CHARLES WATEHTOK, ESQ. Ixvii 
but I did not ; and the star Avent 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 
<iifficulties, 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 v^^ear 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 
