355 



make his apologies, which were likewife at- 

 tempted in broken French — too bad to be un- 

 derstood. During all this his companions were 

 reeling about the hall, but, regardlefs of them, 

 he continued to perfecute Madame Van Batten- 

 burg with his bad French, and even infilled up- 

 on either her or Mademoifelle Van Battenburg 

 joining with him in the dance, " Vene%^venez^ 

 Madame" faidhe — " // faut datfer — voukz vous 

 *i)iens danfer avec moi f ri but finding he could 

 not prevail with either of the ladies, he fud- 

 denly turned from them, and happening to 

 ftumble again upon his companions, each of 

 them feized a fable damfel, and dragging their 

 three ebon partners into the row, took their 

 places in the dance. But it foon appeared that 

 they could perform only reels y and the country 

 dances of the blacks being interrupted by their 

 prefence, it became neceffary to lead away thefe 



jlaves of the bottle^ in order to prevent 



both the fpedators, and the dancers from being 

 deprived of their amufement ; and according- 

 ly, with fome trouble they were led back to 

 the barrack. Madame Van Battenburg feeling 

 furprifed at our intoxicated captain fpeaking 

 to her only in bad French, mentioned it as re- 

 markable, that he did not utter one fyllable of 



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