ed not to lose sight of the ladies till I had placed them
in safety. I found that the youngest was the niece of the governor, and
that she had a sister and her mother with her. The governor's daughter,
a buxom-looking damsel, was also of the party. I conducted them all to
Captain Lydiard, who commanded the expedition, and their carriages and
horses being found in the fort, he ordered that they should be conveyed
back into the town under an escort. I was highly delighted when I found
that I might accompany it. Perigal had command. The British flag was
flying from every fort and ship in the harbour, and many of the worthy
burghers, when their schiedam-steeped senses returned and they opened
their eyes, as they looked out of their windows, could not make out what
had occurred. We were treated with the greatest respect by everybody we
met, and the ladies endeavoured to show their gratitude by every means
in their power. As soon as we had seen them to their own homes we were
to return on board. I found that the young lady's name was Essa von
Fraulich.

"You will come and see us very often, Mr Merry," she exclaimed in a
very foreign accent, though her phraseology was pretty correct. "We
want to show how much we love you, and we make nice cake for you, and
many other good things."

The elder ladies were more demonstrative, and wanted to kiss me, which I
thought very derogatory to my dignity.

I shook hands warmly with them all round, and as I began with Miss Essa,
I thought it incumbent on me to finish off with her:

The townspeople were very civil as we made our way down to the boats.
Indeed, they did not seem to mind at all what had happened. It was all
the same to them which flag flew over the forts. The English had gained
a character for justice and honesty, and they were inclined to look upon
us as likely to prove good customers, and were, in fact, very glad to
see us. They, indeed, probably thought that it was a pity any
opposition whatever should have been offered to our entrance. Our work
was not entirely accomplished. There was still a fort of some strength,
a few miles from the town. A party of marines and bluejackets was
marched out to take it, which they very speedily did, as the commandant
offered no resistance, but, hearing that his chief had capitulated,
yielded on being summoned. Thus, by noon, the whole of a rich and
fertile island, containing forty-five thousand inhabitants, and well
fort