condition of the French marine during the heroic period of the
Republic.

A personal enemy of his own, the captain of a Yankee slaver,
brought a party of sailors straight to the Governor's house. What
followed had best be told in Mr. Macaulay's own words. "Newell,
who was attended by half-a-dozen sans-culottes, almost foaming
with rage, presented a pistol to me, and with many oaths demanded
instant satisfaction for the slaves who had run away from him to
my protection. I made very little reply, but told him he must now
_take_ such satisfaction as he judged equivalent to his claims,
as I was no longer master of my actions. He became so very
outrageous that, after bearing with him a little while, I
thought it most prudent to repair myself to the French officer,
and request his safe-conduct on board the Commodore's ship. As I
passed along the wharf the scene was curious enough. The
Frenchmen, who had come ashore in filth and rags, were now many
of them dressed out with women's shifts, gowns, and petticoats.
Others had quantities of cloth wrapped about their bodies, or
perhaps six or seven suits of clothes upon them at a time. The
scene which presented itself on my getting on board the flag-ship
was still more singular. The quarter-deck was crowded by a set of
ragamuffins whose appearance beggared every previous description,
and among whom I sought in vain for some one who looked like a
gentleman. The stench and filth exceeded anything I had ever
witnessed in any ship, and the noise and confusion gave me some
idea of their famous Mountain. I was ushered into the Commodore's
cabin, who at least received me civilly. His name was Citizen
Allemand. He did not appear to have the right of excluding any of
his fellow-citizens even from this place. Whatever might be their