Gibraltar and Colonel Barstow
(Shirley arrives in Gibraltar, the first Ellipse checkpoint, without incident, and stays to lunch with Ellipse representative Colonel Barstow.) During the meal, he asks the Colonel about exports from southern Spain to the rest of the Mediterranean. He is particularly interested in seafood (“I have heard so much about this national dish—paela? Pa-ey-yah? I am not quite sure of its proper pronunciation”), olives, and Valencian oranges. How are such perishables shipped? Do they go as far as Italy? How?
“Ah, paella, lovely stuff if you enjoy fresh seafood. I shall have Cook pack a hamper for you, along with some the oranges and olives.” He sighs longingly. “I imagine I shall have to go against convention and hire a Spanish cook upon my return home.”
“Ah, but who would want to leave this lovely climate for the fogs of London, Colonel? I daresay you may face some difficulty locating a suitable candidate.”
Over coffee, the Colonel gets down to business. “A great deal of produce goes to Marseille, Mr. Addam. From there, you can catch a ship nearly anywhere. Naples receives a great many oranges, however, and you may well be able to get there faster—I assume that’s the information you’re really after, is it not? It is a race, eh what? Were I in need of fast transport, I’d take the ferry from Naples to Sicily, then charter a local boat for Malta. Not terribly expensive, you know—five pounds goes a long way in lira.”
Shirley notes this down in his pocket-notebook. “To Naples it is, then; I shall follow the oranges. I am most grateful for your expertise, Colonel, and your willingness to allow me to benefit from it.”
Shirley asks the Colonel to pass along his particular regards to Dr. Byrd. “I shall be happy to do so, Mr. Addam. If you would care to leave the good doctor a note, I will personally ensure that it is delivered. Looking forward to meeting that one, I am. Quite the firebrand, I expect; bound to be interesting.”
“It is a shame that each of us travels alone, I think. Companionship offers many advantages, safety not least among them. Certainly only one of us can win, but that need not mean we gain no other benefit from each other during the contest. Half a moment, Colonel, if you please, while I write a note for Dr. Byrd.”
9 February 1882
To the estimable Dr. Byrd:
I see by the Ellipse records that you have not yet arrived; the good Colonel has kindly offered to hold a letter for you.
I am sorry to have had so little opportunity to speak with you. I admire your work exceedingly, finding it not dissimilar to my own. Should the opportunity present itself, I should be most pleased to speak with you regarding possible collaborations, or other ways in which we might assist each other’s efforts once the Ellipse is over.
A brief warning, if you have not already heard: before I left London I narrowly averted an assault upon my person intended to cause me to leave the race. The Colonel has a copy of the London Times containing further details. I pray you be careful henceforth, as I assuredly shall.
The best of luck to you in the remaining days of the contest.
I remain,
Very sincerely yours,
SHIRLEY ADDAM
Before he leaves, Shirley is presented with an enormous hamper containing not only a small container of paella in one of those clever new Navy thermos bottles, oranges, and olives, but some Spanish ham, an assortment of local cheeses and seasonal fruits, a bottle of sherry, a loaf of bread, half a dozen small cakes, some hard-boiled eggs, and an assortment of sandwiches.
“Good heavens! Colonel, I declare, this is entirely too generous.
Anything else and I shall be accused of cheating by suborning Her Majesty’s representatives.” He picks up his nearly-empty glass of sherry from the table and raises it. “Your very good health, Colonel, and thank you again.”
“Always a pleasure to lunch with a gentleman of your character, Mr. Addam. Good luck, Godspeed, and for heaven’s sake, don’t drink the water in Naples.”
Shirley laughs pleasantly. “Isn’t poison the next recourse after attempted assault? I shall be on my toes, I assure you. I am sorry I must rush off, Colonel; I have greatly enjoyed our brief meeting. I am in your debt, sir, and I shall not forget it. Farewell!”
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