impossible; my cabin was without furniture; I had
not even a servant on board. He said he would willingly mess anywhere; I
told him that the ward-room was already crowded; and besides, I could
not with propriety take him, he being a foreigner, without leave of the
Admiralty. He seemed greatly hurt at this, and recalled to my
recollection certificates which he had formerly shewn me from persons in
official situations; Lord Yarmouth, General Jenkinson and Mr. Reeves, I
think, were amongst the number; I recommended him to use his endeavour
to get them or any other friends to exert their influence, for I had
none; adding, that when the Tonnant went to Portsmouth, I should be
happy to receive him; and I knew from Sir Alexander Cochrane, that he
would be pleased if he accomplished that object; Captain Berenger said,
that not anticipating," now this is very material, "any objection on my
part, from the conversation he had formerly had with me; he had come
away with intention to go on board and make himself useful in his
military capacity; he could not go to Lord Yarmouth, or to any other _of
his friends in this dress_;" what is the dress that Lord Cochrane
represents as then belonging to him? a green dress? had he a green
dress? he must have had that dress with him whatever it was in which he
had come in the coach; he says that would excite suspicion; why, if he
had really a green uniform, that would not have excited observation or
suspicion; it was the very uniform he ought to have worn; but if it was
that in which he had got out of the coach, and it does not appear that
he had any means of shifting himself; if he had on an aid-de-camp's
uniform with a star, and so presented himself to Lord Cochrane, how
could Lord Cochrane reconcile it to the duties he owed to society, and
to Government, and to his character as a gentleman and an officer, to
give him the means of exchanging it; it must be put on for some
dishonest purpose; this red coat and star, and all this equipment, must
have appeared most extraordinary, and must have struck Lord Cochrane
most forcibly, if he was not aware of the purpose for which it was used;
"that he could not go to Lord Yarmouth, or to any other of his friends
in this dress, or return to his lodgings, where it would excite
suspicion (he was at that time in the Rules of the King's Bench); but
that if I refused to let him join the ship now, he would do so at
Portsmouth; under present circumstances, howeve