The Second Funeral of Napoleon
Page: 8

her one-and-twenty guns; then the frigate returned the compliment of
the "Dolphin" schooner; then she blazed out with one-and-twenty guns
more, as a mark of particular politeness to the shore--which
kindness the forts acknowledged by similar detonations.

These little compliments concluded on both sides, Lieutenant
Middlemore, son and aide-de-camp of the Governor of St. Helena, came
on board the French frigate, and brought his father's best respects
to his Royal Highness. The Governor was at home ill, and forced to
keep his room; but he had made his house at James Town ready for
Captain Joinville and his suite, and begged that they would make use
of it during their stay.

On the 9th, H. R. H. the Prince of Joinville put on his full uniform
and landed, in company with Generals Bertrand and Gourgaud, Baron
Las Cases, M. Marchand, M. Coquereau, the chaplain of the
expedition, and M. de Rohan Chabot, who acted as chief mourner. All
the garrison were under arms to receive the illustrious Prince and
the other members of the expedition--who forthwith repaired to
Plantation House, and had a conference with the Governor regarding
their mission.

On the 10th, 11th, 12th, these conferences continued: the crews of
the French ships were permitted to come on shore and see the tomb of
Napoleon. Bertrand, Gourgaud, Las Cases wandered about the island
and revisited the spots to which they had been partial in the
lifetime of the Emperor.

The 15th October was fixed on for the day of the exhumation: that
day five-and twenty years, the Emperor Napoleon first set his foot
upon the island.

On the day previous all things had been made ready: the grand
coffins and ornaments brought from France, and the articles
necessary for the operation were carried to the valley of the Tomb.

The operations commenced at midnight. The well-known friends of
Napoleon before named and some other attendants of his, the chaplain
and his acolytes, the doctor of the "Belle Poule," the captains of
the French ships, and Captain Alexander of the Engineers, the
English Commissioner, attended the disinterment. His Royal highness