ted to give a passport for a vessel to
transport the whole of them, consisting of six carriages and
forty-five horses: which was accordingly made out, and forwarded to
Monsieur Philibert, the senior naval officer at Isle d'Aix, but I
believe it was never acted upon.

We all returned to the Bellerophon about noon, when the ships present
manned their yards, the boat was immediately hoisted in, and the ship
got under weigh, in pursuance of orders from the Admiral, of which the
following is an extract.

Extract of an Order from Rear Admiral Sir Henry Hotham, K.C.B.,
addressed to Captain Maitland of H.M.S. Bellerophon, dated Superb, in
Basque Roads, July 15th, 1815.

"You are hereby required and directed to take the Myrmidon under your
orders, and, putting on board her such persons composing a part of
the suite of Napoleon Buonaparte as cannot be conveyed in the
Bellerophon, you are to put to sea in H.M.S. under your command, in
company with the Myrmidon, and make the best of your way with Napoleon
Buonaparte and his suite to Torbay, and there landing the officer of
the ship bearing my flag, whom I have charged with a despatch
addressed to the Secretary of the Admiralty, as well as an officer of
the ship you command, for the purpose of proceeding express 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 manoeuvre 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 f