358 ST. HELENA. 



chosen by himself. She also pointed out to us the spring near 

 the cottage, which supplied him with water up to the day of 

 his death. 



One pleasant afternoon while walking through the grounds, 

 Napoleon observed the spring, admired its beautiful pebbly 

 bottom, dipped up some of the water with his hand, and drank 

 it, found it to be delightfully cool, refreshing, and delicious ; 

 he requested that while he lived he might be allowed to obtain 

 all his water from the same spring, and the favor was 

 granted. 



Mrs. Talbot hinted to us, as she had done before about the 

 refreshments, that it was customary for visitors to purchase 

 some of the water by way of paying her for seeing the Tomb, 

 and we were not slow in taking the hint. Each of us filled 

 a quart bottle with the precious liquid, for which she received 

 several dollars. We had also to satisfy the demands of the 

 garrulous old sergeant who exhibits the Tomb, so that alto- 

 gether it was expensive sight-seeing. 



The old fellow's account, rattled off as it was by him, 

 amused me much, and I took care to write it down on the 

 spot. The following is a correct copy of the original : — 

 " Misters, how d'ye do 1 Fine day to see sights, gentlemen. 

 Well, misters, here's the railing round the ground, and there's 

 the paling round'the tomb, eight feet deep, six feet long, and 

 three feet wide. Napoleon was buried in three coffins, one in 

 another — his head was here — his feet was there ; he was 

 dressed in a green coat, white breeches, and jack-boots — beau- 

 tifully polished, with his cocked hat between his legs, and his 

 heart in a silver pot at his feet. All the island came to the 

 funeral, and the soldiers fired a royal salute. These are, not 

 the willers that have been taken away, but I have got some 

 slips from the real tree in charge of my good woman — will you 



