242 TRAVELS THROUGH 



with regret and entering myfelf on board* 

 fet fail for the new world. 



" The voyage was a feafon for reflection. 

 The new life now open before me, fo dif- 

 ferent from that in which I was educated, 

 and in which I had patted my time fo gaily 

 at Paris, carried with it a contraft fufficient 

 to make the moft refolute tremble : I felt 

 myfelf to be utterly unfit for the office I was 

 going to folicit \ from my birth I had 

 been ufed to an authoritative command, 

 compared to what I was now going to expe- 

 rience, even if I was ever fo fuccefsful, 

 fince at beft I mud confider myfelf as no 

 better than the menial of a trader ; -every 

 reflection was a fevere wound to my pride. 

 But I had taken my determination ; and the 

 hope of being able, in a few years, to return 

 to France with money enough to purchafe 

 refpectably into the army again, animated 

 me to undergo the trial ; and, as I did en- 

 gage in it, I refolved to act the part with as 

 muchfpirit as waspoffible, and to be the very 

 picture of induftry and attention to my bufi- 

 nefs. With thefe ideas I arrived at Mar- 

 tinique; and, waiting directly on M. du 



Pri, 



