The waning moon occasionally threw her pale light upon the Scene below, fantasticaly illuinating the Hills, which surround the TOMN; bit again, she would be obscured by dark prtentous clouds and the Ran would fall in Torrents. No light would then be visible, bit the glimmer of the numerous lanterns used by the Workmen, and the solitary Watchfire, which was burning near the Tent; thus givin the Scene the appearance of a Bivouack; yet, none moved; all remained, as it were, chained to the spot, exposed to, but regardless of, the inelemency of the Weather, anxiously watching the Work, as ist slowly proceeded.
At 1/2 past 1 o'Clock the Slabs, forming the top of the Tomb, and the Iron Railing surrounding it, were removed, and by 3 o'Clock, the Earth, within the Four Walls of the sepulchre, was excavated to the extent of nearly 7 feet ; at this depth, they met a Layer of Roman cement and Masonry of
about 11 inches thick, clamped with Iron Bars, which presented an almost insuperable obstacle and resisted for a considerable time, the utmost efforts of the Workmen to penetrate it ; insomuch that it became extremely uncertain whether it would be possible to effect an Entrance into the Vault in this direction, and Orders were accordingly given, to diga deep Trench on the left side of the Grave, for the purpose,
of entering it laterally.
Captain Alexander, who directed the work, at this time appeared to doubt, wether it would be practicable to exhumate the body, at an hour sufficiently early to admit of the PROCESSION taking place on that day. However, the Workmen, by unremitting perseverance, soon after succeeded in detaching some pieces of the Work, and with great personal labor and exertions, removed the whole of this Layer of Cement and Masonry by 8 o'Clock, laying bare the Slab, (6ft . 8by 3ft .), which forms the top of the old Sarcophagus. [....]
... the Commissioners descended into the Grave to examine into the state of the Coffin, which they found very slightly injured ; one corner only being a little decayed, apparently from dampness, although the Coffin had rested on Stones, placed for the purpose of- keeping it from the ground
of the Vault .—After the Commissioners had reascended, Doctor Gaillard caused two auger holes to be bored in the Coffin, one at the head and the other at the foot, as a measure of Sanitory Precaution . — The Coffin was then lifted out of the Tomb, by means of Shears, and deposited on the ground on the left side of the Grave, whence it was carefully borne by 12 men of the Royal Artillery, to a Tent erected for its reception, where the Service "Leveé du Corps" was performed.
The outer mahogany Coffin having been removed, the inner ones were carefully placed within the leaden Coffin, contained in the Sarcophagus sent from France, and the lids of the old leaden and of the second mahogany Coffin, were cut through and opened. The old tin Coffin, the last cover
which shrouded the Remains, became thus exposed to view, and at one o'clock, (Iris Excellency the Governor and Staff, having arrived in the mean time from Plantation House), this was also cut through, when a Satin Covering over the Body appeared, which the Surgeon of the Belle Poule, gently raised and thus displayed the Body of the Emperor. It was in excellent condition and seemed to have been almost miraculously preserved; there was an appearance of mould all over the Body and habiliments; but his Features, nearly unaltered, were immediately recognised by his old Friends and
Followers. The hands, which Dr . GUILLARD touched, (and he was the only person that touched the Corpse), were perfect and firm, "as a mummy's," he said; and the appearance of the whole Body was that of one who had lately been interred . The Eyes were fallen, and the Bridge of the Nose
a little sunk, but the lower part of the Face, remarkable for its great breadth and fullness, was perfect ;—indeed M . Marchand made the remark, that the Body was now more like what the Emperor had been, when alive, than at the time of its interment .
