CHARLES WATERTON, ESQ. Ixvii 



but I did not ; and the star went down below the 

 horizon, to appear no more. 



Few people, except those who have been to seek 

 adventures in far distant countries, are aware of the 

 immense advantages of a government commission, 

 especially when the traveller is in our own colonies. 

 With it his way is clear, and his story is already 

 told : every body acknowledges his consequence, 

 and is eager to show him attention. Without it, he 

 is obliged to unfold his object in view at every step : 

 he must fight his own cause through surrounding 

 difficulties, and lose many a day for want of some- 

 body to take him by the hand. In 1824, I was at 

 St. John's, in the Island of Antigua, and had to 

 attend at a public office prior to my going on board 

 the mail-boat for Dominica. I had lately arrived 

 from the United States, very much out of health ; 

 and I wore one of those straw hats, with a green 

 riband round it, so common in the republic. The 

 harbour-master, who presided, and outwardly ap- 

 peared much of a gentleman, eyed me, as I thought, 

 contemptuously on my entering the room. I was 

 right in my conjecture, for he seemed determined 

 to wear out my patience ; and he kept me standing 

 above half an hour, without once asking me to take 

 a seat, although there were plenty of chairs in the 

 room. In returning to the hotel with the captain 

 of the mail-boat, I observed to him how very de- 

 ficient the harbour-master had been in common 

 courtesy. He replied^ that, as soon I had gone out 

 of the door of the office, the harbour-master stopped 

 him to inquire who I was ; and, when he had told 

 d 2 



