HOMEWARD BOUND. 253 



charming French widow. The moment she got on the 

 tender, she found two of her monkeys (in a box by them- 

 selves) had escaped, or had been stolen. I believe some 

 one had played a practical joke on the Frenchman, who 

 had bought them for her; at any rate, he rushed about, 

 stormed and raged, tore back to the ship, smashed his hat 

 in against the side of the door, which made him worse, and 

 at length, returning after an unsuccessful hunt, shook his 

 fist at the ship, and, red with fury — and the sun — with his 

 eyes starting from his head, yelled out that everybody on 

 board, from the captain downwards, was a blackguard. 



Having seen a little of Bordeaux last June, I wished 

 this time to visit Pauillac, so went there with a number of 

 others, stopping first for refreshments at the Grand Hotel, 

 where we ordered a small omnibus to drive round. We 

 then split up into two or three parties, and I went with the 

 omnibus. Such a change after Brazil ! Here all is cultiva- 

 tion and houses and roads — not an inch wasted. We drove 

 along a good road through endless vineyards and a neat 

 village up to Chateau Lafitte, approaching it by a fine 

 avenue of poplars and other trees. The chiteau is in the 

 usual style of French chateaux, with round towers and 

 pointed roofs, and has a charming old-fashioned garden full 

 of flowers. I was really delighted at the cozy look of the 

 place ; so also was an elderly English gentleman * who 

 was with me, and had been thirty-one years in Brazil with- 

 out returning to Europe. He appeared immensely smitten, 

 and remarked constantly on the cultivation and quiet 

 beauty of the place and neighbourhood, and the cleanliness 

 of the town, villages, and houses. We were unable to see 

 the internal economy of the chateau and preparation of 



* The late Mr. William Morritt, of Petropolis. He died at sea on board 

 the Galicia, on his return journey to Brazil, January 29, 1885. 



