A VISIT TO THE EMPEROR OF HAITI. 



191 



been obliged to leave the island without having had the 

 honor of being received by his Majesty. To this speech, 

 I added, ' Sire, it was the only object of my voyage,' at 

 the same time half rising from my seat. The Emperor 

 imitated my movement, and thanked me, adding at the 

 same time, 1 I have already had the pleasure of seeing this 

 gentleman at the review on Sunday.' It was now my turn to 

 offer my thanks for this flattering reminiscence. The con- 

 versation continued in the same manner for about twenty 

 minutes. When we rose to take our leave of the Em- 

 peror, he again shook hands with us. Three salutations 

 on our part, and as many on his, concluded the ceremony. 



" Faustin Soulouque is completely black, but his fea- 

 tures have not by any means, that savage and hideous 

 form which ignorance attributes to the negroes of purely 

 African origin. On the contrary, his features are pleasing, 

 and there is a peculiar sweetness in his smile. Though 64 

 years of age, he does not appear to be more than 50. In 

 height he is middle-sized. His breast is large and project- 

 ing, his shoulders broad, and his haunches clumsy, like 

 those for which Louis XVIII was peculiar. From the 

 regularity of his features, his profile looks like that of a 

 Roman Emperor. When standing, his corpulence makes 

 him appear little. Though naturally taciturn, he is always 

 dignified and choice in his words. It is right to rectify an 

 error which attributes to him an entire ignorance of the 

 French language. In my presence he spoke very correctly, 

 and without any mixture of creolicisms. He has also 

 been accused of not being able either to read or right. 

 The truth is, that he signs his name legibly, and even in 



