efore, once for all, beg to
state most distinctly, that, from the time of his coming on board my
ship, to the period of his quitting her, his conduct was invariably
that of a gentleman; and in no one instance do I recollect him to have
made use of a rude expression, or to have been guilty of any kind of
ill-breeding.

As the ship had for some time been kept clear for action, with all the
bulkheads down, it became necessary to prepare for the reception of so
many guests, by putting the cabins up again: in consequence of making
the requisite arrangements, it was past one o'clock in the morning
before I could get to bed. About ten at night, the officer of the
watch informed me that a boat from the shore had asked permission to
come alongside. A man being allowed to come on board from her; "I am
sent off from Rochelle," said he, "to inform you that Buonaparte this
morning passed that town in a chasse-maree, with another in company,
for the purpose of escaping to sea by the Pertuis de Breton: he is now
in that passage, and means to set sail this night." I told him, "that
I doubted his information, having at that moment one of his attendants
on board, who had come with a proposal for me to receive him into the
ship." I then asked him how he came by his intelligence? He answered,
"The vessels passed close to a boat that I was in; and I saw a man
wrapt up in a sailor's great coat, whom one of the people with me
asserted to be him: for my part, I am not acquainted with his
appearance, never having seen him; but when the owner of the vessels
attempted to go on board of them, he was kept off, and told that they
were required for two or three days, when they would be restored with
ample payment." He told his story so circumstantially, and with such
confidence, that I feared there must be grounds for what he stated;
and the anxiety of my situation may be easily conceived, when it is
recollected that I had sent off a ship to England with despatches,
announcing the intention of Buonaparte to embark the following morning
in the Bellerophon. After a little consideration, I determined to
inform Las Cases abruptly of the intelligence I had received, and
endeavour to judge by the effect it had on his countenance, whether
there was any truth in the report or not. I accordingly went into the
cabin and did so; he seemed perfectly calm and collected, saying,
"Pray at what hour does your informant state the Emperor to have
passed Rochelle?" "A