Years afterwards another dream about an animal came to me which I embodied in the story called “The Mahatma and the Hare；” a little book that； up to the present； has no great public vogue。 Largely this is because so many of the papers neglected it as though it were something improper。 Their reason was； I think； that they feared to give offence to that great section of their readers who； directly or indirectly； are interested in sport； by extended notices of a parable which doubtless in its essence amounts to an attack upon our habit of killing other creatures for amusement。 I hope； however； that its day may e； though perhaps not yet。
As I am touching on mystical subjects； probably for the last time； I will instance here a series of imaginings which developed themselves in my mind at intervals over a period of several months early in the present year。 I noted them down at the time and； except for an addendum to No。 4； give them without alteration； as I think it best not to interfere with the original words； on which； perhaps unconsciously； I might attempt to improve。 Indeed it would be easy to make a story out of each of these mind…pictures。 At the head of them I have stated the alternative explanations which occur to me。 Personally I favour — indeed I might almost say that I accept — the last。
Only then the question will arise as to whether it is possible for us to imagine anything that has not； somewhere in this great universe whereof we only know the fringe； an actual counterpart； perhaps very distorted； of some unseen truth？ However far we throw out our mental hands； can they close on anything which is not in its essence a fact； or the reflection of a fact？ Are we not walled in by facts； and is it within our scope to travel one inch beyond that wall？ But the thing is very subtle； and I am by no means certain that I make my meaning clear。 Moreover； it could be argued in a dozen ways； and as these dream…pictures are merely given as a curiosity in which I have no personal faith； it is not worth while to waste time in discussing them。 Here they are：
During the past few months there have e to me； generally between sleeping and waking； or so it seemed； certain pictures。 These pictures； it would appear； might be attributed to either of the three following causes：
（1） Memories of some central incident that occurred in a previous incarnation。
（2） Racial memories of events that had happened to forefathers。
（3） Subconscious imagination and invention。
Probably the last of these alternatives is the one which most people would accept； since it must be remembered that there is nothing in any one of these tableaux vivants which I could not have imagined — say as an incident of a romance。
Now； before I forget them； I will describe the pictures as well as I can。
1。 A kind of bay in a thicket formed of such woods as are mon in England today； especially hazel； as they would appear towards the end of June； in full leaf but still very green。 A stream somewhere near。 At back； in a tall bank； something like the Bath Hills；29 the mouth of a cavern。 About thirty feet from this a rough hut made of poles meeting on a central ridge （I have forgotten how it was thatched）。 In front of the hut a fire burning； and an idea of something being cooked by a skin…clad woman； I standing by； a youngish man； tall； children playing round； and notably a boy of about ten standing on the hither side of the fire； his nakedness half covered by the pelt of some animal； his skin； as he lifts his arms； very white。 A general sense of something about to happen。
28 Above the river Waveney。 — Ed。
2。 A round hut； surrounded by a fence； standing on a grassy knoll； no trees about。 A black woman moving within the fence and； I think； some children； myself there also； as a black man。 An alarm below； which causes me to take a spear and run out。 A fight with attackers； attackers driven off； but I receive a spear…thrust right through the middle below the breast； and stagger up the slope mortally wounded back into the enclosure round the hut； where I fall into the arms of the woman and die。
3。 A great palace built in the Egyptian style。 Myself； a man of about thirty； in quaint and beautiful robes wound rather tightly round the body； walking at night up and down some half…enclosed and splendid chamber through which the air flows freely。 A beautiful young woman with violet eyes creeps into the place like one who is afraid of being seen； creeps up to me； who start at seeing her and appear to indicate that she should go。 Thereon the woman draws herself up and； instead of going； throws herself straight into the man’s arms。
4。 An idea of boundless snows and great cold。 Then the interior of a timber…built hall； say forty feet or more in length； a table by a doorway and on it three or four large dark…coloured trout； such as might e from a big lake。 Wooden vessels about； brightly painted。 A fire burning in the centre of the hall； with no chimney。 On the farther side of the fire a bench； and on the bench a young woman of not more than two — or three…and…twenty； apparently the same woman as she of the Egyptian picture； or very like her； with the identical large violet eyes； although rather taller。 She is clothed in a tight…fitting grey dress； quite plain and without ornament； made of some rough frieze and showing the outline of the figure beneath。 The hair is fair； but I cannot remember exactly how it was arranged。 The woman is evidently in great grief。 She sits； her elbow resting on her knee； her chin in her hand； and stares hopelessly into the fire。 Presently something attracts her attention； for she looks towards the door by the table； which opens and admits through it a tall man； who； I know； is myself； wearing armour； for I catch the sheen of it in the firelight。 The woman springs from the bench； runs round the fire； apparently screaming； and throws herself on to the breast of the man。
The general impression left is that she had believed him to be dead when he； probably her husband； appeared alive and well。
（Some months later I was favoured with an impression of another scene set in the same surroundings。 In this picture postscript； if I may call it so； the identical man and woman； now persons of early middle age； were standing together in bitter sorrow over the doubled…up and fully…dressed body of a beautiful lad of about eighteen years of age。 Although I saw no wet upon his clothes I think that he had been drowned。）
5。 The mouth of a tunnel or mine…adit running into a bare hillside strewn with rocks and debris。 Standing outside the tunnel a short； little woman of about twenty…five； with black hair； brown eyes； and brownish but not black skin； lightly clad in some nondescript kind of garment。 Resting on her； his arms about her shoulders； an elderly man； very thin and short； with a sad； finely…cut face and sparse grizzled beard； wearing a dingy loin…cloth。 The man’s right foot covered with blood； and so badly crushed that one of the bones projects from the instep。 The woman weeping。 By his side on the ground a kind of basket filled with lumps of ore； designed to be carried on the back and fitted with two flat loops of hide； with a breast…strap connecting them； something on the principle of a children’s toy reins。 Growing near by a plant of the aloe tribe； the bottom leaves dead； and some of those above scratched in their fleshy substance； as though for amusement。
Walking up the slope towards the pair a coarse； strong； vigorous； black…bearded man with projecting eyes。 He is clothed in white robes and wears a queer…shaped hat or cap； I think with a point to it。 From an ornamented belt about his middle hangs a short sword in a scabbard； with a yellowish handle ending in a knob shaped like to the head of a lion。 He carries over his head a painted umbrella or sunshade that will not shut up； and is made either of thin strips of wood or of some kind of canvas stretched on a wooden frame。
General idea connected with the dream is that this man is an overseer of slaves who is about to kill the injured person as useless and take the woman for himself。 She might be the daughter of the injured man； or possibly a wife a good deal younger than he。 In any case she is intimately connected with him。 Further idea。 That the injured man was once an individual of consequence who has been reduced to slavery by some invading and more powerful race。
The characteristics of the site of the picture remind me of Cyprus。
I described these tableaux to Sir Oliver Lodge when I met him in the Athenaeum not long ago； and asked him his opinion concerning them。 He was interested； but replied that if they had appeared to him he would have thought more of them than he did as they had appeared to me； because he said that he lacked imagination。 The curious little details such as that of the dark…coloured trout on the table in No。 4； and that of the scratchings on the aloe leaves in No。 5； seemed to strike him very much； as did the fact that all the scenes were such as might very well； and indeed doubtless have occurred again and again in the course of our long human history； from the time of the cave…dwellers onwards。 Probably if we could trace our ancestors back to the beginning； we should find that on one occasion or another they have happened to some of them。 I may add that by far the prettiest and most idyllic of these pictures was that of the primitive family in the midst of its green setting of hazel boughs by the mouth of the cave。 Only over it； as I have said； like a thunder…cloud brooded the sense of something terrible that was about to happen。 I wonder what it was。
And now farewell to the occult。 Mysticism in moderation adds a certain zest to life and helps to lift it above the level of the monplace。 But it is at best a dangerous sea to travel before the time。 The swimmer therein will do well to keep near to this world’s sound and friendly shore lest the lights he sees from the crest of those bewildering； phantom waves should madden or blind him； and he sink； never to rise again。 It is not good to listen for too long to the calling of those voices wild and sweet。
Chapter 20 THE ROOSEVELT LETTERS
Appointed missioner to report to Secretary of State for Colonies on Salvation Army Labour Colonies in U。S。A。 — Alfred Lyttelton — H。 R。 H。‘s daughter Angela goes with him as secretary — Washington — Mr。 Hay — President Roosevelt — The White House — Notes of interview with Roosevelt — Correspondence with Roosevelt。
On January 1905 I received； quite unexpectedly； the following letter from the Right Hon。 Alfred Lyttelton； who at that date was Secretary of State for the Colonies。
Downing Street： January 14； 1905。
Dear Mr。 Rider Haggard； — The Rhodes trustees have agreed to give a sum of 300 pounds （inclusive of all expenses） to defray the expense of sending a missioner to the United States to inspect and report upon the “Labour Colonies” established in the United States by the Salvation Army。 There appear to be at present three of these； in California； Colorado； and Ohio； and they are used for the transmigration of persons from the big American cities。 It is thought that if on inquiry this system is found to be financially sound and to be a real benefit to the poorer classes； it might prove a useful model fo