Page 201 - AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS

Around the World in 80 Days

country of the Sun, of which I shall not retain the most
delightful of memories, as quickly as possible.’
It occurred to him to visit the steamers which were
about to leave for America. He would offer himself as a

cook or servant, in payment of his passage and meals.
Once at San Francisco, he would find some means of
going on. The difficulty was, how to traverse the four
thousand seven hundred miles of the Pacific which lay
between Japan and the New World.
Passepartout was not the man to let an idea go begging,
and directed his steps towards the docks. But, as he
approached them, his project, which at first had seemed so
simple, began to grow more and more formidable to his
mind. What need would they have of a cook or servant on
an American steamer, and what confidence would they
put in him, dressed as he was? What references could he
give?
As he was reflecting in this wise, his eyes fell upon an
immense placard which a sort of clown was carrying
through the streets. This placard, which was in English,
read as follows:

ACROBATIC JAPANESE TROUPE,
HONOURABLE WILLIAM BATULCAR,

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