INTRODUCTION TO THE GOVERNOR OF BISSAO. 325 
agitated by a tremendous gale, I disembarked in the midst 
of the surf which broke over the strand. 
The large size of my Bambara hat, the thickness of my 
beard, the long stick with wdiich I walked, the state of my 
clothes, which were almost all in rags, drew around me an 
innumerable crowd of Negroes, who incessantly insulted me, 
and laughed at my appearance. A Portuguese serjeant, 
seeing my embarrassment, drew his sword and restored oi'der 
for some minutes ; he then told me to follow him, and con- 
tinued to keep off the multitude which obstructed the street 
leading to the fort. When 1 presented myself at the gate, 
the black sentinel, inferring the meanness of my condition 
from the bad state of my clothing, said to me in Portuguese : 
" Comrade, take oiF your hat." Offended at receiving such an 
order, I looked at this Negro with a threatening air, and 
pulled my hat down further upon my head. 
I was immediately announced to M. de Mattos, the 
governor of the place, and appeared in the midst of a 
numerous circle of officers, who, hearing that a Frenchman 
had just arrived, ran to see me ; I wore the garb of poverty, 
nevertheless, the governor seated me by his side — a kind 
attention on his part ; for the water which dripped from my 
clothes wetted his furniture and the floor of his apartment. 
All eyes were fixed upon me ; my dress appeared to some 
to be a disguise ; they could not imagine that I belonged to a 
European nation. The governor snquired what motive had 
