226 ST. HELENA 



demand for vegetables and fruit than had been the case 

 previous to Napoleon's arrival. 



The total garrison at the time was 2,784, i.e. officers and 

 men. There were 500 cannon in batteries, besides fifty 

 field-guns and a number of mortars in good order. There 

 were also a number of guns in store. 



The naval strength under Admiral Pulteney Malcolm 

 was made up of three large frigates of thirty-six to fifty 

 guns, and eight smaller war-ships with from ten to twenty 

 guns each. The frigates and two brigs remained to guard 

 the island ; the rest were cruisers in South Atlantic waters 

 one brig was anchored at Ascension, where fifty sailors were 

 also stationed to defend the island. 



The official letters by Count Balmain show that Sir 

 Hudson Lowe was, although often maligned by his own 

 countrymen, not unkind to his charge, for he writes : 



Sir Hudson Lowe tries his best to satisfy Napoleon ; he treats 

 him with respect and consideration ; uncomplainingly puts up with 

 his rudeness ; tolerates his whims ; does, in fact, the impossible. 

 But to Napoleon he will never seem anything but a scourge. 

 There is too much incompatibility of temper between the two men. 

 To sum up the situation in a phrase, the man who only knows how 

 to command is in the power of him who only knows how to obey. 

 And there is no sort of annoyance that the prisoner has not in- 

 flicted on the Governor." 



Again he writes : 



General Lowe treats him with all possible respect, and even, 

 to a certain extent, humours him in his mania for playing the 

 Emperor. In spite of this Buonaparte dislikes him. 



During this time Napoleon was compiling the account 

 of his campaigns, and repeatedly was heard to say that he 

 ought to have died on the day he entered Moscow when he 

 conceived himself to have attained " the highest pinnacle 

 of glory." 



The island of Tristan d'Acunha was now taken possession 

 of by the British, a measure " adopted to prevent the 

 Americans from establishing themselves there ; as they 

 might probably prove disagreeable neighbours, under the 

 circumstances in which we are placed as guardians of the 

 'Disturber of the World.'" 



