Writing to Burton early in the year Payne observed that as his first volume was in type, apparently it should at once go to press, but that he would be pleased to submit subsequent volumes to Burton.  Terms were also suggested.

Burton’s reply, addressed Axim, Gold Coast, and received by Mr. Payne, 20th March, 1882, runs as follows:  “I received your welcome letter by the steamer of yesterday, and to-morrow morning my companion Cameron and I again proceed to the ‘bush.’  Of course you must go to press at once.  I deeply regret it, but on arriving in England my time will be so completely taken up by the Gold Coast that I shall not have a moment’s leisure.  It would be a useless expense to keep up the type.  Your terms about the royalty,” he said, “are more than liberal.  I cannot accept them, however, except for value received, and it remains to be seen what time is at my disposal.  I am working out a scheme for Chinese immigration to the West African coast, and this may take me next winter to China.  I can only say that I shall be most happy to render you any assistance in my power; at the same time I must warn you that I am a rolling stone.  If I cannot find time you must apply in the matter of the introductory essay to the Rev. Percy Badger, Professor Robertson Smith (Glasgow) and Professor Palmer (Trinity, Cambridge).  I have booked your private address and have now only to reciprocate your good wishes.”

On April 18th Mrs. Burton and Lisa set out for England in order to rejoin Burton—­Lisa, as usual, without any headgear—­a condition of affairs which in every church they entered caused friction with the officials.  When this began Mrs. Burton would explain the position; and the officials, when they came to find that nothing they could say or do make the slightest difference to Lisa, invariably expressed themselves satisfied with the explanation.

Burton and Cameron reached Liverpool on May 20th, and were able to report both “that there was plenty of gold, and that the mines could easily be worked.”  The expedition, however, was unproductive of all anticipated results and no profit accrued to Burton.  Indeed it was Iceland and Midian over again.  “I ought,” he says in one of his letters to Payne, “to go down to history as the man who rediscovered one Gold Country and rehabilitated a second, and yet lost heavily by the discoveries."[FN#355]

   Chapter xxiii
   20th May 1882-July 1883
   The Meeting of Burton and Payne

Bibliography

66.  Lord Beaconsfield. 67.  To the Gold Coast for Gold. 2 vols. 1883. 68.  Stone Implements from the Gold Coast.  Burton and Cameron.

106.  Mrs. Grundy begins to roar.  May 1882.