r, and asked me if I were acquainted with its contents. I
answered, "No." "Do you know for what purpose they were intended, for we
have more than thirty of them which were found on board your ship?" I
answered as before. "This appears very extraordinary that you, as captain
of the ship where they were found, should not know they were on board
her." "It may be so," I answered with indifference. "You may think it a
trifle," said one of them, "but it may, without it is satisfactorily
explained, prove in the end very serious to you." "Indeed," returned I,
"that will be still more extraordinary. Probably it may be the means of a
change of residence, for I cannot be worse off than where I am at
present." "Monsieur chooses to be pleasant, but he must give us some
account of these papers before we leave him." One of them then translated
their contents. As I had never heard of them before I was rather struck
with their purport, which was to create a counter-revolution, and cause
that English-loving man, Bonaparte, to be dethroned. "Doctor," said I, "do
you know anything about these terrible papers?" "Very little," replied he.
"They were, I believe, in circulation about two years ago, in Mr. Pitt's
time, and they were called his projects, for he loved Napoleon with all
his heart." "Pray," said I, turning to the commissioner who had the
longest and most snuffy nose, and who had translated the paper, "in what
part of the vessel were these projects found?" "In the second cabin," was
his answer. He meant the gun-room, where the officers slept and messed.
"What is their date?" "1808." "Come," resumed I, "I think you will not
shoot me this time. I did not join the ship until 1810, when they were
never given into my charge. Now, gentlemen, you may either remain or
depart; no more answers or explanation will I give." They grouped into the
corner of the room, and after taking a pinch of snuff with a few shrugs of
their shoulders and some whispering, took their leave.

Soon after the turnkey appeared with another worthy person as interpreter,
and to whom I was to pay three francs a day and give him a dinner. I
remonstrated, and said the doctor was my interpreter. "Bah, bah!" said the
fellow, and marched out of the room, the door of which he locked. This
person, whom the turnkey had so unceremoniously introduced, had, it
appeared, been sent for by the _gouverneur_, as he chose to understand we
wished to have "un maitre de la langue Francaise,