234 ST. HELENA 



In Longwood Old House is a bust of Napoleon. There 

 have been doubts raised as to whether or not a cast of his 

 face was made after death. The present custodian of 

 French property in St. Helena, in writing on the subject to 

 the editor of the St. Helena Guardian, says : 



I regret to say I have not in my possession at present The 

 Memorial of St. Helena, begun by Las Casas and continued by 

 Dr. Autommarchi. If my memory served me right I read in the 

 latter part of said Memorial that first of all the autopsy of the 

 dead body of the great Emperor was made (probably on the 6th 

 May) by Dr. Autommarchi, aided by Dr. Arnott (some spell Arnold), 

 assisted also by other doctors of the garrison. Then a cast was 

 taken of the great General, but a mishap occurred. When the 

 doctors had mixed the plaster of Paris they found the quantity 

 was not sufficient to complete the cast. Jamestown was ransacked 

 but without success; no more "plaster" could be found. . . . 

 The doctors were in a dilemma. Someone proposed exploring the 

 vicinity of Longwood to obtain a substitute to complete the cast, 

 and they were so far successful as to find some argillaceous marl 

 with a certain amount of adhesiveness, They burnt and pulverized 

 it, and thus finished their almost hopeless task ; the only fault with 

 the cast was that it was of two colours. 



Dr. Autommarchi, I believe, took the cast to Paris, and it was 

 exhibited in the Louvre for years after. 



There are but two busts of Napoleon I acknowledged as correct, 

 one taken during lifetime by Canova, and the other taken from 

 the cast after death, by Chaudet, which is still at Longwood old 

 House,' St. Helena, placed between the two windows of the saloon, 

 where the mortuary bed was taken from the bed-room, a few days 

 before the end of the Great Conqueror. This last bust in Carrara 

 marble was brought to St. Helena by the late M. Gautier de Rouge- 

 mont (not Louis). . . . 



I remain, dear Mr. Editor, 



Yours sincerely, 

 (Signed) L. MORILLEAU. 



The copy of the Campaigns of Italy, which was written 

 at St. Helena by Napoleon himself, was in the possession 

 of General Bertrand who, when he was dying, delivered it 

 to his brother, M. L. Bertrand, to present to the city of 

 Lyons Napoleon had made two copies of these memoirs ; 

 the one he gave to Bertrand was (as above) transferred to 

 Lyons with a map of Italy by Albe (which Napoleon used 

 in compiling the memoirs), together with the Cross of the 

 order of the Iron Crown (worn by the Emperor) and an 



