whichwasappointedtoconveytheEmperortotheplaceofhisdestination.InspiteofthewishhehadexpressedtoColonelCampbellhemanifestedconsiderablereluctancetogoonboard.However，onthe28thofAprilhesailedfortheislandofElbaintheEnglishfrigate，inwhichitcouldnotthenbesaidthatCaesarandhisfortunewereembarked.
[Itwasonthe3dofMay1814thatBonapartearrivedwithinsightofPorto—Ferrajo，thecapitalofhisminiatureempire;buthedidnotlandtillthenestmorning.Atfirsthepaidashortvisitincognito，beingaccompaniedbyasergeant’spartyofmarinesfromtheUndaunted.Hethenreturnedonboardtobreakfast，andatabouttwoo’clockmadehispublicentrance，the’Undaunted’firingaroyalsalute.]
IneveryparticularofhisconducthepaidgreatattentiontothemaintenanceofhisImperialdignity.OnlandinghereceivedthekeysofhiscityofPorto—Ferrajo，andthedevoirsoftheGovernor，prefect，andotherdignitaries，andheproceededimmediatelyunderacanopyofStatetotheparishchurch，whichservedasacathedral.ThereheheardTeDeum，anditisstatedthathiscountenancewasdarkandmelancholy，andthatheevenshedtears.
OneofBonaparte’sfirstcareswastoselectaflagfortheElbeseEmpire，andaftersomehesitationhefixedon\"Argent，onabendgules，orthreebees，\"asthearmorialensignofhisnewdominion.ItisstrangethatneitherhenoranyofthosewhomheconsultedshouldhavebeenawarethatElbahadanancientandpeculiarensign，anditisstillmoreremarkablethatthisensignshouldbeonesingularlyadaptedtoBonaparte’ssituation;beingnomorethan\"awheel，——theemblem，\"saysM.Bernaud，\"ofthevicissitudesofhumanlife，whichtheElbesehadborrowedfromtheEgyptianmysteries.\"Thisisascuriousacoincidenceasanyweeverrecollecttohavemet;asthemedalsofElbawiththeemblemofthewheelarewellknown，wecannotbutsupposethatBonapartewasawareofthecircumstance;yetheisrepresentedashavinginvainmadeseveralanxiousinquiriesaftertheancientarmsoftheisland.
Duringthefirstmonthsofhisresidencetherehislifewas，ingeneral，oneofcharacteristicactivityandalmostgarrulousfrankness.Hegavedinners，wenttoballs，rodealldayabouthisisland，plannedfortifications，aqueducts，lazarettos，harbours，andpalaces;andtheveryseconddayafterhelandedfittedoutanexpeditionofadozensoldierstotakepossessionofalittleuninhabitedislandcalledPianosa，whichliesafewleaguesfromElba;onthisoccasionhesaidgood—humouredly，\"Toutel’Europediraquej’aidejafaituneconqute\"