444 CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 



island, which are known by the name of " bosoms ;" none of them, how- 

 ever, so striking, nor having such an air of quiet and comfort as that 

 just mentioned. 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 imported 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 temperature, the air becoming raw and disagree- 

 able. 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 

 visiters, and who takes care to let it be known that it is customary to 

 pay for them, whether you partake or not. Her continued whinings 

 about her poverty, the injustice of the British government, and the 

 unfulfilled promises 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 dell, 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 treatment it 

 has received. A spring of pure and delicious 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 

 i have been subject, and which does away with half the satisfaction of 

 the pilgrimage. We drank some water from the spring, received a 

 bouquet of the Napoleon 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 anticipated 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, 



