Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-03-21
TErom a Ioadon pope,. If d. os !

Extract of letter from The N,oroniis do
Montchenu, commissioner of the KING
OF France, 10 his friend NJ. Pricur
Knight OF ST. Louis, Director of the
Posts at Angouleme.
~. Helena, July %. 1916.
You cannot from an idea of this isle.
al that you !iaveread or heard Of if makes
II Il paradise when compared with tbe
reai,ty It's aspect is still more hideous
III me interlor,-you see ONLY ragged
mountains, destitute of vegetation. "f =
height varying from 50 to 500 tuises-
single plain, which is that where Bo-
napartc resldes.-One meets here and
there few stunted trees nothino h,,t
potatoes are cultiyatedand tina, in small
quantity a single town, i'm which there
are about 20 fouses,-and moi a VILLAGE
some cottages, which are dpnitied with
me name OF country houses. about a tenth
oi which are iabiiable; some very fine
roads, uniformly bordercd by trighlful
precipices; no practicable paths. Such,
my dear SIR, Is the abode ofvour friend,
WHO, besides, is ignorant of the language
OF the country; and il he .iould know
II, would moi be much better for il. If
YOU commisserate me, then regret that
you dId not accompany me. We want
every 'ilng; every thing here is al AN ex-
orniiaht price. To give YOU ala idea of
MS YOU must know that all our wants
must pe supplied from England, or the
off. Goals for the Kitchen come rom u'
England, for the Island produces no fire.
wood. 4 few DAYS ago some bullock,
arrived from the Cape out of25 embark
ed. died on the passage. AsmalI sheen
costs from BIO louis 4: a fowl, very tough
frcm!o To 10 francs, according 10 its size.
Dread, which is the cheapest article. %
sous per ib.; pair of shoes from Is TO 90
Having thus detailed to you nv mise
RES. VIII now talk to you of our Great
man, OF hts situation and guard.
1he garrison consists OF about . 500
men, with 500 and odd pieces of artille
ry, ana about score of mortars; Ii occu-
pies the rooms of the house of the Lien
teIant-Goyernor, situate upon the only
plan III The Island, called Longwood..
The PLAIN Is surrounded on all sides bv
horrible preclpices, and there is but one
ROAD by winch you can reach it. e)n this
plain has been established a camn oc-
cnpied by the 63d regiment and a mark
ut artillery IT is besides lined with posts
OF troops. Bonaparte and his followers
nave the liberty Of walking or riding
within Tins circle: he must be accompani,
ed by an officer in uniform. who mustpnt
OUT him a single step, and this sane
ofheeS lodges in the house. and mu.t
know what he is doing the whole OF the
Gay Tile other persons In his suite are
accompanied by an orderly officer. and
me Naiets by a non commissioned one,
Inc Governor IS made acquainted hourly
WIN whatever passes by means of teIe-
graphs, erected throughout the Isle, so
tnat In minute he knows whatever is
passing, or III two minutes, when lie is
lidNil'9 MS rounds or on horseback; and
~ case OF any thing happening the whole
minutes. such are the precautions bv
land; those at sea arc of different kind.
there are always al least . frixa,es At aii.
Choir, While briggs are sailing njyht and
day round the Island and from six O'clock
J." Tie evening TO tie samefhomr next
morning armed boats palrole along tie
base OF the mountains which border The
sea ana surround lis on all sides at nioh,.
mat IS about SIX o'clock, all the boats
belonging bOtli TO individuals and tilc
siIippInS must have returned, and If
Dodt makes ITS appeaTanceits fired upon.
AItrr niue o'clock, no one can move Out
Winout having the password, without fear
OF being shot, or at least arrested. No
foreign vessel can come on the coast
they are announced by signal ihcnoment
ihcy are perceived, and d dollar is given
to them WHO first spies them. which NAV
be done neatly siAfy miles at sea. Ships
cannot bear IN close 10 the island i'm one
night, especially on a coast so danger
Gus add TO which that the breakers are
so strong that one is sometimes several
days without being able TO come close
III Without danger. You perceive. nv
dear friend, that escape appears phvsi-
cally impossible; iliai even if the Go
vernon wished 70 favor il, the Admiral
must al So he IN the plot. If even, in spite
Oi all these precautions, the Admiral were
TO allow two or three boats TO approach
IN favorable night, which would be en-
posed 10 very dangerous fire, what
would happen them All the roads arc
guarded, llie rocks are nearly impracti-
cable, and there is not APPOINT where ten
men without arms, and with stones only
which arc ia abundance, could not stop a
thousand mcn wei armed.
The other day, while making a recog-
noisaDce with The Governor, ii appeared