He thanked God with awed sincerity for his
mercy, and could not thank Heyst enough for the service rendered as
between man and man. In this (highly creditable) tangle of strong
feelings Morrison's gratitude insisted on Heyst's partnership in the
great discovery. Ultimately we heard that Morrison had gone home through
the Suez Canal in order to push the magnificent coal idea personally
in London. He parted from his brig and disappeared from our ken; but
we heard that he had written a letter or letters to Heyst, saying that
London was cold and gloomy; that he did not like either the men or
things, that he was "as lonely as a crow in a strange country." In
truth, he pined after the Capricorn--I don't mean only the tropic; I
mean the ship too. Finally he went into Dorsetshire to see his people,
caught a bad cold, and died with extraordinary precipitation in the
bosom of his appalled family. Whether his exertions in the City of
London had enfeebled his vitality I don't know; but I believe it was
this visit which put life into the coal idea. Be it as it may, the
Tropical Belt Coal Company was born very shortly after Morrison,
the victim of gratitude and his native climate, had gone to join his
forefathers in a Dorsetshire churchyard.
Heyst was immensely shocked. He got the news in the Moluccas through the
Tesmans, and then disappeared for a time.
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