ng
to lose one of their oars, were drifted to sea. They had been
thirty-six hours without refreshment of any kind, and with only one
oar and a bit of board, which they had formed into something like
another; they were quite exhausted with fatigue, and their hands very
much blistered. When we picked them up, there was a strong breeze
blowing off the land, so that there cannot be a doubt, had not
Providence sent us to their assistance, they must have perished. I
kept the boys on board two or three days, for the purpose of
recruiting their strength, and then landed them with the punt, close
to their village, to the great joy and wonder of their parents and
countrymen.

On the first of July, we spoke a ship from Rochefort, the master of
which gave information, that the frigates in Aix Roads had taken in
their powder, and were in all respects ready to put to sea; also, that
several gentlemen in plain clothes, and some ladies, supposed to form
part of Buonaparte's suite, had arrived at Isle d'Aix: in short, upon
the whole, that there was little doubt of its being his intention to
effect his escape, if possible, from that place, in the frigates. On
receiving this information, I anchored the Bellerophon as close to the
French squadron as the batteries would permit, kept guard-boats rowing
all night, and prepared my ship's company for the description of
action in which I thought it was probable they would be engaged. I
trained one hundred of the stoutest men, selecting them from the
different stations in the ship; it being my intention, after firing
into and silencing one frigate, to run the Bellerophon alongside of
her, throw that party in, and then, leaving her in charge of the first
lieutenant, to have proceeded in chase of the other.

His Majesty's ship Phoebe joined us this evening, and brought with her
the Bellerophon's barge. Captain Hillyar having orders to take a
station off Bourdeaux, I recalled the Myrmidon from that service.

On the 7th of July, I received a letter from Sir Henry Hotham,
together with fresh orders, from which the following are extracts:--

Extract of a Letter from Rear-Admiral Sir Henry Hotham, K.C.B.,
addressed to Captain Maitland of H.M.S. Bellerophon, dated Quiberon
Bay, July 6, 1815.

"It is impossible to tell which information respecting Buonaparte's
flight may be correct; but, in the uncertainty, it is right to attach
a certain degree of credit to all: that which I now act on, is
rec