a simple force of Nature directs all corresponding
members whither to fly that they may
re-assemble."

"If they can fly," I asked, " why are they
sent in coaches? There were a pair of eyes
on the box seat."

"Simply for safety against accidents. Eyes
flying alone are likely to be seized by birds,
and incur many dangers. They are sent,
therefore, usually under protection, like any
other valuable parcel."

"Do many accidents occur?"

"Very few. For mutual protection, and
also because a single member is often all that
has been left existing of a fellow Skitzlander,
our laws, as you, Sir, know much better than
myself, estimate the destruction of any part
absent on duty from its skeleton as a crime
equivalent to murder——"

After this I held my tongue. Presently
my friend again enquired whether I was
going up to Court?

"Why should I go to Court?"

"Oh, Sir, it pleases you to be facetious.
You must be aware that any Skitzlander who
has been left by Nature in possession of every
limb, sits in the Assembly of the Perfect, or
the Upper House, and receives many state
emoluments and dignities."

"Are there many members of that Upper
Assembly?"

"Sir, there were forty-two. But if you are
now travelling to claim your seat, the number
will be raised to forty-three."

"The Baron Terroro—" I hinted.

"My brother, Sir. His eyes are on the
box seat under my care. Undoubtedly he is
a Member of the Upper House."

I was now anxious to get out of the coach
as soon as possible. My wish was fulfilled
after the next pause. One Eye, followed by
six Pairs of Arms, with strong hard Hands
belonging to them, flew in at the window. I
was collared; the door was opened, and all
hands were at work to drag me out and away.
The twelve Hands whisked me through the
air, while the one Eye sailed before us, like
an old bird, leader of the flight.

CHAPTER THE THIRD.

My Imprisonment and Trial for Murder.

What sort of sky have they in Skitzland?
Our earth overarches them, and, as the
sunlight filters through, it causes a subdued
illumination with very pure rays. Skitzland
is situated nearly in the centre of our globe,
it hangs there like a shrunken kernel in the
middle of a nutshell. The height from Skitzland
to the over-arching canopy is great; so
great, that if I had not fallen personally from
above the firmament, I should have considered
it to be a blue sky similar to ours. At night
it is quite dark; but during the day there is
an appearance in the Heaven of white spots;
their glistening reminded me of stars. I
noticed them as I was being conveyed to
prison by the strong arms of justice, for
it was by a detachment of members from
the Skitzton Police that I was now hurried
along. The air was very warm, and corroborated
the common observation of an increase
of heat as you get into the pith of our planet.
The theory of Central Fire, however, is, you
perceive quite overturned by my experience.

We alighted near the outskirts of a large
and busy town. Through its streets I was
dragged publicly, much stared at, and much
staring. The street life was one busy nightmare
of disjointed limbs. Professor Essig,
could he have been dragged through Skitzton,
would have delivered his farewell lecture
upon his return. ' Gentlemen, Fuit Ilium—
Fuit Ischium—Fuit Sacrum—Anatomy has
lost her seat among the sciences. My occupation's
gone.' Professor Owen's Book ' On
the Nature of Limbs,' must contain, in the
next edition, an Appendix ' Upon Limbs
in Skitzland.' I was dragged through the
streets, and all that I saw there, in the
present age of little faith, I dare not tell you.
I was dragged through the streets to prison
and there duly chained, after having been
subjected to the scrutiny of about fifty couples
of eyes drawn up in a line within the prison
door. I was chained in a dark cell, a cell so
dark that I could very faintly perceive the
figure of some being who was my companion.
Whether this individual had ears wherewith
to hear, and mouth wherewith to answer me,
I could not see, but at a venture I addressed
him. My thirst for information was uncon-
querable; I began, therefore, immediately with
a question:

"Friend, what are those stars which we see
shining in the sky at mid-day?"

An awful groan being an unsatisfactory
reply, I asked again.

"Man, do not mock at misery. You will
yourself be one of them."

' The Teachers shall shine like Stars in the
Firmament.' I have a propensity for teaching,
but was puzzled to discover how I could give
so practical an illustration of the text of
Fichte.

"Believe me," I said, " I am strangely
ignorant. Explain yourself."

He answered with a hollow voice:

"Murderers are shot up out of mortars
into the sky, and stick there. Those white,
glistening specks, they are their skeletons."

Justice is prompt in Skitzland. I was tried
incredibly fast by a jury of twelve men who
had absolutely heads. The judges had nothing
but brain, mouth and ear. Three powerful
tongues defended me, but as they were not
suffered to talk nonsense, they had little to
say. The whole case was too clear to be
talked into cloudiness. Baron Terroro, in
person, deposed, that he had sent his eyes to
see a friend at Culmsey, and that they were
returning on the Skitzton coach, when I,
illegally, came with my whole bulk upon the
box-seat, which he occupied. That one of his
eyes was, in that manner, totally destroyed,