The National Register.
London, England, 1816-01-21 00:00:00

BUONAPARTE.

From a private correspondent, we have received the following
particulnrs of Napoleon Buonparte, which may be relied upon :
" He did not play at chess on board the ship dining his passage ;

the general game was Lon, and at it no one lost more than 2 or 3
guineas at a sitting. He often lost, but was very much struck that
on his birth.day he won every thinLr, and often reverted to it for
days after. He says that when he attacked in the last campaign,
he expected from the Duke of Wellington some able and skilful
movements in retreat. All he wanted was a battle, and was sur-
prised to be indulged in his wish. He says he had decidedly gained
the victory at Waterloo, and had anticipated, and completely pro-
vide.' for the advance of the Prussians; but flaying been obliged
to advance in haste, he had no time to weed his army of the Royal-
istv, who were in it, and who took occasion of the moment of the
last arlyance of the E:iglish to cry out sauce qui peut, "the Devil
take the hindmost," and spread a panick. "He sUould otherwise
have annihilated our army the next morning.

He positively denies that he knew any thing about Capt. Wright,
*r ever heard his Dame till Lortl Ebrington mentioned it at Elba.

A letter from an Officer just returned from St. Helena says,
that &lON AP A ItTE iS occupied during the day in writing the
history of his life, and the evening Is devoted to walking in the
arden with his Generals, and his society at Mr. BA LCOL nes.
The only chance strangers have of conversing with him, is bv
getting an introduction to Mr. BALCOLM, and stepping in
as if by chance, in the evening. Our Captain, and several of
our _passengers, by this means, have had long conversation
with him; he talks upon every subject but those relating to
politics, which he seems very desirous to avoid. He behaved
with great politeness to the Ladies, who have been echoing his
raises ever since lie is very strictly watched by the Ad-
iral ; two sloops of war are constantly cruising off the island,
he one the windward, and the other on the leeward sides,
besides several guard boats; they are fortifying it in every pos-
bible direction. Ile however, entertains the idea of being'

, Vps n+.

JAN. 21.

a, no distant period the Emperor Of FR AN C E he thinks it im-
possible that the French people can long sutler the Buuttsoxs.
The subjoined letter from St. Helena, describes the be-
haviour of Buonaparte since his arrival there, with a minute-
ut and accuracy whi h renders this communication unques-
tionably the hest which we have seen on this inte:esting sub-
.Act. lie has at length began to feel a small portion of those
pri‘ations and suberinns which, in the course of his famous
and wicked life, he has wantonly heaped upon millions !

" St. Helena, Nov. '2O, 1815.
48 My last letter apprised you of our arrival here with Napo-
leon—his being safely housed on shore, amongst a race of peo-
ple whose surprise and consternation at the arrival ot such a
visitor, could only be equalled by their desire to see him.
" The topography of St. Helena must be pretty well known
in England by this time. I have only to remark, that the
imagination of man could not picture a more hideous aspect. than
its external front.• It is inaccessible towaids the south from a
perpendicular face and an eternal trade-Wind, which nine months
of the year would deny shelter to a skiff in the only rocky little
bay in that direction. On the north side, where ships anchor,
there are several ravines or cliffs, with the ina.ginat rocks rising
perpendicularly Woo feet, with the exception ot a ripping rill
of water, and a few water-cresses, (the only inhabitants ot the-e
dreary defiles); the surface is mouldering lavas. One of these
ravines, in consequence of its having become the habitation of
men, has assumed the name Of James's Valley. From the
beach onwards, as far as the (UL L Y %vat admit, a row of tolera-
ble houses have been built, principally lot accomodation of the
passengers on their way to India. The rocks which form the
inlet are equally stupendous as the others. The labour ot ages
has accomplished a path on each side to reach the summit.
" The interest excited on aporoachin, this frightful island
may be beyter imagined than described. I watched with eager
curiosity the look of each individual whose days were consigned
to dwindle here.—Madame Bei trand, with streanimge)
me to look at it and pity her; she cast her eyes, on her hus-
band, then on her children, who were innocently playng on
the quarter deck, seeming to say, am I at last destined to this?
Napoleon even it with fortitude ; his looks, h's manners spoke
it a place more damnable than he bargained for. Anxious as
he was to get on shore, he did not quit us fora couple of days,
and when he did I positively saw ►egret pictured in his face.
The last word he uttered happened (from my being near him)
to be addressed to me; the Admiral and Captain were at the
gangway—barge in waiting, Buonaparte hurried along the quar-
ter-deck from the cabin, wrapped up in a white great coat: as
he passed, he bowed. My eye, Ido think, spoke pity, for it
met-his, and he hastily asked if I continued on board ? It was
night before he reached his house in the village; still there were
many spectators whom he wag particularly anxious to avoid.
" At dawn, the following day, he rode out with Sir George
Cockburn to examine the situation of his future residence.
Longwood is distant five miles front the village, and elevated
above it ,iOOO feet—exactly ten degrees difference of tempera-
ture front that at the surface of the ocean. The interior of the
Island is certainly less offensive to the eye than what its exterior
would promise. Perhaps if one would draw a
,compai icon
between what the Island promises on approaching from the sea,
and what is found on taking a ride through the country, one
would be tempted tosay many spots are beautiful. Itbas been in
this way that the people who have written of St. Helena
judged of it. Napoleon, on his first day's ride,(for he has not taken
a second.) spoke in very unfavourable terms of the places, and
said, every description we had given him to read of this Island
was exaggerated. On descending the mountain, on his return
to the village, he stopped at a small house called the Briars.
situated on a projecting rock, midway from the summit. Here
he requested permisSion to stop, and from which he has not
strayed one hundred yards since the hour he took possession.
Nature and art have done something for this spot. The.lava
has become soil, and the eye is relieved by a spot of verdure
exceeding two acres. There is there a garden, with fruit trees
—a rill of water ;uggling by; and Buonaparte with his friend
Las Ca:isas, here contrive to pass their time. He is perfectly
excluded from the gaze of the public, which was perhaps a

is spot until the repairs of

principal reason for his selecting
Longwood were finished.
" I must now introduce you to the inhabitants of this same
Briars—this half aerial habitation of the fallen Napoleon, Mr.
Ba(corn, a native of England, long resident in the island of St.
Ilelena, a merchant of the place, and contractor for the navy, is
the proprietor of the Briars. He has resided there for many
years with his family, consisting of his wife, an intelligent
woman, and two daughters, both extremely well educated, any
under the age of seventeen. Balcom's house is so ext, emeld
small; that there are scarcely apartments capable of accommr.
dating his family. He has an out-home, fancifully constructed,
on a little eminence overlooking the valley. This Buonapar to
chose for breakfast room, dining-room, anti parlour. His camp
bed has been conveyed there from the Northumberland, and
there is he contented to ruminate, the live-long day, on the
awful occurrences of his unexampled career. This apartment
of the mighty Napoleon terminates in its top in a little gothic
garret (where I declare to you 1 cannot turn round). There
resides the Counsellor of State Comptc Las Cassas, accom-
panied by his son, a page of the Ex-Emperors, aged about six-
teen, sharing the couch of his father. I have repeatedly
thought it my duty to pay my respects to the tallen Emperor
since he took up his residence at the Briars, more especially as
the visits of strangers are disapproved of by him, and demi-
officially forbidden by his Excellency Sir George. From the
facility with which I gain admittance to the presence, I am dis-
posed to think the attention not unacceptable. From the
variety of papers I see scattered about on his toilet, and the
hours which he is closeted with Las Cassas (a man of uncom-
mon talent), I am inclined to think he is busied either in draw-
ing up a remonstrance to the British Government, or writing a
history of his own life. His hours of recreation are generally
from twelve till two o'clock. He perambulates the little garden,
and is invariably joined by the young ladies—daughters of the
proprietor.
" Marshal Bertrand, the Countess, General Moutholon, and
Gouyer, inhabit a house in the town, where I daily visit. They
are full of trouble. From the habits of life they have been ac-
customed to, all are inclined to launch out into extravagance ;
however, the Admiral is as rigid an economist, and this system
of retrenchment appears to give great dissatisfaction. Napoleon
takes every thing as he finds it ; however, the complaints of his
followers have met his ears, and he has solicited permission to
provide for them himself. He is unwilling that either the one
or the other should, in any shape, be a burthen to the British
Government, and he is equally hurt that their comforts should
in any shape be abridged."

PRICES OF ST
Bank Stock 237
3 per Cent. Consols 5'
S per Cent. Red. 69{ 60
4 per Cents. 711

.S YESTERDAY.
5 per Cents. Navy 885
Omnium 14/ prem.
Long Ann. 1.5 1-16th.
Excheq. Bills 4 to 7 prem.

THE NATIONAL REGISTER•

LONDON :
SUNDAY, JANUARY 21.

The Paris Papers of Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, are
tome to hand, and confirm the report of the arrest of Sir
Robert Wilson, Captain Hutchinson, of the Ist Guards,
and Mr. Bruce. They however merely mention the fact ;
stating, as the ground of their arrest their having favoured
the escape of Lavalette. One of the papers adds, errone-
ously, perhaps, that Sir Robert Wilson made some attempts
to defend himself; saying to the Police Officers—" You
were lucky in having arrested me In the presence of my
wife, or you would not have taken me alive."
Two French Officers are reported to have been sent to
London by the French Government, with explanations
relative to the arrest of the-above -Crestlesteu.