y one of the Bellerophon's boats; and I do not approve of frequent
communications with an enemy by means of flags of truce." I then went
into the cabin and ordered breakfast, to prevent further discussion
until the arrival of Captain Sartorius.

When breakfast was over, we retired to the after-cabin. Count Las
Cases then said, "The Emperor is so anxious to spare the further
effusion of human blood, that he will proceed to America in any way
the British Government chooses to sanction, either in a French ship of
war, a vessel armed _en flute_, a merchant vessel, or even in a
British ship of war." To this I answered, "I have no authority to
agree to any arrangement of that sort, nor do I believe my Government
would consent to it; but I think I may venture to receive him into
this ship, and convey him to England: if, however," I added, "he
adopts that plan, I cannot enter into any promise, as to the reception
he may meet with, as, even in the case I have mentioned, I shall be
acting on my own responsibility, and cannot be sure that it would meet
with the approbation of the British Government."

There was a great deal of conversation on this subject, in the course
of which Lucien Buonaparte's name was mentioned, and the manner in
which he had lived in England alluded to; but I invariably assured Las
Cases most explicitly, that I had no authority to make conditions of
any sort, as to Napoleon's reception in England. In fact, I could not
have done otherwise, since, with the exception of the order inserted
at page 24, I had no instructions for my guidance, and was, of course,
in total ignorance of the intention of His Majesty's ministers as to
his future disposal. One of the last observations Las Cases made
before quitting the ship was, "Under all circumstances, I have little
doubt that you will see the Emperor on board the Bellerophon;" and, in
fact, Buonaparte must have determined on that step before Las Cases
came on board, as his letter to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent
is dated the 13th of July, the day before this conversation.

During the above-mentioned conversation, I asked Las Cases where
Buonaparte then was? He replied, "At Rochefort; I left him there
yesterday evening." General Lallemand then said, "The Emperor lives at
the Hotel in the Grand Place, and is now so popular there, that the
inhabitants assemble every evening in front of the house, for the
purpose of seeing him, and crying, 'Vive l'Empereur!'"