Port Louis had a snug inner harbour close to the town. The channel from the Bell Buoy was over thirty cables long; we had to warp up. A light coir rope stopped to bent flukes of small anchors; about three ships’ lengths apart. Negro divers released the stops as the warping ship approached. In a man-of-war it was a run from end to end. _Espoir_, 10, Commander Henry F. Greville, arrived. [Sidenote: June 17.] The _Castle Huntley_, a fine East Indiaman, arrived with the newly-appointed Governor-General, Hon. Sir Charles Colville, on board, which the worthy Captain, Thomas Dunkin, thought entitled him to display at his main topgallant masthead the Union Jack--a flag, afloat, representing an Admiral of the Fleet. The Captain did not approve of being obliged to haul it down, and commenced a long correspondence with “powers that be” at home. This, however, never interfered with the cordial good-feeling which existed between our Chief and the two gallant Governors. It was arranged with Lord John Churchill that _Tweed_ should take Sir Lowry Cole to the Cape of Good Hope, to which he had been appointed as Governor: the staff was large, and required a certain time for us to prepare. [Sidenote: Jane 25.] General Sir Lowry Cole paid his farewell visit as Governor, and was received with all due honours. In Sir Lowry we had another of Wellington’s Peninsular heroes, with a far longer record than a midshipman’s log has room for. His Excellency was not at the battle of Waterloo, because on that day he married Lady Frances, daughter of Lord Malmesbury, the lady who was so kind to us youngsters. The honeymoon must have been of short duration, as Sir Lowry rejoined his old chief at the occupation of Paris. [Illustration: _View from Réduit._] The children were charming. Had we belonged to the family, we could not have been treated with greater kindness. Horses and ponies at Government House, Port Louis, as well as at a charming house, Le Réduit, which my friend Larking describes as a fine old French château, built by Labourdoniere when Governor of the island. It stands in lovely wooded grounds, several hundred acres in extent, triangular-shaped. Two rivers run through deep ravines and form the sides of a triangle. They meet at the apex, which is called Bout au Monde--the haunt of hundreds of monkeys. [Sidenote: July 22.] Arrived _Sparrowhawk_, 18, Commander James Polkinghorne. [Sidenote: July 23.] The necessary number of captains being present, I was examined as to my qualifications in seamanship, having already passed for navigation before leaving England. The captains were not hard on me; the passing certificates were made out in triplicate to be sent to the Admiralty. The captains kindly signed an extra one, which I sent to my father. From this day I ceased to be a midshipman, and became a mate in His Majesty’s Navy.