and was, I am confident, introduced in order that the Admiral (to whom I interpreted it) might communicate it on this side of the water. It differed but little from others which I had often heard on the same subject during my captivity; but the rank and situation of the speakers from whose lips it fell, render it memorable to me.----Finding that Champeaux did not come home, about ten o’clock we retired to our inn, being first given to understand, that I might be sure of meeting him in his office at six o’clock next morning, being the hour at which he always entered upon business. At a few minutes before six on the following day I renewed my visit, and waited but a short time before I was admitted to Monsieur Champeaux. He was sitting in his office, in an elbow-chair, dressed in a flannel jacket abominably filthy, and smoking a short black pipe, exactly such an one as the old women in Ireland carry about in their mouths. It brought to my mind Sir William Temple’s descriptions of those old burgomasters, who formerly, with so much plainness, wisdom, and integrity, conducted the affairs of the Batavian republic. I had no more reason to complain of my reception now than on the preceding day. He told me that he did not wonder at my impatience, and that I should wait for what I wanted only until a clerk should come in. “But,” added he, “our clerks are _fainéants_.” Ah! thought I, if this honest gentleman could take a peep, at this early hour, into an English public office, where vigilance for the common weal never slumbers!----His affable compliance removed a mountain from my mind. I now took an opportunity of presenting Admiral Bligh’s compliments to him, and requesting, as an acknowledgment of his politeness, that he would name some French officer, a prisoner in England, whose release he might be interested about, and that he might depend on his being sent home. The old man bowed, and, recollecting himself for a moment, wrote down the name of a _Quarter Master_, who was taken in l’Atalante frigate, and is now in prison at Kinsale in Ireland, begging that I would give it to the Admiral with his thanks, and perfect reliance on his good faith. I continued to wait; but no clerk entering, although some other company did, I slipped out, and planted myself on the stair-case, where I had not remained long before a grave sober official-looking character came forward.----“Pray, sir,” said I, “do you belong to the office?”----“Yes, citizen.”----I told him my business in few words, and having been similarly situated in an English office, when I begged his assistance, looked as if I would be _grateful_. “Are you sure, citizen, that you have seen the representative?”----“Perfectly sure.”----“The representative Champeaux?”----“Yes.”----“Then follow me, and your business shall be done.”----With a bounding heart I accompanied him into his office. When he had finished writing the passports, he took them in to the