ssemble every evening in the ward-room,
and partake of wine and water, punch, or bishop--a mixture consisting
of Port, Madeira, nutmeg, and other ingredients, well known to
sailors, and much relished by our foreign guests.

I was sitting this evening next Montholon, when Madame Bertrand
entered; I said to her, "Will you not sit down and take something?"
She gave an answer which I took for No; and passed rapidly into the
first lieutenant's cabin, which she had occupied since she came on
board. Montholon, who had observed her with more attention than I had
done, immediately rose and followed her. There was instantly a shriek
from the cabin, and a great uproar; and some one called out 'The
Countess is overboard.' I ran upon deck, that, in the event of its
being so, a boat might be lowered down, or the guard-boats called to
her assistance. On looking over the quarter, and seeing no splash in
the water, I felt satisfied it was a false alarm, and returned to the
ward-room. Madame Bertrand had by this time been placed on her bed,
where she was lying in strong hysterics, at intervals abusing the
English nation and its Government, in the most vehement and unmeasured
terms; sometimes in French and sometimes in English. Lallemand was
walking up and down the ward-room much agitated, joining in the abuse;
saying, among other things, "that it was horrible to bring a set of
people on board the ship for the purpose of butchering them." I turned
to him, and said, "Monsieur Lallemand, what a woman says in the state
of violent irritation that Madame Bertrand at present is, I consider
of little consequence, and am willing to make every allowance for the
situation you are placed in; but I cannot stand by and hear such terms
used of the Government of my country; and if you do not desist, or
make use of more respectful language, I shall be under the necessity
of taking measures that will be very unpleasant both to you and
myself."

This had the effect of silencing him. When the bustle had subsided, I
retired to my cabin, and was employed in writing the foregoing letter
to Lord Melville, in behalf of Messrs Savary and Lallemand; when the
latter, attended by Generals Montholon and Gourgaud, came in. They
immediately entered into conversation with me about the cruelty of
their situation: among many other things, they said, "You may depend
upon it, the Emperor never will go to St Helena; he will sooner put
himself to death; he is a man of deter