nary occupation; that is, to visit the sick
from morning to night, and from night to morning. My profession did
not well accord with my natural character, for I was not sufficiently
philosophic to witness, without pain, the sufferings I was incapable
of alleviating, and, above all, to watch the death-beds of fathers,
of mothers, and of dearly loved children. In a word, I did not act
professionally, for I never sent in my bills; my patients paid me
when and how they could. To their honour, I am bound to say that I
rarely had to complain of forgetfulness. Besides, my appointments
permitted me to live sumptuously, to have eight horses in my stables,
and to keep open house to my friends and the strangers who visited
Manilla. Soon, however, what my friends designated a coup-de-tete
caused me to lose all these advantages.

Every month I summoned a council of revision in the regiment to
which I belonged. One day I brought forward a young soldier for
rejection; all went well; but a native surgeon, long jealous of my
reputation, was nominated by the governor to make inquiry and check my
declaration. He naturally inserted in his report that I was deceived;
that the malady of which I spoke was imaginary; and he succeeded in
all this so well that the governor, enraged, condemned me in a penalty
of six piasters. The following month I again brought forward the same
soldier, as being incapable of performing his duties; a commission
of eight surgeons was nominated; their decision was unanimous in my
favour, and the soldier was accordingly discharged. This reparation
not quite satisfying me, I presented an appeal to the governor, who
would not receive it, upon the strange pretext that the decision of
the medical committee could not annul his. I confess that I did not
understand this argument. This method of reasoning, if reasoning it
was, appeared to me specious in the extreme. Why allow the innocent
to suffer, and the ignorant practitioner, who had contradicted my
opinions and deceived himself, to escape? This injustice revolted
me. I am a Breton, and I have lived with Indians--two natures which
love only right and justice. I was so much annoyed by the governor's
conduct towards me that I went to him, not to make another reclamation,
but to tender my resignation of the important offices which I held. He
received me with a specious smile, and told me that after a little
reflection I should change my mind. The poor governor, however, was