time, in my opinion, to render such a measure inexpedient. I made it my study to state events exactly as they occurred, and, in doing so, to avoid, as much as possible, all prejudice, either against or in favour of the extraordinary man whom it was my fortune to secure and bring to this country. It may appear surprising, that a possibility could exist of a British officer being prejudiced in favour of one who had caused so many calamities to his country; but to such an extent did he possess the power of pleasing, that there are few people who could have sat at the same table with him for nearly a month, as I did, without feeling a sensation of pity, allied perhaps to regret, that a man possessed of so many fascinating qualities, and who had held so high a station in life, should be reduced to the situation in which I saw him. Although many of the causes for withholding my Narrative from the public eye have long been removed, I had no intention of bringing it forward, until by accident it fell into the hands of a most celebrated literary character. He did me the honour, on returning it, to express an opinion which I was not at all prepared to expect, and so strongly to recommend its being published, that however averse to appearing as an author, I have been induced, under the sanction of such high authority, to present it to the public. The habits of my life, since I entered my profession at a very early age, have been very different from those of a literary man; and therefore the following Narrative has no pretensions to any other merit, than what arises from the interest of the subject, and is nearly verbatim as originally written in the Autumn of 1815. Lindores, 1826. FRED. L. MAITLAND. CONTENTS. He arrives off l'Isle Dieu. Proceeds off Rochefort Captain Maitland hears of the Victory of Waterloo. On June 30, receives a communication, sent from Bourdeaux within a quill, respecting the probable Blockades Rochefort, Bourdeaux, and la Teste d'Ar- PAGE |