admiral, said he, "ought to have contracted for them, instead of making them government property. It is well known that whatever belongs to a government is never taken any care of, and is plundered by every body. If he had contracted with some person, I will venture to say very few would have died, instead of a third, as has been the case." He then asked me many questions about the relative price of articles in England and St. Helena, and concluded by inquiring if I took any fees for attending sick people on the island. I replied in the negative, which seemed to surprise him. "Corvisart," said he, "notwithstanding his being my first physician, possessed of great wealth, and in the habit of receiving many rich presents from me, constantly took a Napoleon for each visit he paid to the sick. In your country particularly every man has his trade: the member of parliament takes money for his vote, the ministers for their places, the lawyers for their opi

nion."

26th.-Napoleon asked several questions relative to the ships which had been sent to approach the island. Was anxious to know if Lady Bingham, who had been expected for some time, had arrived. Observed how anxious Sir George Bingham must be about her. Asked me if the ship was furnished with a chronometer by government; to which I replied in the negative. He observed

that the vessel might very probably miss the island, through the want of one. "How shameful it is," said he, "for your government to put three or four hundred men on board of a ship destined for this place without a chronometer. thereby running the risk of ship and cargo, of the value perhaps of half a million, together with the lives of so many poor devils, (poveri diavoli) for the sake of saving three or four hundred francs for a watch. I," continued he, ordered that every ship employed in the French service should be supplied with one. It is a weakness in your government not to be accounted for." He then asked me if it were true that a court of inquiry was then holding upon some officer for having made too free with the bottle. "Is it a crime added he, "for the English to get drunk, and will a court-martial be the consequence? for, if that were the case, you would have nothing but courts-martial every day. was a little merry on board every day after dinner." I observed that there was a wide difference between being merry and getting drunk. He laughed and repeated what he had said relative to courts-martial. "Is it true," said he then, "that they are sending out a house and furniture for me, as there are so many lies in your newspapers, that I have my doubts, especially as I have heard nothing about it officially? I told him that Sir Hudson Lowe had assured me of the

fact, and that Sir Thomas Reade professed to have. seen both the house and the furniture.

Many changes relative to the treatment of the French have taken place since Sir Hudson arrived. Mr. Brooke, the colonial secretary, Major Gorrequer, Sir Hudson's aid-de-camp, and other official persons went round to the different shopkeepers in the town, ordering them, in the name of the governor, not to give credit to any of the French, or to sell them any article, unless for ready money, under pain of not only losing the amount of the sum so credited, but of suffering such other punishment as the governor might think proper to award. They were further directed to hold no communication whatsoever with them, without special permission from the governor, under pain of being turned off the island.

Many of the officers of the 53d, who were in the habit of calling to see Madame Bertrand at Hut's Gate, received hints that their visits were not pleasing to the authorities lately arrived; and the officer of the Hut's Gate guard was ordered to report the names of all persons entering Bertrand's house. Sentinels were placed in different directions to prevent the approach of visitors, several of whom, including some ladies, were turned back. A sensation of unwillingness, or rather fear, to approach the exiles, very different from the feeling which existed a few days ago, appeared

to be pretty general amongst the inhabitants, and even amongst the military and naval officers. The governor was very minute in his inquiries to those persons who had formerly conversed with Napoleon, or any of his suite. Several of the officers of the 53d went to Hut's Gate to take leave of Countess Bertrand, (to use their own words,) as they declared the impossibility there was for men of honour to comply with the new regulations. It was expected and required that all persons who visited at Hut's Gate, or at Longwood, should make a report to the governor or to Sir Thomas Reade of the conversations they had held with the French. Several additional sentinels were placed around Longwood House and grounds.

May 3rd. The weather has been extremely wet and foggy, with high wind for several days, during which time Napoleon did not stir out of doors, Messengers and letters continually arrived from Plantation House. The governor was apparently very anxious to see Napoleon, and seemingly distrustful, although the residents of Longwood were assured of his actual presence by the sound of his voice. He had some communications with Count Bertrand relative to the necessity which he said there was, that some of his officers should see Napoleon daily. He also came to Longwood frequently himself, and, finally, after some difficulty, succeeded in obtaining an interview with

Napoleon in his bed-chamber, which lasted about a quarter of an hour. Some days before, he sent for me, asked a variety of questions concerning the captive, walked round the house several times, and before the windows, measuring and laying down the plan of a new ditch, which he said he would have dug, in order to prevent the cattle from trespassing. On his arrival at the angle, formed by the union of two of the old ditches, he observed a tree, the branches of which considerably overhung it. This appeared to excite considerable alarm in his excellency's breast, as he desired me to send instantly for Mr. Porteous, the superintendent of the company's gardens. Some minutes having elapsed after I had despatched a messenger for that gentleman, the governor, who had his eyes continually fixed upon the tree, desired me, in a hasty manner, to go and fetch Mr. Porteous instantly myself. On my return with him, I found Sir Hudson Lowe walking up and down, contemplating the object which appeared to be such a source of alarm. In a hurried manner, he ordered Mr. Porteous to send some men instantly to have the tree grubbed up, and before leaving the ground, directed me in an undertone to "see that it was done."

On the 4th, Sir Hudson Lowe went to see Count Bertrand, with whom he had an hour's conversation, which did not appear to be of a