I shared a cabin with an old Irishman, whom I scarcely ever understood when he spoke to me. As far as I can remember, it was very hot while I was on board. I read a great deal about this time, as I have reason to believe, but only cheap editions of English works. I am able to mention the names of some of them. Among them were books like " John Halifax, Gentleman," also some of Dickens' works - " Pickwick Papers," "Hard Times," etc. Whether I brought these books on board myself, or got them there, I am unable to say. I am also not able to remember with absolute certainty any port besides Naples at which we called, but now think that I have a faint recollection of Port Said. Still, this has only occurred to me since I looked up the route from Z. to Naples on the map. I fancy that I was only in Naples for a very short time, perhaps only for one day; at all events, I do not remember having spent the night at a hotel, but I do remember having obtained a boat-ticket for Genoa from a mercantile agent in the neighborhood of the harbor, with the assistance of a guide, who certainly did not speak German. I have no recollection of the date of my stay in Naples. . . .'

"From this time onward his memory became progressively clearer and more coherent. Mr. N. went on to describe his journey from Naples to Genoa, and mentioned a circumstance which struck him as being especially peculiar. He had a lot of trouble with his baggage, as he never knew how many boxes he actually had with him, and as he had packed so untidily, which was contrary to his usual habit, so that he often had to look for a long time before he could find a certain thing. Then he stayed for a time in Milan, and he continued his journey through the St. Gothard tunnel, and arrived in Zurich.

"Mr. N. then passed a few weeks in this place free from care, and in a happy frame of mind. He indulged in small, innocent amusements, but without entering into any social communication with acquaintances either personally or by letter, without giving a thought to the reason and object of his stay, and without realizing where he had come from. He led a very steady, regular life, did not associate with any one, and took his exercise when he went out for walks every day along the same streets. His landlady described him as a quiet, respectable person, about whom she did not notice anything striking, apart from his very retiring disposition. It never occurred to him to communicate with his near relatives, with whom he had always been on affectionate terms.

" He continued to pass bis time without a thought or care, separated from all the ties of his earlier life, obviously more or less under the dreamlike impression that he was enjoying a change of air, until he was recalled to himself by a strange coincidence. One day, while in a restaurant, his attention was accidentally attracted to a notice in a newspaper which awakened his interest very greatly. This note stated that a certain Mr. N, (the name was given in full), who had traveled to Australia some months before on official business, and who had arrived at bis destination, had recently disappeared without leaving any traces of his movements behind. The notice went on to hazard the conjecture that Mr. N. had either become the victim of a crime, or that be had been suddenly seized by an illness, the most probable one being given as dengue fever, which was prevalent at that time in the neighborhood from which Mr. N. had disappeared.

"Shortly after a further reference to this episode appeared in the same paper, in which it was stated that Mr. N. had been seen at a certain port after his disappearance from the interior of Australia. In all probability, he had embarked in a steamer for Europe without having told a soul of his sudden project. The writer of the article suggested that the cause of this behavior would be that Mr. N. had obviously regretted having accepted his post, and that, having possibly been weakened and depressed by an illness, he bad thought it best to break off all connection by going away secretly.

"The first of these newspaper articles exercised a powerful in0uenee on our patient as soon as he had read it, for he suddenly became aware that the subject of the notice was no other than himself. Although the connection seemed to him to be incredible and incomprehensible, he was compelled to realize that the whole story dealt with him. His conviction about this was turned into absolute certainty by a passport bearing his name which he discovered by chance in his pocket. It may be as well to quote Mr. N.'s own words about this highly important occurrence which broke into his life so suddenly. He writes as follows: ' In trying to remember the impression which the mention of my name in this connection made on me, I am inclined to believe that I regarded the whole matter as impossible at that time. I bought the newspaper at once, and kept on reading the unpleasant notice again and again. On awakening nest day, I had completely forgotten all about the whole business, but as the newspaper lay on the table in full view, the occurrence rapidly came back to me. I had endeavored to get hold of all the German newspapers since the discovery of the first article, bo that I might read of a contradiction or confirmation of the correctness of the matter. I did not believe that the first note was true until I read the second one on the following Tuesday, But on Sunday I began to entertain doubts about myself and my normal condition, and I endeavored seriously to consider my position. I further began to wonder why I was staying in Zurich without doing anything, and how I had got there.'

"The result of the confusion of suppositions and plans which took possession of our patient's brain in connection with this occurrence was the gradual conclusion that he would trust his peculiar fate and abnormal condition to a medical practitioner. This was undoubtedly the best course he could have followed. He therefore applied to my respected chief, Professor Forel, who advised him to consent to stay for a time in our asylum, so that his mental condition might be carefully observed and judged. He had applied to Professor Forel because he had once heard him deliver a lecture, and the remembrance of this gave him the idea of seeking help at his hands. The impression which Mr. N. made on Professor Forel on admission was that of a psychopathic patient whose nervous system was much affected. He had an absent-minded look, and bis eyelids twitched frequently in a peculiar way, Mr. N. requested a private interview, and on being granted this, handed over the newspapers and also the passport, saying: ' That must be meant for me - there is no other possibility - but I do not know anything about it,' and so on. He then added: ' No one will or can believe me. I am in a moat desperate position; people will believe that I am a swindler.'