Vessels which had recently come in announced the speedy arrival of the Prince de Joinville; public expectation was on tiptoe, and crowds were on the wharves.  The steamer at length came in sight, salutes were fired and answered, the colours run up, and she came into port in fine style.  Immediately she touched the Prince and his retinue came on shore, and went out some little distance from the town to visit some natural curiosities in the neighbourhood.  The steamer awaited their return.  During their absence I was standing on the wharf among the crowd, when Captain John Shook came up to me and asked whether I was going on to Green Bay, adding that the Prince de Joinville had made inquiries of him concerning a Rev. Mr. Williams, and that he had told the prince he knew such a person, referring to me, whom he supposed was the man he meant, though he could not imagine what the prince could want with or know of me.  I replied to the captain in a laughing way, without having any idea what a deep meaning attached to my words—­’Oh, I am a great man, and great men will of course seek me out.’

“Soon after, the prince and his suite arrived and went on board.  I did the same, and the steamer put to sea.  When we were fairly out on the water, the captain came to me and said, ’The prince, Mr. Williams, requests me to say to you that he desires to have an interview with you, and will be happy either to have you come to him, or allow me to introduce him to you.’  ‘Present my compliments to the prince,’ I said, ’and say I put myself entirely at his disposal, and will be proud to accede to whatever may be his wishes in the matter.’  The captain again retired, and soon returned, bringing the Prince de Joinville, with him.  I was sitting at the time on a barrel.  The prince not only started with evident and involuntary surprise when he saw me, but there was great agitation in his face and manner—­a slight paleness and a quivering of the lip—­which I could not help remarking at the time, but which struck me more forcibly afterwards in connection with the whole train of circumstances, and by contrast with his usual self-possessed manner.  He then shook me earnestly and respectfully by the hand, and drew me immediately into conversation.  The attention he paid me seemed not only to astonish myself and the passengers, but also the prince’s retinue.

“At dinner-time there was a separate table laid for the prince and his companions, and he invited me to sit with them, and offered me the seat of honour by his side.  But I was a little abashed by the attentions of the prince, so I thought I would keep out of the circle, and begged the prince to excuse me, and permit me to dine at the ordinary table with the passengers, which I accordingly did.  After dinner the conversation turned between us on the first French settlement in America, the valour and enterprise of the early adventurers, and the loss of Canada to France, at which the prince expressed deep regret.  He was very copious and fluent in speech, and I was surprised at the good English he spoke; a little broken, indeed, like mine, but very intelligible.  We continued talking late into the night, reclining in the cabin on the cushions in the stern of the boat.  When we retired to rest, the prince lay on the locker, and I in the first berth next to it.