the chief object of interest in every English house. In obedience to
orders which it was not his business to question, he had assisted Sir T.
Shepstone in the memorable annexation of the Transvaal. He had seen also
to what that annexation led, and, being a truth-speaking man, he did not
attempt to conceal the completeness of our defeat. Our military
establishment in the West Indies is of modest dimensions; but a strong
English soldier, who says little and does his duty, and never told a lie
in his life or could tell one, is a comforting figure to fall in with.
One feels that there will be something to retire upon when
parliamentary oratory has finished its work of disintegration.

The pleasantest incident of the day was the evening drive with Lady
L----. She would take me out shortly before sunset, and bring me back
again when the tropical stars were showing faintly and the fireflies had
begun to sparkle about the bushes, and the bats were flitting to and fro
after the night moths like spirits of darkness chasing human souls.

The neighbourhood of Bridgetown has little natural beauty; but the roads
are excellent, the savannah picturesque with riding parties and polo
players and lounging red jackets, every one being eager to pay his or
her respect to the gracious lady of the Queen's representative. We
called at pretty villas where there would be evening teas and lawn
tennis in the cool. The society is not extensive, and here would be
collected most of it that was worth meeting. At one of these parties I
fell in with the officers of the American squadron, the commodore a very
interesting and courteous gentleman whom I should have taken for a
fellow-countryman. There are many diamonds, and diamonds of the first
water, among the Americans as among ourselves; but the cutting and
setting is different. Commodore D---- was cut and set like an
Englishman. He introduced me to one of his brother officers who had been
in Hayti. Spite of Sir Spenser St. John, spite of all the confirmatory
evidence which I had heard, I was still incredulous about the alleged
cannibalism there. To my inquiries this gentleman had only the same
answer to give. The fact was beyond question. He had himself known
instances of it.

The commodore had a grievance against us illustrating West Indian
manners. These islands are as nervous about their health as so many old
ladies. The yellow flags float on ship after ship in the Bridgetown
roadstead, and crews,