Page:Memoirs of Vidocq, Volume 2.djvu/46

 a gentleman covered with gold lace, got up and spoke, showing a large representation of a soldier in full uniform.. 'By the authority of his majesty,' said he, 'I am here to explain to the subjects of the king of France the advantages which he offers in admitting them to his colonies. Young men who are round me, you must have heard of the land of Cocagne, and it is to India that we must go to find this fortunate country. There we must go, if we would live in clover.'

"'Would you have gold, pearls, or diamonds? the roads are paved with them; you have only to stoop and pick them up, and not even that, for the savages will collect them for you.

"'Do you love women? There they are for all tastes; negresses, who belong to all the world; then creoles, white as you or I, and who dote to madness on white men, which is natural enough in a country where the men are all black; and note particularly, that every one of them is as rich as Crœsus; which, between ourselves, is very advantageous in marriage.

"'Do you love wine? It is like the women, of all sorts; Malaga, Bourdeaux, Champagne, &c. For instance,—you must not often expect to meet with Burgundy, I will not deceive you, it will not bear sea carriage; but ask for any other that is made throughout the world, at sixpence a bottle, and believe me, you will find them but too happy to procure it for you. Yes, gentlemen, for sixpence; and that cannot surprise you, when you learn that sometimes one, two, or three hundred ships, loaded with wines, arrive at the same time in one single harbour. Picture to yourself the embarrassment of the captains; in haste to return, they quickly unload, and announce that they shall esteem it a favour from any who will empty the casks gratis.

"'That is not all. Do not you think it would be a sweet life always to have sugar in plenty? I have not mentioned come, lemons, pomegranates, oranges, pineapples, and the millions ot delicious fruits which grow