ipal port of the island, where
the governor resided the greater portion of the time. There had
transpired a new incident which demands our immediate notice.

The shipyard at St. Pierre, where the Unicorn had touched, was intended
for the anchorage of merchant vessels, just as the shipyard at Fort
Royal was for ships-of-war.

About the same time that Youmaeale was walking with Blue Beard, the
lookout above the governor's house (at Fort Royal) signaled a French
frigate; the watch sent his assistant to inform the officer of artillery
commanding the battery at the fort, in order that he might fire a salute
(as was the custom) to the king's flag, (the custom being to fire a
salute of ten guns from all the ships-of-war when they came to anchor).
To the great surprise of the lookout who repented then of having
dispatched his assistant to the sergeant, he saw the frigate heave to,
outside the roadstead, and lower a boat; this boat was propelled through
the waves to the entrance of the port, while the frigate rode at anchor
and waited for it.

This proceeding was so strange that the lookout reported to the captain
of the Governor's Guards, and related to him what had occurred, to the
end that he could countermand the salute from the fort. This order
given, the captain went at once to inform the governor of this singular
evolution on the frigate's part.

An hour later, the boat belonging to the French ship arrived at Fort
Royal, and landed a person dressed like a man of some rank, who was
accompanied by the lieutenant of the frigate. They went at once to the
house of the governor, Baron de Rupinelle.

The officer gave a letter from the captain commanding the Fulminante to
the baron. His vessel was under orders to wait the result of the mission
with which Monsieur de Chemerant was charged, and to depart at once.
They had hastily taken on some fresh victuals and fresh water for the
men on board. The lieutenant went out to attend to matters pertaining to
reprovisioning the frigate, and Monsieur de Chemerant and the governor
were alone.

Monsieur de Chemerant was a man of from forty-five to fifty years, of a
dark olive complexion which gave to his sea-green eyes an added charm;
he wore a black peruke and a brown coat trimmed with gold braid. His
features were intellectual, his words few, his eye piercing; his mouth,
or rather his lips, were altogether too thin and compressed to ever
smile; if he occasionally gave vent to sarca