but we have found it abundant on parts of the north Devon coast, especially in places between Ilfracombe and Lynton. Like the last species, it may be termed a cave-dweller, for it delights to hide in corners and crevices that are so overhung with rocks and weeds that the light is never strong. ”

“ The flowers are white, solitary, and sessile. The one remaining species of the sea-side Caryophyllaceæ is the Sea Pearl Wort (Sagina maritima) . This plant is closely allied to the last, being a creeper with exstipulate leaves and distinct sepals, but its flowers are reddish white, on erect peduncles, with very small petals. The leaves, too, are linear, fleshy, and obtuse. There are three distinct varieties of this plant, two of which have erect stems with short internodes, while the third is procumbent with long internodes; and in all three the capsules are shorter than the sepals. ”

“ The larvæ are not hairy, but they all have little fleshy projections on their backs. Their bodies also taper to a point behind, and the last pair of claspers are wanting, so that they have only fourteen walking appendages. When at rest they usually fix themselves by their claspers only, their pointed 'tails' being directed slightly upward, and all the front segments being also elevated. When about to change, they descend to the ground, and spin their cocoons among dead leaves. ”

“ They live in pretty colonies, many of which are certainly familiar objects to all who ramble along the sea shore. Some form pretty lacelike patches on the fronds of sea weeds, while others are built up into flat, frond-like, branching objects that are often mistaken for sea weeds by young collectors. Among the latter is the Sea Mat (Flustra) , that is so commonly washed up on the shore in great abundance. An examination with a lens will show that, in both instances, the mass consists of very many minute cells, with horny or calcareous walls, the mouth of each cell being close by an operculum. ”

“ It reaches a length of eight inches or more, and varies in colour according to the sand or mud in which it lives. The segments of this worm are very different in structure in different parts of the body. Those in the front of the body have a few tufts of bristles arranged in pairs, while the middle portion of the body has large brush-like tufts of filamentous gills placed rather close together; and the hindmost part has no bristles or appendages of any kind, and is so well filled with the sand or mud that it is quite hard and firm to the touch. ”

“ We saw land from space to space between them, which made me conclude that the whole was connected. I was sorry I could not determine this with greater certainty; but prudence would not permit me to venture near a coast, subject to thick fogs, on which there was no anchorage; where every port was blocked or filled up with ice; and the whole country, from the summits of the mountains, down to the very brink of the cliffs which terminate the coast, covered, many fathoms thick, with everlasting snow. The cliffs alone was all which was to be seen like land. ”

“ Three of our five British species are sea-side plants. The Frosted Sea Orache (A. arenaria) grows on sandy shores, about six or eight inches in height, and flowers during late summer and autumn. It may be known by its buff-coloured stem, with triangular or rhomboidal, jagged, silvery leaves, and clusters of sessile flowers in the axils of the leaves. Another species (A. Babingtonii) may be seen on both rocky and sandy shores, usually from one to two feet in height, and flowering from July to September. Its stem is procumbent, green with reddish stripes ”