My Dear Cedric,
Please forgive my rather unusual silence, for as you should know, given as I am to fits of solitary sojourns, I found myself somewhat absquatulated in the darkest of reaches where even the greater thrombat’s long arms do not extend. Therefore you will be most heartened to know that I have succeeded in procuring a fine specimen from the Harticaria Bicephalus Furgulens phenotype. I am all come over with the delightful notion that I may be the first among the Brethren of the Splendid Chalice to return to our blessed isle with such a beast! I attach a hurried sketch:
Indeed, I shall anticipate an most excellently prepared repast from Rodder’s own hand (though I expect if shall be wretched Gilpy’s) when I encounter the scoundrels again. It is not before time that those two miscreants bow to others’ abilities and pay a contrite apology to those (and they are many) they have thoughlessly offended for their own amusement.
How glad I am to hear that dear Watty is with you! To own the truth, I was becoming fearful that the chap was more chirkful when he was dining that when he was engaged in scientiferous contrafabulations. Yet your words have quickened my cheer, for it seems our dear cousin has provided you with useful experience and knowledge instead of his more common appetite for one’s larder. Perhaps he may draw you towards the properties of the device with a heavy handed touch, yet his mind is agile and his wit rapier-like. I should listen closely to his advisements, for it is likely he may know more than he himself believes. I advise no more than half a decanter of Lumi for our dear gentleman before he engages again with your fragile device, for it has been brought to my attention that more then a quart’s consumption of the liquid may render one as a cocked hat!
Thankfully I have not succumbed to any such dire complaint as the Zanaian Blue Spluerg, as having seen an unfortunate savage that shewed the noxious affliction, I should imagine it unlikley that I should be able to continue my travels with my stomach turned outside in, and mine eyes receding into the confines of my skull only to erupt through my auditory canals with the loudest of popping sounds whereupon that individual was entirely exfluncticated. Quite ghastly.
I am most sorry to see that you write of your departure from the effervescent Mistress Wolport, however I am most gratified that you have elicited passage on that fine dirigible out of Liverpool in time to meet with my gift to you – how fortuitous that timing, wot? If I am not mistaken, Watty is correct (as usual) about the Rongorongo tablet, for he mentioned something of similar dealings to myself when we gave the lecture on Quirmic Idylls of the Rapa Nui-Vango Lui Peninsulae some five years past at the Academy. Be sure to enquire of him as to the Borogolola Isles’ savages’ histories, for I am sure (again) he shall have some excellent tidbits of information regarding Orongonese linguistics, which may have for the mean time slipped his busy and, not unlike his laboratories at the Club, rather crowded mind. I therefore urge you to seek out a Captain Risticus Geppering-Barclay, on arrival at the embarcation point and advise him you require board and lodgings at the Gentlemans’ Club, ‘Lo Horongo Gorongo’. It is of middling appointment though clean, but the man is more than capable of finding yourself and Watty a local guide at a good price and delay you with none of the bunkum with which the savages would otherwise advise you. They are a bunch of border ruffians, the Orongonese, and I advise you to be on your guard in a boodle, they have designs about your possessions – I lost a rather fetching pocket watch there once.
I am just now seated under canvas at the edge of the Barmaloogi ravine complex, near where Ferkin Bletchley-Middens encountered the Netrificus Dolden no more than a year ago – one sighting of this profoundly evasive critter will cap the climax, let me inform you! If I must return to our sceptered isle without a viewing of this creature, I shall be catawamptiously chewed up. I fear the scritching of my quill is a deafening sound in this quiet locale, thus I shall end here. I do, however, in parting, draw you attention to a most amusing typo on page 4590 of Simpleton’s Guide to Rongorongo, which gave me good cause to loosen my cravat and no mistake.
With affection, as ever,
Wilbur.
