362 A VOYAGE TO [At Mauritius. 
December ^ t0 true ’ ^ ut sa ^ th e y ^°P ec ^ ^ would last only a few days, 
Saturday 17- until my papers were examined ; and that in the mean time, direc- 
tions had been given that I should want for nothing. 
Mr. Aken was also to go on shore ; and whilst we put a few 
clothes together in a trunk, several black men, under the direction of 
another pilot, were warping the schooner up into the port. At one 
Sunday is. in the morning the officers took us into their boat, leaving the Cum- 
berland, with Mr. Charrington and the crew, under a guard of 
soldiers. 
We were conducted to a large house in the middle of the town, 
and through a long dark entry, up a dirty stair case, into the room 
destined for us ; the aide-de-camp and interpreter then wished us a 
good night, and we afterwards heard nothing save the measured steps 
of a sentinel, walking in the gallery before our door. The chamber 
contained two truckle beds, a small table and two rush-bottomed 
chairs ; and from the dirty appearance of the room I judged the lodg- 
ing provided for us by the general to be one of the better apart- 
ments of a common prison ; there were, however, no iron bars 
behind the lattice windows, and the frame of a looking-glass in the 
room had formerly been gilt. It seemed to me a wiser plan to leave 
the circumstances to develope themselves, rather than to fatigue our- 
selves with uncertain conjectures ; therefore, telling Mr. Aken we 
should probably know the truth soon enough, I stripped and got 
into bed ; but between the musketoes above and bugs below, and 
the novelty of our situation, it was near daybreak before either of 
us dropped asleep. 
At six o'clock, I was awakened by two armed grenadiers 
entering the room. The one said some words to the other, pointing 
to us at the same time, and then went out ; and he that remained 
began walking backward and forward between our beds, as a sentinel 
-on his post, without seeming to pay great attention to us. Had there 
been curtains, I should have tried to regain my slumber ; but not 
being able to sleep in such company, I rose and awoke my compa- 
