Historical records of the 91st Argyllshire ... - waughfamily.ca

90 HISTORICAL RECORDS OF THE1840. interfered with. When at Longwood, a squareof about twelve miles in circumference was allowedhim, within which he might ride or walk withoutbeing accompanied by a British officer. Asubaltern's guard was postedLongwood, about 600 paces fromat the entrance ofthe house, anda cordon of sentinels and picquets was placedround the limits. At 9 o'clock in the eveningthey were drawn in, and stationed in communicationwith each other, and afterdaybreak Napoleon was not at libertythat hour untilto leavethe house except in the company of a field officer.When lie first came to the island he generally,when the weather allowed of it, either rode ordrove for an hour or two inthe afternoon, accompaniedby all his suite ;but during the last fouryears of his life he hardly went out at all. Hevery much disliked the situation of Longwood,which was bleak and dreary in the extreme, andbegged that his new house might be built at theother side of the island, which was a much moresheltered position. This request, however, wasnot acceded to, and towards the end of the year1818 the foundations of the new building werelaid in the garden of Longwood ;inhabited by Napoleon,but it was neverwhose death occurred