354 



ftance occurred which had nearly interrupted 

 the order and harmony of the fete ; but it ter- 

 minated with only affording to the governor a 

 pleafant and facetious opportunity of con- 

 vincing us of his intimate knowledge of the 

 Englilh language. In the midft of the dance 

 three officers of our army and ijavy, who were 

 not of the party invited, and who had been 

 devoting rather too freely to the rofy god, 

 came reeling, abruptly, into the hall. One of 

 them, with the buly officioufnefs of inebriety, 

 infilled upon introducing the others to Ma- 

 dame Van Batteriburg : but he had forgotten 

 his Englilh ! — or, in the confidence infpired 

 by wine, was ambitious to difplay his know- 

 ledge of French ; and therefore addrefled her 

 only in the latter language, fpeaking it fo in- 

 correctly that it w r as difficult to comprehend 

 what he faid, or rather what he meant to fay. 

 Alarmed at his reeling and ftammering, Ma- 

 dame Van Battenburg begged to be prote&ed 

 left he mould tumble againft her ; and true 

 enough, at this moment, the poor captain fell 

 fprawling at her feet, and narrowly efcaped 

 beating her down. After much exertion, and 

 with fomq affiftance, he again rofe up, and fup- 

 ported himfelf upon his legs. He had now to 



