to Plymouth with the despatch you will herewith receive, addressed to Admiral Lord Keith, and a copy of these instructions (which you will transmit to his Lordship,) await orders from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, or his Lordship, for your further proceedings."

During the time we were heaving the anchor up, and setting the sails, Buonaparte remained on the break of the poop; and was very inquisitive about what was going on. He observed, "Your method of performing this manœuvre is quite different from the French ;" and added, "What I admire most in your ship, is the extreme silence and orderly conduct of your men :-on board a French ship, every one calls and gives orders, and they gabble like so many geese." Previous to his quitting the Bellerophon he made the same remark, saying, "There has been less noise in this ship, where there

are six hundred men, during the whole of the time I have been in her, than there was on board the Epervier, with only one hundred, in the passage from Isle d'Aix to Basque Roads."

Soon after the ship was under weigh, the Mouche joined, with three or four sheep, a quantity of vegetables, and other refreshments, a present from the French Commodore to Buonaparte. After receiving them on board, we made sail, accompanied by the Myrmidon, for England.

In working out, we passed within about a cable's length of the Superb. He asked me if I considered that was near enough for a naval engagement: I answered, that half the distance, or even less, would suit much better; as it was a maxim in our navy not to be further from our enemy than to give

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room for working the yards, and manœuvring the ship.

He remained upon deck all the time the ship was beating out of the Pertuis d'Antioche. Having cleared the Chasseron shoal about six P. M., dinner was served. He conversed a great deal at table, and seemed

in very good spirits; told several anecdotes of himself; among others, one relating to Sir Sydney Smith. Knowing that I had served under that officer on the coast of Syria, he turned to me and said, "Did Sir Sydney Smith ever tell you the cause of his quarrel with me?" I answered he had not. "Then," said he, "I will. When the French army

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was before St. Jean d'Acre, he had a paper privately distributed among the officers and soldiers, tending to induce them to revolt and quit me; on which I issued a proclamation, denouncing the English commandingofficer as a madman, and prohibiting all in

tercourse with him. This nettled Sir Sydney so much, that he sent me a challenge to meet him in single combat on the beach at Caiffa. My reply was, that when Marlborough appeared for that purpose, I should be at his service; but I had other duties to fulfil besides fighting a duel with an English commodore." He pursued the subject of Syria, and said, patting me (who was sitting next him) on the head; "If it had not been for you English, I should have been Emperor of the East; but wherever there is water to float a ship, we are sure to find you in our way.

During the 17th and 18th of July, the weather was very fine, and nothing of note occurred. Several strange vessels were seen, about which Buonaparte and his attendants were very inquisitive, in order, I presume, that they might judge whether they would probably have escaped or not, had they put

to sea. The only ship of war fallen in with on those days was the Bacchus sloop, which I pointed out; and at the same time informed him, that we had several frigates cruising in this position, for the purpose of intercepting him, had he got past the ships stationed close in with the land. This, as it afterwards appeared, was not the case: the Endymion having gone into the Gironde, the Liffey having sprung her bowsprit and returned to England, and the others, from various causes, having quitted the station; so that, had he passed the squadron off Rochefort, there can be little doubt he would have made his voyage in safety to America.

About this time, Buonaparte amused himself by playing at cards after breakfast: the game was vingt-un, in which all the party joined, except myself. He proposed that I should play with them, but I told him I had no money, making it a rule to leave it all