CHARLES WATERTON, ESQ. Ixyii 
the time: but I did not; and the star went down 
below the horizon, to appear no more. 
Few people, except those who have been to seek 
adventures in far distant countries, are aware of the 
immense advantages of a government commission, 
especially when the traveller is in our own colonies. 
With it his way is clear, and his story is already 
told: every body acknowledges his consequence, 
and is eager to show him attention. Without it, 
he is obliged to unfold his object in view at every 
step: he must fight his own cause through sur- 
rounding difficulties, and lose many a day for want 
of somebody to take him by the hand, In 1824, 
I was at St. John’s, in the Island of Antigua, 
and had to attend at a public office prior to my 
going on board the mail-boat for Dominica. I had 
lately arrived from the United States, very much 
out of health ; and I wore one of those straw hats, 
with a green riband round it, so common in the 
republic. The harbour-master, who presided, and 
outwardly appeared much of a gentleman, eyed me, 
as I thought, contemptuously on my entering the 
room. I was right in my conjecture, for he seemed 
determined to wear out my patience ; and he kept 
me standing above half an hour, without once asking 
me to take a seat, although there were plenty of 
chairs in the room. In returning to the hotel with 
the captain of the mail-boat, I observed to him how 
very deficient the harbour-master had been in 
common courtesy. He replied that, as soon as I 
had gone out of the door of the office, the harbour- 
master stopped him to inquire who I was; and, 
