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"As soon as the Abbé Coquereau | coffin was strongly blocked up with had recited the prayers, the coffin was wedges of wood, and both were once removed with the greatest care, and more soldered up with the most micarried by the engineer-soldiers, bare- nute precautions, under the direction headed, into a tent that had been pre- of Doctor Guillard. These different pared for the purpose. After the re-operations being terminated, the ligious ceremonies, the inner coffins ebony sarcophagus was closed as were opened. The outermost coffin well as its oak case. On delivering was slightly injured: then came one the key of the ebony sarcophagus to of lead, which was in good condition, Count de Chabot, the King's Comand enclosed two others - one of tin missioner, Captain Alexander deand one of wood. The last coffin was clared to him, in the name of the lined inside with white satin, which, Governor, that this coffin, containing having become detached by the effect the mortal remains of the Emperor of time, had fallen upon the body, and Napoleon, was considered as at the disenveloped it like a winding-sheet, and posal of the French Government from had become slightly attached to it. that day, and from the moment at which it should arrive at the place of embarkation, towards which it was about to be sent under the orders of General Middlemore. The King's Commissioner replied that he was charged by his Government, and in its name, to accept the coffin from the hands of the British authorities, and that he and the other persons composing the French mission were ready to follow it to James Town, where the Prince de Joinville, superior commandant of the expedition, would be ready to receive it and conduct it on board his frigate. A car drawn by four horses, decked with funereal emblems, had been prepared before the arrival of the expedition, to receive the coffin, as well as a pail, and all the other suitable trappings of mourning. When the sarcophagus was placed on the car, the whole was covered with a magnificent imperial mantle brought from Paris, the four corners of which were borne by Generals Bertrand and Gourgaud, Baron Las Cases and M. Marchand. half-past three o'clock the funeral car began to move, preceded by a chorister bearing the cross, and by the Abbé Coquereau. M. de Chabot acted as chief mourner. All the authorities of the island, all the principal inhabitants, and the whole of the garrison, followed in procession from the tomb "The two inner coffins were care- to the quay. But with the exception fully closed again; the old leaden | of the artillerymen necessary to lead

"It is difficult to describe with what anxiety and emotion those who were present waited for the moment which was to expose to them all that death had left of Napoleon. Notwithstanding the singular state of preservation of the tomb and coffins, we could scarcely hope to find any thing but some misshapen remains of the least perishable part of the costume to evidence the identity of the body. But when Doctor Guillard raised the sheet of satin, an indescribable feeling of surprise and affection was expressed by the spectators, many of whom burst into tears. The Emperor was himself before their eyes! The features of the face, though changed, were perfectly recognized; the hands extremely beautiful; his well-known costume had suffered but little, and the colors were easily distinguished. The attitude itself was full of ease, and but for the fragments of the satin lining which covered, as with a fine gauze, several parts of the uniform, we might have believed we still saw Napoleon before us lying on his bed of state. General Bertrand and M. Marchand, who were both present at the interment, quickly pointed out the different articles which each had deposited in the coffin and remained in the precise position in which they had previously described them to be."

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the horses, and occasionally support | troops, the 91st Regiment being on the car when descending some steep the right, and the militia on the left. parts of the way, the places nearest The cortége advanced slowly between the coffin were reserved for the French two ranks of soldiers to the sound of mission. General Middlemore, al- a funeral march, while the cannons though in a weak state of health, per- of the forts were fired, as well as sisted in following the whole way on those of the 'Belle Poule,' and the foot, together with General Churchill, Dolphin;' the echoes being repeated chief of the staff in India, who had a thousand times by the rocks above arrived only two days before from James Town. After two hours' Bombay. The immense weight of march, the cortége stopped at the the coffins, and the unevenness of the end of the quay, where the Prince de road, rendered the utmost carefulness Joinville had stationed himself at the necessary throughout the whole dis- head of the officers of the three French tance. Colonel Trelawney command- ships of war. The greatest official ed in person the small detachment honors had been rendered by the Enof artillerymen who conducted the car, glish authorities to the memory of the and, thanks to his great care, not the Emperor-the most striking testislightest accident took place. From monials of respect had marked the the moment of departure to the arri- adieu given by St. Helena to his val at the quay, the cannons of the coffin; and from this moment the forts and the Belle Poule' fired mi- mortal remains of the Emperor were nute-guns. After an hour's march, about to belong to France. When the rain ceased for the first time since the funeral-car stopped, the Prince the commencement of the operations; de Joinville advanced alone, and in and on arriving in sight of the town, presence of all around, who stood we found a brilliant sky and beauti- with their heads uncovered, received, ful weather. From the morning, the in a solemn manner, the imperial three French vessels of war had coffin from the hands of General Midassumed the usual signs of deep dlemore. His Royal Highness then mourning their yards crossed and thanked the Governor, in the name of their flags lowered. Two French France, for all the testimonials of merchantmen, 'Bonne Amie' and sympathy and respect with which the 'Indien,' which had been in the roads authorities and inhabitants of St. for two days, had put themselves Helena had surrounded the memoraunder the Prince's orders, and fol- ble ceremonial. A cutter had been lowed during the ceremony all the expressly prepared to receive the manoeuvres of the 'Belle Poule.' The coffin. During the embarkation, forts of the town, and the houses which the Prince directed himself, of the consuls, had also their flags the bands played funeral-airs, and all half-mast high. the boats were stationed round with their oars shipped. The moment the sarcophagus touched the cutter, a magnificent royal flag, which the ladies of James Town had embroidered for the occasion, was unfurled, and the 'Belle Poule' immediately squared her masts and unfurled her colors. All the manoeuvres of the frigate were immediately followed by the other vessels. Our mourning had ceased with the exile of Napoleon, and the French naval division dressed itself out in all its festal ornaments to re

"On arriving at the entrance of the town, the troops of the garrison and the militia formed in two lines as far as the extremity of the quay. According to the order for mourning prescribed for the English army, the men had their arms reversed, and the officers had crape on their arms, with their swords reversed. All the inhabitants had been kept away from the line of march, but they lined the terraces commanding the town, and the streets were occupied only by the

ceive the imperial coffin under the French flag. The sarcophagus was covered in the cutter with the imperial mantle. The Prince de Joinville placed himself at the rudder, Commandant Guyet at the head of the boat; Generals Bertrand and Gourgaud, Baron Las Cases, M. Marchand, and the Abbé Coquereau occupied the same places as during the march. Count Chabot and Commandant Hernoux were astern, a little in advance of the Prince. As soon as the cutter had pushed off from the quay, the batteries ashore fired a salute of twenty-one guns, and our ships returned the salute with all their artillery. Two other salutes were fired during the passage from the quay to the frigate; the cutter advancing very slowly, and surrounded by the other boats. At half-past six o'clock, it reached the 'Belle Poule,' all the men being on the yards with their hats in their hands. The Prince had arranged on the deck a chapel, decked with flags and trophies of arms, the altar being placed at the foot of the mizzenmast. The coffin, carried by our sailors, passed between two ranks of officers with drawn swords, and was placed on the quarter-deck. The absolution was pronounced by the Abbé Coquereau the same evening. Next day, at ten o'clock, a solemn mass was celebrated on the deck, in presence of the officers and part of the crews of the ships. His Royal Highness stood at the foot of the coffin. The cannon of the 'Favorite' and 'Oreste' fired minute-guns during this ceremony, which terminated by a solemn absolution; and the Prince de Joinville, the gentlemen of the mission, the officers, and the premiers maîtres of the ship, sprinkled holy water on the coffin. At eleven, all the ceremonies of the church were accomplished, all the honors done to a sovereign had been paid to the mortal remains of Napoleon. The coffin was carefully lowered between decks, and placed in the chapelle ardente which had been pre

pared at Toulon for its reception. At this moment, the vessels fired a last salute with all their artillery, and the frigate took in her flags, keeping up only her flag at the stern and the royal standard at the maintopgallantmast. On Sunday, the 18th, at eight in the morning, the 'Belle Poule' quitted St. Helena with her precious deposit on board.

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During the whole time that the mission remained at James Town, the best understanding never ceased to exist between the population of the island and the French. The Prince de Joinville and his companions met in all quarters and at all times with the greatest good-will and the warmest testimonials of sympathy. The authorities and the inhabitants must have felt, no doubt, great regret at seeing taken away from their island the coffin that had rendered it so celebrated; but they repressed their feel. ings with a courtesy that does honor to the frankness of their character."

II.

ON THE VOYAGE FROM ST. HELENA TO PARIS.

ON the 18th October the Frenc frigate quitted the island with its pre cious burden on board.

His Royal Highness the Captai acknowledged cordially the kindnes and attention which he and his crew had received from the English authorities and the inhabitants of the Island of St. Helena; nay, promised a pension to an old soldier who had been for many years the guardian of the imperial tomb, and went so far as to take into consideration the petition of a certain lodging-house keeper, who prayed for a compensation for the loss which the removal of the Emperor's body would occasion to her. And although it was not to be expected that the great French nation should forego its natural desire of recovering the remains of a hero so dear to it

for the sake of the individual interest of | benevolence of disposition), the Emthe landlady in question, it must have peror Ferdinand, the King of Prussia, been satisfactory to her to find that and our own gracious Queen, had the peculiarity of her position was so taken such just offence at his conduct delicately appreciated by the august and disobedience towards a young Prince who commanded the expedi- and interesting sovereign, whose aution, and carried away with him thority he had disregarded, whose animæ dimidium suce the half of the fleet he had kidnapped, whose fair genteel independence which she de- provinces he had pounced upon, that rived from the situation of her hotel. they determined to come to the aid of In a word, politeness and friendship Abdul Medjid the First, Emperor of could not be carried further. The the Turks, and bring his rebellious Prince's realm and the landlady's vassal to reason. In this project, the were bound together by the closest French nation was invited to join; ties of amity. M. Thiers was Minis- but they refused the invitation, sayter of France, the great patron of the ing, that it was necessary for the English alliance. At London M. maintenance of the balance of power Guizot was the worthy representative in Europe that his Highness Meheof the French good-will towards the met Ali should keep possession of British people; and the remark fre- what by hook or by crook he had quently made by our orators at public gotten, and that they would have no dinners, that "France and England, hand in injuring him. But why conwhile united, might defy the world," tinue this argument, which you have was considered as likely to hold good read in the newspapers for many for many years to come, the union months past? You, my dear, must that is. As for defying the world, know as well as I, that the balance that was neither here nor there; nor of power in Europe could not possibly did English politicians ever dream of be maintained in any such way; and doing any such thing, except perhaps though, to be sure, for the last fifteen at the tenth glass of port at "Free-years, the progress of the old robber mason's Tavern."

Little, however, did Mrs. Corbett, the Saint Helena landlady, little did his Royal Highness Prince Ferdinand Philip Marie de Joinville, know what was going on in Europe all this time (when I say in Europe, I mean in Turkey, Syria, and Egypt); how clouds, in fact, were gathering upon what you call the political horizon; and how tempests were rising that were to blow to pieces our AngloGallic temple of friendship. Oh, but it is sad to think that a single wicked old Turk should be the means of setting our two Christian nations by the ears!

Yes, my love, this disreputable old man had been for some time past the object of the disinterested attention of the great sovereigns of Europe. The Emperor Nicolas (a moral character, though following the Greek superstition, and adored for his mildness and

has not made much difference to us in the neighborhood of Russell Square, and the battle of Nezib did not in the least affect our taxes, our homes, our institutions, or the price of butcher's meat, yet there is no knowing what might have happened had Mehemet Ali been allowed to remain quietly as he was: and the balance of power in Europe might have beenthe deuce knows where.

Here, then, in a nutshell, you have the whole matter in dispute. While Mrs. Corbett and the Prince de Joinville were innocently interchanging compliments at Saint Helena, bang! bang! Commodore Napier was pouring broadsides into Tyre and Sidon; our gallant navy was storming breeches and routing armies; Colonel Hodges had seized upon the green standard of Ibraham Pacha; and the powder-magazine of St. John of Acre was blown up sky

high, with eighteen hundred Egyptian soldiers in company with it. The French said that l'or Anglais had achieved all these successes, and no doubt believed that the poor fellows at Acre were bribed to a man.

It must have been particularly unpleasant to a high-minded nation like the French-at the very moment when the Egyptian affair and the balance of Europe had been settled in this abrupt way to find out all of a sudden that the Pacha of Egypt was their dearest friend and ally. They had suffered in the person of their friend; and though, seeing that the dispute was ended, and the territory out of his hand, they could not hope to get it back for him, or to aid him in any substantial way, yet Monsieur Thiers determined, just as a mark of politeness to the Pasha, to fight all Europe for maltreating him, all Europe, England included. He was bent on war, and an immense majority of the nation went with him. He called for a million of soldiers, and would have had them too, had not the King been against the project and delayed the completion of it at least for a time.

Of these great European disputes Captain Joinville received a notification while he was at sea on board his frigate: as we find by the official account which has been published of his mission.

"Some days after quitting Saint Helena," says that document, "the expedition fell in with a ship coming from Europe, and was thus made acquainted with the warlike rumors then afloat, by which a collision with the English marine was rendered possible. The Prince de Joinville immediately assembled the officers of the 'Belle Poule,' to deliberate on an event so unexpected and important.

"The council of war having expressed its opinion that it was necessary at all events to prepare for an energetic defence, preparations were made to place in battery all the guns that the frigate could bring to bear

against the enemy. The provisional cabins that had been fitted up in the battery were demolished, the partitions removed, and, with all the elegant furniture of the cabins, flung into the sea. The Prince de Joinville was the first to execute himself,' and the frigate soon found itself armed with six or eight more guns.

"That part of the ship where these cabins had previously been, went by the name of Lacedæmon; every thing luxurious being banished to make way for what was useful.

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'Indeed, all persons who were on board agree in saying that Monseigneur the Prince de Joinville most worthily acquitted himself of the great and honorable mission which had been confided to him. All affirm not only that the commandant of the expedition did every thing at St. Helena which as a Frenchman he was bound to do in order that the remains of the Emperor should receive all the honors due to them, but moreover that he accomplished his mission with all the measured solemnity, all the pious and severe dignity, that the son of the Emperor himself would have shown upon a like occasion. The commandant had also comprei hended that the remains of the Emperor must never fall into the hands of the stranger, and being himself decided rather to sink his ship than to give up his precious deposit, he had inspired every one about him with the same energetic resolution that he had himself taken against an extreme eventuality.'"

Monseigneur, my dear, is really one of the finest young fellows it is possible to see. A tall, broadchested, slim-waisted, brown-faced, dark-eyed young prince, with a great beard (and other martial qualities no doubt) beyond his years. As he strode into the Chapel of the Invalides on Tuesday at the head of his men, he made no small impression, I can tell you, upon the ladies assembled to witness the ceremony. Nor are the crew of the "Belle Poule less

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