Recollections of Napoleon at St. Helena/Chapter 10

OUR FIRST VISIT TO NAPOLEON AT LONGWOOD.—DESCRIPTION OF IT.—HIS PLEASURE AT SERING US.—ANECDOTE OF THE MARQUIS DE M———.—NAPOLEON'S ANIMATED ACCOUNT OF SIR W. D.'S HOSPITALITY AND THE BEAUTY OF "FAIRY LAND," ETC.

WITH the assistance of my daughter's pencil, and some rough sketches I had by me, I have been enabled to give a view of the Briars, and the cottage occupied by Napoleon, whilst he stayed with us. He certainly appeared very contented during that time, and frequently expressed a strong de​sire that the government would permit him to remain there, by purchasing the estate; and on their refusing to do so, he sent General Montholon to negociate with my father, that he himself might become the purchaser of the Briars: but circumstances (probably political) prevented the negociation from being carried out. Napoleon used to watch with great interest the fatigue parties of the 53rd regiment, as they wound round the mountains, carrying on their shoulders the materials wherewith Longwood was to be rendered fit to receive him; and as the time of its completion drew nigh, he manifested his discontent by grumbling at the fifes and drums, to the sound of which the soldiers of the 53rd used to toil up those steep declivities, as their monotonous notes warned him of the speedy termination of his sojourn at our cottage.

Shortly after the emperor left the Briars, we proposed riding to Longwood, to see him, feeling exceedingly anxious to know how ​he was accommodated, and rather, it may be, hoping to hear him make a comparison in favour of the sweet place he had left for the sterile-looking domain in which his habitation was now placed; and I remember being in a state of ecstacy at the prospect of again beholding my old playmate—the loss of whose society I had so deeply regretted. We found him seated on the steps of his billiard-room, chatting to little Tristram Montholon. The moment he perceived us, he started up and hastened towards us. Running to my mother, he saluted her on each cheek. After which fashion he welcomed my sister; but, as usual with me, he seized me by the ear, and pinching it, exclaimed, "Ah! Mademoiselle Betsee, êtes vous sage, eh, eh?" He then asked us what we thought of his palace, and bidding us follow him, said he would shew us over his ménage. We were first conducted to his bedroom, which was small and cheerless. Instead of paper hangings, its walls ​were covered with fluted nankeen; and the only decorations I observed were the different portraits of his family, which on a former occasion he had shewn to us. His bed was the little camp bedstead, with green silk hangings, on which he said he had slept when on the battle-fields of Marengo and Austerlitz. The only thing approaching to magnificence in the furniture of this chamber, was a splendid silver wash-hand-stand bason and ewer. The first object on which his eyes would rest on awaking, was a small bust of his son, which stood on the mantel-piece, facing his bed, and above which hung a portrait of Marie Louise. We then passed on through an ante-room, to a small chamber, in which a bath had been put up for his use, and where he passed many hours of the day.

The apartments appropriated to him were the two I have just mentioned, with a dressing-room, dining-room, drawing-room, and billiard-room. The latter was built by Sir ​George Cockburn, and was the only well-proportioned room of which Longwood could boast.

After all these chambers were exhibited, and commented on by Napoleon, he proceeded with us to the kitchen, where he desired Piron the confectioner to send in some creams and bon-bons for Miss Betsee. Thence we went to the larder, where he directed our attention to a sheep that was hanging up, and said, laughingly, "Regardez—voilà un mouton pour mon diner, dont on a fait une lanterne." And sure enough, it was so—the French servants having placed a candle in its lean carcass, through which the light shone.

After we had gone all over the rooms, he conducted us to those of Madame Montholon, and introduced me to a little stranger—the countess's baby, only then six weeks old, and which he began dandling so awkwardly, that we were in a state of terror lest he should let it fall. He occa​sionally diverted himself by pinching the little creature's nose and chin, until it cried. When we quizzed him for his gaucherie in handling the child, he assured us he had often nursed the little King of Rome when he was much younger than the little Lili.

Before terminating our visit, Napoleon took us over the garden and grounds which surrounded his house. Nothing could exceed the dreariness of the view which presented itself from them; and a spectator unaccustomed to the savage and gigantic scenery of St. Helena, could not fail to be impressed with its singularity. On the opposite side, the eye rested on a dismal and rugged-looking mountain, whose stupendous side was here and there diversified by patches of wild samphire, prickly pears, and aloes, serving to break but slightly the uniform sterility of the iron-coloured rocks, the whole range of which exhibited little more than huge apertures ​of caverns, and overhanging cliffs, which, in the early years of the colonization of the island, afforded shelter to herds of wild goats. I remember hearing Madame Bertrand tell my mother, that one of Napoleon's favourite pastimes was to watch the clouds as they rolled over the highest point of that gigantic mountain, and as the mists wreathed themselves into fantastic draperies around its summit, sometimes obscuring the valleys from sight, and occasionally stretching themselves out far to sea, his imagination would take wing, and indulge itself in shaping out the future from those vapoury nothings.

As a diversion to close the day, the emperor proposed a ride in his Irish jaunting car. Our horses were accordingly sent on to Hutsgate, the residence of Madame Bertrand; and accompanied by Napoleon, we set off at a hard gallop. I always was, and still am, the greatest coward in a carriage; and of all vehicles, that jaunting ear ​seemed to me to be the one best calculated to inspire terror: it was driven by the fearless Archambaud, with unbroken Cape horses, three abrcast, round that most dangerous of roads called the Devil's Punchbowl. The party occupying the side nearest the declivity seemed almost hanging over the precipice, while the others were, apparently, crushed against the gigantic walls formed by the perpendicular rock. These were drives which seemed to inspire Bonaparte with mischievous pleasure. He added to my fright, by repeatedly assuring me the horses were running away, and that we should be all dashed to pieces. I shall never forget the joy I experienced on arriving in safety at Madame Bertrand's, and finding myself once more mounted on my quiet pony Tom.

After Napoleon had been on the island a few months, some newspapers arrived containing anecdotes of him, and all that occurred during his stay at the Briars. Amongst other sottises, was a letter written ​by the Marquess de M———, in which he described all the romping games that had taken place between Napoleon and our family, such as blindman's buff, the sword scenes, and ending his communication by observing, that "Miss Betsee" was the wildest little girl he had ever met; and expressing his belief, that the young lady was folle. This letter had been translated into the German and English journals. My father was much enraged at my name thus appearing, and wished to call the marquess to an account for his ill nature; but my mother's intercessions prevailed, and she obtained an ample apology from the marquess. On hearing of the affront that "Miss Betsee had received from the vieur imbecile, as Napoleon generally denominated him, he requested Dr. O'Meara would call at the Briars on his way to St. James's Valley, with a message to me, which was to let me know how I might revenge myself. It so happened, that the marquess ​prided himself on the peculiar fashion of his wig, to which was attached a long cue. This embellishment to his head Napoleon desired me to burn off with caustic. I was always ready for mischief, and in this instance had a double inducement, on the emperor's promise to reward me, on the receipt of the pigtail, with the prettiest fan Mr. Solomon's shop contained. Fortunately I was prevented indulging in this most hoydenish trick, by the remonstrances of my mother. The next time I saw the emperor, his first exclamation was, "Eh bien, Mademoiselle Betsee, a tu obéi mes ordres et gagné l'eventail?" In reply, I made a great merit of being too dutiful a daughter to disobey my mother, however much my inclinations prompted me to revenge the insult. He pinched my ear, in token of approval, and said, "Ah, Miss Betsee, tu commences à être sage." He then called Dr. O'Meara, and asked him if he had procured the fan? The doctor replied, that ​there were none pretty enough. I believe I looked disappointed; on perceiving which, Napoleon, with his usual good nature, consoled me with the promise of something prettier—and he kept his word. In a few days I received a ring of brilliants, forming the letter N, surmounted by a small eagle. The only revenge I took on the marquess, was by relating an anecdote of his greedy propensity, which diverted Napoleon very much. He was very fond of cauliflowers, which were rare vegetables in this island; dining with us one day at the Briars, his aid-de-camp, Captain Gor, had omitted to point out to him that there were some at table; and it was only when about to be removed that the marquess espied the retreating dish. His rage was most amusing; and, with much gesticulation, he exclaimed, "Bête! pourquoi ne m'a tu pas dit qu'il y avait des choux-fleurs?"

During one of our riding excursions, we encountered Napoleon, who was returning ​from Sandy Bay, whither he had been to visit Mr. D———, who resided there. He expressed himself delighted with the place, and spoke in high terms of the urbanity of the venerable host of "Fairy Land." This gentleman had passed all his life at St. Helena, and had at this time arrived at the advanced age of seventy, without ever having left the island. His appearance was most prepossessing; and to those who loved to revel in the ideal and imaginative, he might have been likened to a good genius presiding over the fairy valley in which he dwelt. A few years after the emperor's visit, Mr. D——— was induced to come to England, and, thinking that he might never again return to his lovely and beloved valley, had a tree felled from his own "fairy land," from under the shade of which he had often viewed the enchanting scenery around, and had his coffin made from the wood. His arrival in England, together with his interesting character, being made ​known to the Prince Regent, afterwards George IV., his Royal Highness desired that Mr. D——— might be presented to him. and his Royal Highness was so gratified with the interview, that he afterwards knighted Mr. D———, who subsequently returned to the island of which he was so much enamoured.

​I asked Napoleon if he had remarked, when at Sandy Bay, three singularly formed rocks, shaped like sugar loaves, and called Lot's Wife and Daughters. He replied that he had. I then related to him an anecdote connected with the largest of the three. More than half a century had elapsed since two slaves, who preferred a freebooting life to one of labour and subjection, secreted themselves in a cave half way up the declivity which terminates the spiral rock called "Lot's Wife." From this stronghold their nocturnal sallies and depredations were carried on with great success, and their retreat remaining for a ​long while undiscovered, they became the terror of the island. They were at length, however, tracked to their rocky hold, where they stood a long siege, repelling all attacks by rolling stones on their assailants. It was at last deemed necessary to send a party of soldiers, to fire on them if they refused to surrender. But this measure was rendered unnecessary by the superior activity of one of the besieging party, who managed to climb the rock, reach the opposite side of the mountain, and clambering up still higher to gain a situation above the cave, the mouth of which became thus exposed to the same mode of attack which had effected its defence; so that, when one of the unfortunate freebooters approached the edge of the precipice to roll down stones, he was crushed to death, and his companions, who were following him, severely wounded. Many of the islanders believe to this day, that the ghost of the murdered slave is seen to make the circuit of the wild ​spot wherein he carried on his nightly orgies—a superstition giving to an "airy nothing a local habitation, and a name." In St. Helena every cavern has its spirit, and every rock its legend. Napoleon having listened to my legend of the sugar-loaf mountain, said he should regard it with greater interest the next time he rode in that direction.