18 o'clock
His Majesty kindly offered to raise and equip a large expeditionary force to accompany me , and I was given the widest discretion in the matter of outfit ; I could draw upon the royal treasury for any sum that I might require , and upon the royal university for all the scientific apparatus and assistance necessary to my purpose . Declining these encumbrances , I took my electric rifle and a portable waterproof case containing a few simple instruments and writing materials and set out . Among the instruments was , of course , an aerial isochronophone which I set by the one in the Ahkoond 's private dining-room at the palace . His Majesty invariably dined alone at 18 o'clock , and sat at table six hours : it was my intention to send him all my reports at the hour of 23 , just as dessert would be served , and he would be in a proper frame of mind to appreciate my discoveries and my services to the crown . At 9 o'clock on the 13th of Meijh I left Sanf Rachisco and after a tedious journey of nearly fifty minutes arrived at Bolosson , the eastern terminus of the magnetic tube , on the summit of the Ultimate Hills . According to Tucker this was anciently a station on the Central Peaceful Railway , and was called `` German , '' in honor of an illustrious dancing master . Prof. Nupper , however , says it was the ancient Nevraska , the capital of Kikago , and geographers generally have accepted that view .