llerophon, we
always lived expressly for his accommodation--entirely in the French
manner; that is to say, a hot meal was served at ten o'clock in the
morning, and another at six in the evening; and so nearly did they
resemble each other in all respects, that a stranger might have found
difficulty, in coming into the cabin, to distinguish breakfast from
dinner. His maitre d'hotel took the joints off the table, cut them up
in portions, and then handed them round. Buonaparte ate a great deal,
and generally of strong solid food: in drinking he was extremely
abstemious, confining himself almost entirely to claret, and seldom
taking more than half-a-pint at a meal. Immediately after dinner,
strong coffee was handed round, and then some cordial; after which he
rose from table, the whole meal seldom lasting more than twenty or
twenty-five minutes: and I was told, that during the time he was at
the head of the French Government, he never allowed more than fifteen
minutes for that purpose.

After he had quitted the ship, being desirous to know the feeling of
the ship's company towards him, I asked my servant what the people
said of him. "Why, Sir," he answered, "I heard several of them
conversing together about him this morning; when one of them observed,
'Well, they may abuse that man as much as they please; but if the
people of England knew him as well as we do, they would not hurt a
hair of his head;' in which the others agreed." This was the more
extraordinary, as he never went through the ship's company but once,
immediately after his coming on board, when I attended him, and he did
not speak to any of the men; merely returning their salute by pulling
off his hat; and in consequence of his presence, they suffered many
privations, such as not being allowed to see their wives and friends,
or to go on shore, having to keep watch in port, &c.; and when he left
the ship, the only money he distributed was twenty Napoleons to my
steward, fifteen to one of the under-servants, and ten to the cook.

It may, perhaps, be interesting to give a slight sketch of the
principal persons who accompanied Buonaparte to the Bellerophon;
premising, that I do not pretend to be minutely correct in the view I
took of them: the trying circumstances in which these unfortunate men
were placed, being such as required more than common temper; and I
think it very doubtful, whether, in the same situation, Englishmen
would have maintained equal forbearanc