356 



Jamestown. Visit to the tomb 

 of Napoleon. The Briars. 



CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 



The tomb of Napoleon. 

 Longwood. 



The only collection of houses is Jamestown; and 

 although situated in a narrow gorge, it is the best 

 locality on the island for a town. The space occu- 

 pied by it has been as much improved as was pos- 

 sible, and the place has rather a cheerful appear- 

 ance; more, however, from the diversified charac- 

 ter of its inhabitants, than from the neatness and 

 architecture of its buildings. The variety of cos- 

 tume is greater than one would expect, ranging 

 from the well-dressed English soldier to the Orien- 

 tal costumes of India and China. There are many 

 quadroons, who are said to be descendants of the 

 natives of Madagascar, brought here originally by 

 the Dutch. They were pointed out to me as re- 

 markable for their beauty, and many of them have 

 certainly, it must be acknowledged, well-developed 

 and even handsome forms; which, from appear- 

 ances, they are fond of exhibiting, and to which 

 their style of dress is well adapted. 



Extortion is here carried to its height, and 

 although the stay of the stranger is only for a few 

 hours, the time is sufficient to make him aware 

 that he has submitted to some exorbitant demand, 

 if his curiosity have led him to visit Longwood and 

 the tomb of Napoleon. 



Our consul, Mr. Carrol, was kind enough to 

 make arrangements for our visiting Longwood and 

 the tomb, and it was decided that we should set out 

 at an early hour the next morning. 



Captain Hudson, Mr. Waldron, and myself, ac- 

 cordingly landed at the jetty early the next day, 

 and found waiting for us a small wagon with two 

 stout horses, in which we seated ourselves, and 

 were driven to the American consulate. We were 

 there joined by Mr. Carrol, and taking the eastern 

 road, commenced ascending the narrow track lead- 

 ing up the side of the cliff. The road seemed to 

 have been carried over some places with great 

 difficulty; heavy walls were built in some places to 

 form the road, while in others the path was blasted 

 out of the rock. As we ascended, we had a bird's- 

 eye view of the town and the gorge in which it lies. 

 The houses and their inhabitants were alike re- 

 duced in size, and we experienced the accuracy of 

 the poetical assertion, "that distance lends en- 

 chantment to the view," for from our elevated 

 position all appeared neat and clean. The hospi- 

 tals for the troops are situated in the upper end of 

 the valley, in a space too contracted for comfort. 

 Their appearance is strongly in contrast with that 

 of those usually attached to British garrisons, and 

 led to some inquiries on my part as to the necessity 

 for their confined position. The island being usually 

 healthy, and infectious diseases but seldom pre- 

 vailing, quarantine is performed at Lemon Valley, 

 or rather it was used for that purpose during our 

 visit; a number of recaptured slaves, among whom 

 the small-pox had made its appearance, being 

 detained there. 



The first object of interest that presents itself as 

 connected with the residence of Napoleon, is the 

 cottage at the Briars, to which he was removed 

 soon after his arrival. It is situated in a small 

 dell at the head of the gully, and has attached to it 

 some ten acres of ground, laid out in walks and 

 flower-beds. There are many similar spots on the 

 island, which are known by the name of " bosoms ;" 

 none of them, however, so striking, nor having 

 such an air of quiet and comfort as that just men- 

 tioned. Its beauties are more strongly impressed 



by the marked contrast they afford to the arid and 

 barren rocks of the gully side, up which we had 

 been making our ascent under a burning sun. The 

 only vegetation on the surrounding hills was a few 

 cacti and wild vines, and some firs that were im- 

 ported from Scotland about fifty years ago. The 

 high ground of the island was of equal altitude, 

 there being but few points above the general level. 

 On reaching it, we felt a sensible change of tem- 

 perature, the air becoming raw and disagreeable. 

 Turning to the eastward, we proceeded three miles 

 along the road, and then turned into the path which 

 leads to the quiet dell in which the tomb is situated. 

 The road soon became so steep that we were 

 obliged to alight from the carriage, and descend on 

 foot to the cottage occupied by the widow Talbot, 

 who furnishes refreshments to visitors, and who 

 takes care to let it be known that it is customary to 

 pay for them, whether you partake or not Her 

 continued winnings about her poverty, the injustice 

 of the British government, and the unfulfilled pro- 

 mises of the Prince de Joinville, are singularly out 

 of place, and at variance with the thoughts with 

 which one's mind is occupied when visiting such a 

 spot. In the rear of the cottage, at the end of the 

 dell, and about thirty yards distant, is the tomb. 



On the banks of the dtll, a few yews, cedars, and 

 weeping-willows, are growing; while in its centre 

 stands the old and now leafless willow, which seems, 

 like the emperor, to have been killed by the treat- 

 ment it has received. A spring of pure and deli- 

 cious water bubbles from the rock near by; to it 

 we retreated to avoid the annoyance occasioned by 

 the monotonous whinings of an old sergeant. He 

 talked continually of the length, breadth, and 

 depth of the vault, told us of how many slabs it was 

 formed, how they were cemented together, how 

 opened, and many other particulars of so little 

 importance, that I shall not trouble my readers by 

 repeating them. We at last put an end to the 

 garrulity by paying him the expected shilling, and 

 walking off out of hearing. This is an annoyance 

 to which all who have visited the tomb have been 

 subject, and which does away with half the satis- 

 faction of the pilgrimage. We drank some water 

 from the spring, received a bouquet of the Napo- 

 leon geranium from the little girls, and returned to 

 the cottage, which we found crowded with Dutch 

 officers, who were devouring the widow's eatables 

 as if determined to have the worth of their money ; 

 from their great appetites she told us she antici- 

 pated but little profit. Scarcely had they finished 

 eating, when their pipes were put in requisition, 

 and a cloud of smoke not only filled the apartment, 

 but issued in all directions from its doors and win- 

 dows. I have seldom seen so little regard paid to 

 the comfort of others, or so little respect shown to 

 the resting-place of the mighty dead, as by these 

 officers. 



After satisfying the claims of the widow, and 

 disposing of certain relics obtained through her as 

 marks of special favour, we departed for Longwood, 

 about two miles further on. The road is good and 

 nearly level, running along the top of a barren 

 ridge; on our way we passed the " Tap-room," im- 

 mediately opposite to which was the dwelling of 

 the Count Bertrand. The horizon is visible from 

 the road, both to the north and east; and on either 

 side the eye wanders beneath into the deep and 

 inaccessible gullies, from which their gloomy and 



