The St. Helena carriage--Napoleon alarms the
ladies--Certificates of authenticity.
[Illustration: NAPOLEON’S BAROUCHE
The carriage used by Bonaparte during his exile at St. Helena.]
This is the last carriage in which Napoleon is known to have ridden.
On his first arrival at St. Helena he took much exercise in the saddle,
but during and after the year 1818, until he ceased venturing beyond the
precincts of Longwood, he made constant use of this vehicle.
The following extract from Mr. Norwood Young’s very valuable contribution
to our Napoleonic literature, _Napoleon in Exile at St. Helena_, gives us
an insight to the manner in which it was used:
After the dictation and the reading, Napoleon, in the
afternoon, generally went for a drive, one of the ladies,
with Bertrand or Las Cases, being taken in the carriage. The
two Archambauds at first used six horses, afterwards reduced
to four, which they drove, as postilions, at a great pace.
The round of the wood, done at high speed, was soon covered,
and the course would then be repeated. Madame de Montholon
declared that they went so fast that it was difficult to
breathe. At this rate the wood was so often driven round that,
in spite of the excitement of dodging the trees, there came a
staleness in the sport. In the early days the outing would be
varied by a visit to the Bertrands at Hutt’s Gate, and all
the ladies became much alarmed as the vehicle dashed round
the corners, with the terrible precipice on one side. It was
indeed dangerous, for there were no barriers, and a little
carelessness might have sent the whole party down the abyss.
There is now in most places a low earth bank, a railing made of
gas-pipes, and a plantation of flax at the edge, which at least
conceals the danger.
When the Bertrands had moved from Hutt’s Gate the drives never
went beyond the Longwood estate, which has a circuit of about
four miles.
Who built the carriage and how it came to be transported to St. Helena,
we know not. In type it is what was then--and for the matter of that is
still--known as a “barouche.”
Yellow and green are the prevailing colours in which the body has been
enamelled, the former predominating to a considerable extent.
Ponderously built throughout, as indeed were all travelling carriages of
this period, the body is swung so that its full weight is cast upon the
hind-wheels.
The under-carriage is strong and cumbersome, like that of the Waterloo
carriage, standing by its side. Its heavy cee springs are overlaid by
strong leather straps upon which the body is comfortably slung. The
carriage is lined throughout with heavy green superfine cloth.
So far as its general appearance is concerned, it might well be
designated as unexceptional. It has no mark or devices upon it to
indicate that it constituted the equipage of a royal household, and the
axle-caps have not even the maker’s name upon them.
The following quotations from an old Catalogue published at the time when
the conveyance was first installed in our collection of Napoleonic relics
remove any doubt as to its authenticity:
237. CARRIAGE used by the Emperor Napoleon, during six years
of his exile at St. Helena, and the last he ever entered.
Certified by the Counts Montholon and Las Cases. The following
is the letter, with description, from Mr. Blofeld, of whom it
was purchased:
“DEAR SIR,
“In accordance with your request I send you the following brief
particulars of the carriage used by the Emperor Napoleon at
St. Helena. I purchased it in 1848, at that island, of Major
Charles Sampson, an officer who had lived highly respected
there for more than fifty years, and who gave me the following
certificate:
“‘Received from Mr. John Blofeld, for Bonaparte’s old carriage,
the first used by him on the Island of St. Helena. (Here
follows the mount paid.)--(MAJOR) C. SAMPSON.’
“In 1850 I went to Paris, where I showed it to General Count
Montholon and Count Emanuel de las Cases; those gentlemen
immediately recognised it, and both said they had frequently
rode in it with the Emperor, and they most kindly gave me the
following certificates, which, as you purchased the carriage, I
enclose. General Montholon informed me that the Emperor always
used it, drawn by four horses, ridden by two postilions, with
the head of the carriage down.
“Certificates:
“‘I hereby certify that the carriage shown to me at Paris by
Mr. John Blofeld is the actual carriage used by the Emperor
Napoleon at the Island of St. Helena.--(GENERAL) MONTHOLON.’
“‘I hereby certify that the carriage shown to me by Mr. John
Blofeld, and purchased by him of Major C. Sampson, of St.
Helena, is the actual carriage used by the Emperor Napoleon at
that island.--EMANUEL DE LAS CASES.’
“I remain, Dear Sirs,
“Yours faithfully,
“JOHN BLOFELD.
“Messrs. Joseph and Francis Tussaud,
“London, Jan. 8, 1851.”
[Illustration: THORWALDSEN’S CELEBRATED BUST OF THE GREAT NAPOLEON
One of the treasured possessions of Madame Tussaud’s.]