Louis le Grand. They are always on duty; they are never out of
uniform, mentally and metaphorically, as well as bodily and
literally. Nothing is done without delay, even in the matter of
signing a ship's papers. A long proces-verbal takes the place of
our summary punishment, and the gros canon is dragged into use on
every occasion, even to enforce the payment of native debts.

In the Gaboon, also, there is a complication of national
jealousy, suggesting the mastiff and the poodle. A perpetual war
rages about flags. English craft may carry their colours as far
up stream as Coniquet Island; beyond this point they must either
hoist a French ensign, or sail without bunting--should the
commodore permit. Otherwise they will be detained by the
commander of the hulk "l'Oise," stationed at Anenge-nenge, some
thirty-eight to forty miles above Le Plateau. Lately a Captain
Gordon, employed by Mr. Francis Wookey of Taunton, was ordered to
pull down his flag: those who know the "mariner of England" will
appreciate his feelings on the occasion. Small vessels belonging
to foreigners, and employed in cabotage, must not sail with their
own papers, and even a change of name is effected under
difficulties. About a week before my arrival a certain pan-
Teutonic Hamburgher, Herr B--, amused himself, after a copious
breakfast, with hoisting and saluting the Union Jack, in honour
of a distinguished guest, Major L--. report was at once spread
that the tricolor had been hauled down "with extreme indignity;"
and the Commodore took the trouble to reprimand the white, and to
imprison "Tom Case," the black in whose town the outrage had been
allowed.

This by way of parenthesis. My next step was to request the