On reading the above, I told Monsieur Las Cases that I would receive Buonaparte on board, and immediately forward General Gourgaud to England by the Slaney, along with my despatches to the Admiralty; but that he would not be allowed to land until permission was received from London, or the sanction of the Admiral at the port he might arrive at obtained. I a.s.sured him, however, that the copy of the letter with which he was charged would be forwarded without loss of time, and presented by the Ministers to his Royal Highness. Count Las Cases then asked for paper, that he might communicate by letter to Bertrand my acquiescence in the proposal he had brought, for my receiving, and conveying to England, Buonaparte and his suite.
When General Gourgaud was about to write the letter, to prevent any future misunderstanding, I said, "Monsieur Las Cases, you will recollect that I am not authorised to stipulate as to the reception of Buonaparte in England, but that he must consider himself entirely at the disposal of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent." He answered, "I am perfectly aware of that, and have already acquainted the Emperor with what you said on the subject."
It might, perhaps, have been better if this declaration had been given in an official written form; and could I have foreseen the discussions which afterwards took place, and which will appear in the sequel, I undoubtedly should have done so; but as I repeatedly made it in the presence of witnesses, it did not occur to me as being necessary; and how could a stronger proof be adduced, that no stipulations were agreed to respecting the reception of Buonaparte in England, than the fact of their not being reduced to writing? which certainly would have been the case had any favourable terms been demanded on the part of Monsieur Las Cases, and agreed to by me.
The French boat was soon after despatched with the letter to Bertrand, in charge of a French naval officer, who had attended Las Cases on board; and as soon as I had finished the following despatch to the Secretary of the Admiralty, I sent Captain Sartorius, of the Slaney, to England, accompanied by General Gourgaud.
Extract of a Letter from Captain Maitland, of His Majesty"s ship Bellerophon, addressed to the Secretary of the Admiralty, dated in Basque Roads, 14th July, 1815.
"For the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, I have to acquaint you that the Count Las Cases and General Lallemand this day came on board His Majesty"s ship under my command, with a proposal from Count Bertrand for me to receive on board Napoleon Buonaparte, for the purpose of throwing himself on the generosity of the Prince Regent. Conceiving myself authorised by their Lordships"
secret order, I have acceded to the proposal, and he is to embark on board this ship to-morrow morning. That no misunderstanding might arise, I have explicitly and clearly explained to Count Las Cases, that I have no authority whatever for granting terms of any sort, but that all I can do is to carry him and his suite to England, to be received in such manner as his Royal Highness may deem expedient.
"At Napoleon Buonaparte"s request, and that their Lordships may be in possession of the transaction at as early a period as possible, I despatch the Slaney (with General Gourgaud, his Aide de Camp), directing Captain Sartorius to put into the nearest port, and forward this letter by his first Lieutenant, and shall in compliance with their Lordships" orders proceed to Torbay, to await such directions as the Admiralty may think proper to give.
"Enclosed, I transmit a copy of the letter with which General Gourgaud is charged, to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, and request that you will acquaint their Lordships, that the General informs me, he is entrusted with further particulars, which he is anxious to communicate to his Royal Highness."
When these gentlemen had left the ship, as well as the Saale"s barge, I said to Monsieur Las Cases, I propose dividing the after-cabin in two, that the ladies may have the use of one part of it. "If you allow me to give an opinion," said he, "the Emperor will be better pleased to have the whole of the after-cabin to himself, as he is fond of walking about, and will by that means be able to take more exercise."
I answered, "As it is my wish to treat him with every possible consideration while he is on board the ship I command, I shall make any arrangement you think will be most agreeable to him."
This is the only conversation that ever pa.s.sed on the subject of the cabin; and I am the more particular in stating it, as Buonaparte has been described, in some of the public Journals, as having taken possession of it in a most brutal way, saying, "Tout ou rien pour moi:"--All or nothing for me. I here therefore, 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 sh.o.r.e had asked permission to come alongside. A man being allowed to come on board from her; "I am sent off from Roch.e.l.le," said he, "to inform you that Buonaparte this morning pa.s.sed that town in a cha.s.se-maree, with another in company, for the purpose of escaping to sea by the Pertuis de Breton: he is now in that pa.s.sage, 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 pa.s.sed 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 a.s.serted 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 circ.u.mstantially, 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 pa.s.sed Roch.e.l.le?" "At ten A.M." "Then I can safely a.s.sert, on my honour, that he was not in either of those vessels. I left him at half-past five this evening, when it was his full intention to come on board this ship to-morrow morning; what he may have done since that hour, I cannot be responsible for." I answered, "As you give your word of honour that Buonaparte had not left Isle d"Aix when you quitted it, I shall trust to what you say, and take no steps in consequence of the information that has been brought to me, but conclude it has originated in some mistake."
About three in the morning, the officer of the watch awoke me, and said that another boat wished to come alongside. I rose and went upon deck immediately, and found that she brought the same intelligence from another quarter; and they both eventually proved correct, to a certain extent: for two cha.s.se-marees, as I was afterwards informed, had been prepared, manned, and officered from the frigates, to be used as a last resource to attempt an escape in, in the event of Las Cases" mission to the Bellerophon not being successful; and they had actually pa.s.sed Roch.e.l.le, in their way to Pointeau d"Aguillon, at the hour specified, and were there to await his joining them should it prove necessary.[3]
[Footnote 3: Cha.s.se-Marees are small decked vessels, rigged as luggers; they are generally from twenty to thirty-five tons burthen, and are used almost exclusively for the coasting trade of France. Though there is no doubt that, during the summer months, a vessel of this description might succeed in making the voyage to America; yet if we take into consideration the indolent habits that Buonaparte had of late years given way to; the very small s.p.a.ce for the accommodation of himself and suite, and for the stowage of provisions, water, and other necessaries; that there was no friendly port he could have touched at, to gain supplies;--the utter impracticability of his reaching his destination in a vessel of that description, even if he had eluded the vigilance of our cruisers, will at once be evident to every one.]
After I had determined to abide by Las Cases" a.s.surance, that Buonaparte had not quitted Isle d"Aix, I enquired of the person who brought off the information in the evening, "What was the state of Roch.e.l.le, and whether I might with safety send a boat there to purchase refreshments?" as the white flag was then hoisted all over the town; he said, "he would not recommend it, as, though the towns-people were well inclined towards the Bourbon family, the garrison, consisting of four thousand men, were all attached to Buonaparte; but if he were once on board the ship, there would be no risk in doing so, as their fear of his meeting with bad treatment would keep the soldiers in awe."
At break of day, on the 15th of July, 1815, l"epervier French brig of war was discovered under sail, standing out towards the ship, with a flag of truce up; and at the same time the Superb, bearing Sir Henry Hotham"s flag, was seen in the offing. By half-past five the ebb-tide failed, the wind was blowing right in, and the brig, which was within a mile of us, made no further progress; while the Superb was advancing with the wind and tide in her favour. Thus situated, and being most anxious to terminate the affair I had brought so near a conclusion, previous to the Admiral"s arrival, I sent off Mr Mott, the First Lieutenant, in the barge, who returned soon after six o"clock, bringing Napoleon with him.
On coming on board the Bellerophon, he was received without any of the honours generally paid to persons of high rank; the guard was drawn out on the break of the p.o.o.p, but did not present arms. His Majesty"s Government had merely given directions, in the event of his being captured, for his being removed into any one of his Majesty"s ships that might fall in with him; but no instructions had been given as to the light in which he was to be viewed. As it is not customary, however, on board a British ship of war, to pay any such honours before the colours are hoisted at eight o"clock in the morning, or after sunset, I made the early hour an excuse for withholding them upon this occasion.
Buonaparte"s dress was an olive-coloured great coat over a green uniform, with scarlet cape and cuffs, green lapels turned back and edged with scarlet, skirts hooked back with bugle horns embroidered in gold, plain sugar-loaf b.u.t.tons and gold epaulettes; being the uniform of the Cha.s.seur a Cheval of the Imperial Guard. He wore the star, or grand cross of the Legion of Honour, and the small cross of that order; the Iron Crown; and the Union, appended to the b.u.t.ton-hole of his left lapel. He had on a small c.o.c.ked hat, with a tri-coloured c.o.c.kade; plain gold-hilted sword, military boots, and white waistcoat and breeches. The following day he appeared in shoes, with gold buckles, and silk stockings--the dress he always wore afterwards, while with me.
On leaving the epervier, he was cheered by her ship"s company as long as the boat was within hearing; and Mr Mott informed me that most of the officers and men had tears in their eyes.
General Bertrand came first up the ship"s side, and said to me, "The Emperor is in the boat." He then ascended, and, when he came on the quarter-deck, pulled off his hat, and, addressing me in a firm tone of voice, said, "I am come to throw myself on the protection of your Prince and laws." When I showed him into the cabin, he looked round and said, "Une belle chambre," "This is a handsome cabin." I answered, "Such as it is, Sir, it is at your service while you remain on board the ship I command." He then looked at a portrait that was hanging up, and said, "Qui est cette jeune personne?" "Who is that young lady?" "My wife," I replied. "Ah! elle est tres jeune et tres jolie,"
"Ah! she is both young and pretty."[4] He then asked what countrywoman she was, begged to know if I had any children, and put a number of questions respecting my country, and the service I had seen. He next requested I would send for the officers, and introduce them to him: which was done according to their rank. He asked several questions of each, as to the place of his birth, the situation he held in the ship, the length of time he had served, and the actions he had been in. He then expressed a desire to go round the ship; but, as the men had not done cleaning, I told him it was customary to clean the lower decks immediately after their breakfast, that they were then so employed, and, if he would defer visiting the ship until they had finished, he would see her to more advantage.
[Footnote 4: I have been induced to insert Buonaparte"s observation on Mrs M."s portrait, as well as one he made on seeing her alongside of the Bellerophon in Plymouth Sound, as they show, in a strong point of view, a peculiar trait in his character; that of making a favourable impression on those with whom he conversed, by seizing every opportunity of saying what he considered would be pleasing and flattering to their feelings.
[I have pa.s.sed over the important and interesting pa.s.sage respecting Mrs M. I trust she will consent it should remain, for I think everything connected with such a remarkable pa.s.sage of history becomes historical. Perhaps it will somewhat change the view of the subject, and relieve Mrs M."s delicacy, if we consider it not as immediately applicable to Mrs M. personally, but as a point ill.u.s.trative of Bonaparte"s address. It was of importance to him to secure Capt.
Maitland"s good opinion, and he took a delicate and ingenious way of giving pleasure. I have always understood that there could be only one opinion of the justice of the compliment, yet I think the praise would have been bestowed even had the portrait less charm. I do pray that Mrs M. will consent to be _immortal_.--SCOTT.]]
At this time I proposed to him to allow me to address him in English, as I had heard he understood that language, and I had considerable difficulty in expressing myself in French. He replied in French, "The thing is impossible; I hardly understand a word of your language:" and from the observations I had an opportunity of making afterwards, I am satisfied he made a correct statement, as, on looking into books or newspapers, he frequently asked the meaning of the most common word.
He spoke his own language with a rapidity that at first made it difficult to follow him; and it was several days before I got so far accustomed to his manner of speaking, as to comprehend his meaning immediately.
In about a quarter of an hour, he again intimated a desire to go round the ship; and although I told him he would find the men rubbing and scouring, he persisted in his wish of seeing her in the state she then was. He accordingly went over all her decks, asking me many questions; more particularly about any thing that appeared to him different from what he had been accustomed to see in French ships of war. He seemed most struck with the cleanliness and neatness of the men, saying "that our seamen were surely a different cla.s.s of people from the French; and that he thought it was owing to them we were always victorious at sea." I answered, "I must beg leave to differ with you: I do not wish to take from the merit of our men; but my own opinion is, that perhaps we owe our advantage to the superior experience of the officers; and I believe the French seamen, if taken as much pains with, would look as well as ours. As British ships of war are constantly at sea, the officers have nothing to divert their attention from them and their men; and in consequence, not only is their appearance more attended to, but they are much better trained to the service they have to perform."
"I believe you are right," said he. He then went on to talk of several naval actions; adding, "Your laws are either more severe, or better administered, than ours; there are many instances of French officers having conducted themselves ill in battle, without my being able to punish them as they deserved:" among others, he mentioned the names of two naval officers; and speaking of one of them, said, "He ought to have suffered death, and I did all I could to bring it about, but he was tried by a French naval court-martial, which only dismissed him the service." I observed, "The laws appear sometimes to be administered with more than sufficient severity. I commanded a frigate in the affair of Basque Roads; and in my opinion, the sentence of death on the Captain of the Calcutta was unjust: he could do no more to save his ship, and she was defended better and longer than any one there." He answered, "You are not aware of the circ.u.mstances that occasioned his condemnation; he was the first man to quit his ship, which was fought some time by her officers and crew after he had left her."
He next said, "I can see no sufficient reason why your ships should beat the French with so much ease. The finest men of war in your service are French; a French ship is heavier in every respect than one of yours, she carries more guns, those guns of a larger calibre, and has a great many more men." I replied, "I have already accounted for it to you, in the superior experience of our men and officers." "I understand," said he, "from some Frenchmen who were on board your ship for several days,[5] that you take great pains in exercising your guns, and training your men to fire at a mark." I answered, "I did so, because I considered it of the greatest importance;" and I added, "that if the frigates had attempted to put to sea, he would probably have had an opportunity of seeing the effect of it." He asked me "if I thought two frigates, with four-and-twenty pounders on their main decks,[6] were a match for a seventy-four gun ship; and whether it was my opinion, if he had attempted to force a pa.s.sage in the ships at Isle d"Aix, it would have been attended with success." I replied, "that the fire of a two-deck ship was so much more compact, and carried such an immense weight of iron, in proportion to that of a frigate, and there was so much difficulty in bringing two or three ships to act with effect at the same time upon one, that I scarcely considered three frigates a match for one line-of-battle ship;--that, with respect to forcing a pa.s.sage past the Bellerophon, it must have depended greatly on accident, but the chances were much against it; as the frigates would have had to beat out against the wind for three or four leagues, though a narrow pa.s.sage, exposed to the fire of a seventy-four gun ship, which, from being to windward, would have had the power of taking the position most advantageous for herself." He then said, reverting to what had pa.s.sed before about firing at marks, "You have a great advantage over France in your finances: I have long wished to introduce the use of powder and shot in exercise; but the expense was too great for the country to bear." He examined the sights on the guns, and approved of them highly; asked the weight of metal on the different decks, disapproving of the mixture of different calibres on the quarter-deck and forecastle. I told him the long nines were placed in the way of the rigging, that they might carry the fire from the explosion clear of it, which a carronade would not do: he answered, "That may be necessary, but it must be attended with inconvenience." His enquiries were generally much to the purpose, and showed that he had given naval matters a good deal of consideration.
[Footnote 5: They were part of the officers and crew of the aeneas store-ship, mentioned as having been detained on the 18th of June, who were on board the Bellerophon about a week, and were landed at Isle d"Aix, in a cha.s.se-maree, a few days before Buonaparte"s arrival there.]
[Footnote 6: I was afterwards told, that one of the frigates, at Isle d"Aix, had changed her eighteen pounders for twenty-fours.]
On seeing the additional supply of wads for each deck made up along with the shot-boxes, in the form of sophas, with neat canva.s.s covers, he observed, "The French ships of war have all the preparations for action that you have, but they have not the way of combining appearance with utility."
We had breakfast about nine o"clock, in the English style, consisting of tea, coffee, cold meat, &c. He did not eat much, or seem to relish it; and when, on enquiry, I found he was accustomed to have a hot meal in the morning, I immediately ordered my steward to allow his Maitre d"Hotel to give directions, that he might invariably be served in the manner he had been used to; and after that we always lived in the French fashion, as far as I could effect that object.
During breakfast he asked many questions about English customs, saying, "I must now learn to conform myself to them, as I shall probably pa.s.s the remainder of my life in England."
The Superb, as I before observed, had been seen in the offing early in the morning, and was now approaching with a light breeze: he asked two or three times how soon she would anchor, seemed very anxious to know whether the Admiral would approve of my having received him; and when I went to wait on Sir Henry Hotham, requested I would say he was desirous of seeing him.
The Superb anch.o.r.ed about half-past ten, and I immediately went on board, and gave the Admiral an account of all that had occurred, adding, "I trust I have done right, and that the Government will approve of my conduct, as I considered it of much importance to prevent Buonaparte"s escape to America, and to get possession of his person." Sir Henry Hotham said, "Getting hold of him on any terms would have been of the greatest consequence; but as you have entered into no conditions whatever, there cannot be a doubt that you will obtain the approbation of his Majesty"s Government."
He then said, "How do you feel as to keeping him? would you like to part with him?" "Certainly not," was my answer: "as I have had all the anxiety and responsibility of conducting this matter to an issue, I am of course desirous of taking him to England; but, as I do not wish to keep him, or any man, in my ship against his will, if he desires to remove into another, I shall certainly not object."
I then delivered Buonaparte"s message, that he was desirous of receiving a visit from the Admiral, who said he would wait upon him with much pleasure.
I soon after returned to the Bellerophon, and told Buonaparte that the Admiral meant to wait on him; upon which he desired Count Bertrand to go and pay his respects to Sir Henry. I accompanied him, and while the Admiral was preparing for his visit, Captain Senhouse attended General Bertrand through the ship.
In the afternoon, Sir Henry Hotham, accompanied by Captain Senhouse, and Mr Irving, his secretary, came on board the Bellerophon. They were introduced to Buonaparte by General Bertrand, in the after-cabin, where he had a good deal of conversation with them: he showed his portable library, which was laid out in small travelling cases round the cabin; asked various questions, princ.i.p.ally relative to the discipline and regulation of our ships of war, and finally invited them all to remain to dinner.
Dinner was served about five o"clock upon Buonaparte"s plate. This was arranged by his Maitre d"Hotel, whom I had told to regulate every thing in the manner most likely to be agreeable to his master.
When dinner was announced, Buonaparte, viewing himself as a Royal personage, which he continued to do while on board the Bellerophon, and which, under the circ.u.mstances, I considered it would have been both ungracious and uncalled for in me to have disputed, led the way into the dining-room. He seated himself in the centre at one side of the table, requesting Sir Henry Hotham to sit at his right hand, and Madame Bertrand on his left. For that day I sat as usual at the head of the table, but on the following day, and every other, whilst Buonaparte remained on board, I sat by his request at his right hand, and General Bertrand took the top. Two of the ward-room officers dined daily at the table, by invitation from Buonaparte, conveyed through Count Bertrand.
He conversed a great deal, and showed no depression of spirits: among other things, he asked me where I was born. I told him, in Scotland.
"Have you any property there?" said he. "No, I am a younger brother, and they do not bestow much on people of that description in Scotland." "Is your elder brother a Lord?" "No, Lord Lauderdale is the head of our family." "Ah! you are a relation of Lord Lauderdale"s! he is an acquaintance of mine, he was sent Amba.s.sador from your King to me, when Mr Fox was Prime Minister: had Mr Fox lived, it never would have come to this, but his death put an end to all hopes of peace.
Milord Lauderdale est un bon garcon;" adding, "I think you resemble him a little, though he is dark and you are fair."[7]
[Footnote 7: [It was an odd idea that you should be like Lord Lauderdale.--SCOTT.]]
When dinner was over, a cup of strong coffee was handed round; he then rose and went into the after-cabin, asking the Admiral and all the party to accompany him, the ladies among the rest. This was the only time I ever saw them in the apartment in which he slept.
After some conversation, he said, in a cheerful and playful way, that he would show us his camp bed; and sent for Marchand, his premier valet de chambre, who received his order, and soon returned with two small packages in leather cases; one of which contained the bedstead, which was composed of steel, and, when packed up, was not above two feet long and eighteen inches in circ.u.mference; the other contained the mattress and curtains, the latter of green silk. In three minutes the whole was put together, and formed a very elegant small bed, about thirty inches wide.
He then went out, and walked the quarter-deck for some time, and retired to his cabin about half-past seven o"clock. Soon after, when the Admiral was going to return to his ship, he proposed to Bertrand to take leave of him. He went into the cabin, but returned immediately with an apology, saying he was undressed, and going to bed.
In the course of the afternoon, the Admiral invited Buonaparte, with the ladies and all his princ.i.p.al officers, to breakfast, the following day: which invitation was accepted, apparently, with much satisfaction.
When I went on deck, early the next morning, (the 16th of July) I observed that the Superb had the tompions out of her guns, and the man ropes on her yards, as if for the purpose of saluting and manning ships; and as I had received Buonaparte without even the guard presenting arms, I felt that he might conceive I had intentionally treated him with disrespect. I therefore sent the officer of the watch with my compliments to Sir Henry Hotham, and begged to know if it was his intention to salute Buonaparte on his going on board, and to receive him with manned yards; and, if so, whether I was to do the same, on his quitting the Bellerophon. He sent for answer, that it was not his intention to salute, but he meant to man ship; that I was not to do so on his quitting the Bellerophon, but was at liberty to man yards on his return. I likewise received directions from the Admiral to hoist a signal, when the boat with his visitors was ready to leave the ship, that he might have time to make the necessary preparations.