rticularly with Madame Bertrand. He assured her
that the exercise of gardening was much better than all the doctor's
prescriptions--that it was in fact one of his prescriptions. But in this
instance his eloquence failed in its effect, and he was obliged, though
with much reluctance, to desist from his attempts to make lady gardeners.

But in recompense he had willing labourers on the part of the gentlemen.
Antommarchi says, "The Emperor urged us, excited us, and everything
around us soon assumed a different aspect. Here was an excavation, there
a basin or a road. We made alleys, grottoes, cascades; the appearance of
the ground had now some life and diversity. We planted willows, oaks,
peach-trees, to give a little shade round the house. Having completed
the ornamental part of our labours we turned to the useful. We divided
the ground, we manured it, and sowed it with abundance of beans, peas,
and every vegetable that grows in the island." In the course of their
labours they found that a tank would be of great use to hold water, which
might be brought by pipes from a spring at a distance of 3000 feet.

For this laborious attempt it was absolutely necessary to procure
additional forces, and a party of Chinese, of whom there are many on the
island, was engaged to help them. These people were much amused at
Napoleon's working-dress, which was a jacket and large trousers, with an
enormous straw hat to shield him from the sun, and sandals. He pitied
those poor fellows who suffered from the heat of the sun, and made each
of them a present of a large hat like his own. After much exertion the
basin was finished, the pipes laid, and the water began to flow into it.
Napoleon stocked his pond with gold-fish, which he placed in it with his
own hands. He would remain by the pond for hours together, at a time
when he was so weak that he could hardly support himself. He would amuse
himself by following the motion of the fishes, throwing bread to them,
studying their ways, taking an interest in their loves and their
quarrels, and endeavouring with anxiety to find out points of resemblance
between their motives and those of mankind. He often sent for his
attendants to communicate his remarks to them, and directed their
observations to any peculiarities he had observed. His favourites at
last sickened, they struggled, floated on the water, and died one after
another. He was deeply affected by this, and remarked to Antommarchi,
"You see ve