136          SOCIETY AS I HAVE  FOUND  IT.

to tea, and a tea indeed it was ; what the
French would call a " Souper dinatoire,"
the English, a "high tea," a combination of
a heavy lunch, a breakfast, and tea. No
hot dishes, but every cold delicacy you
could dream of ; a sort of " whipping the
devil around the stump." No dinner, a
gorgeous feast at tea.

Down the river the next mornino- we went

o

to West Point, every moment enjoyable,
and reached the Commandant's house. As
General Scott was presenting Colonel Dela-
field's guests to the Prince I approached the
General, asking him to present me to his
Royal Highness. A giant as he was in
height, he bent down his head to me, and
asked sharply, "What name, sir?" I gave
him my name, but at the sound of " Mc,"
not thinking it distinguished enough, he
quietly said, " Pass on, sir," and I subse¬
quently was presented by the Duke of
Newcastle.