been fed and housed
before midnight, and sleep buried for a while in forgetfulness the
troubles of the bewildered settlers on Comoro.

We pass over the first month, and how does the commissioner, on his
arrival at the island, find the exiles bearing their lot? Proclamation
was at once made that those who had anything to complain of should meet
him in a spacious marquee which he had caused to be set up on a large
open piece of ground near the shore, immediately on his arrival. He was
rather dismayed, however, when he found the place of hearing crowded
without a moment's delay by nine-tenths of the islanders, while many
were clamouring outside because unable to obtain admission. After a few
moments' consideration, he ordered his officers to clear the marquee,
and then to admit a hundred of the more elderly of each sex. This was
done with some considerable difficulty, and the commissioner then
addressed himself to a crabbed-looking old gentleman, who had elbowed
his way to the front with a vigour hardly to have been looked for in one
of his years and apparent infirmities.

"May I request, sir, to be informed what it is you have to complain of?"
asked the commissioner.

"I complain of everything and everybody," was the reply.

"Is that _all_ you have to complain of?" the commissioner then asked.
Before the old gentleman could frame an answer to this second question,
the judge, having paused to give a few moments for reply, exclaimed,
"Officer, dismiss this complainant;" and the old man was forthwith
removed from the tent in a state of boiling indignation.

"And now, madam," continued the commissioner, addressing a middle-aged
lady of dignified mien and commanding stature, "may I ask what is your
complaint?"

"I complain, sir," replied the lady sternly, "of general neglect and
ill-treatment."

"Excuse me, madam," was the judge's reply, "but I can see no evidence of
this in your personal appearance. So far from it, that, having met you
not unfrequently in the streets of our city, I am constrained to
congratulate you on the manifest improvement in health which you have
gained from a month's residence in this delightful climate.--Officer,
conduct this lady with all due ceremony to the outside of our court."

"And you, sir," speaking to a gentleman of very severe countenance, who
had been used at home to "show his slaves how choleric he was, and make
his bondmen tremble,"--"let me hear what charge you have to alleg