L'Orient 105 



twenty others like herrings in a barrel, but could have no bed. 

 The Duke de Brissac, with a suite of officers, had no better 

 success. If the governor of Paris could not, without trouble, 

 get a bed at I'Orient, no wonder Arthur Young found obstacles. 

 I went directly to deliver my letters; found Monsieur Besne, a 

 merchant, at home; he received me with a frank civility better 

 than a million of compliments, and the moment he understood 

 my situation offered me a bed in his house, which I accepted.. 

 The Toiirville, of eighty-four guns, was to be launched at three 

 o'clock, but put off till the next day, much to the joy of the- 

 aubergistes, etc., who were well pleased to see such a swarm of 

 strangers kept another day. I wished the ship in their throats^ 

 for I thought only of my poor mare being squeezed a night 

 amongst the Bretagne garrans ; sixpence, however, to the gargon 

 had effects marvellously to her ease. The town is modern and'' 

 regularly built, the streets diverge in rays from the gate and are 

 crossed by others at right angles, broad, handsomely built, and-' 

 well paved; with many houses that make a good figure. But 

 what makes I'Orient more known is being the appropriated, 

 port for the commerce of India, containing all the shipping- 

 and magazines of the company. The latter are truly great and 

 speak the ro3-al munificence from which they arose. They are 

 of several stories and all vaulted in stone, in a splendid style and- 

 of vast extent. But they want, at least at present, like so 

 many other magnificent establishments in France, the vigour 

 and vivacity of an active commerce. The business transacting 

 here seems trifling. Three eighty-four-gun ships, the Tourville, 

 I'Eole, and Jean Barf, with a thirty-two-gun frigate, are upon the 

 stocks. They assured me that the Tourville has been only nine 

 months building: the scene is alive, and fifteen large men-of- 

 war being laid up here in ordinary, with some Indiamen and a 

 few traders, render the port a pleasing spectacle. There is a 

 beautiful round tower, 100 feet high, of white stone, with a 

 railed gallery at top; the proportions light and agreeable; it is 

 for looking out and making signals. Jly hospitable merchant 

 I find a plain unaffected character, with some whimsical ori- 

 ginalities that make him more interesting; he has an agreeable 

 daughter who entertains me with singing to her harp. The 

 next morning the Tourville quitted her stocks, to the music of 

 the regiments and the shouts of thousands collected to see it. 

 Leave I'Orient. Arrive at Hennebon. — 7^ miles. 



17//?. To Auray, the eighteen poorest miles I have yet seen.. 

 in Bretagne. Good houses of stone and slate without glass.. 



