ial side in politics, as they not only
contained a great deal that was personally offensive, but stated, in
very plain terms, that none of the party would be allowed to land in
England, and that St Helena was the probable place of their ultimate
destination. Buonaparte himself always affected to consider this as a
mere newspaper report, though I believe it gave him a good deal of
uneasiness. His followers received it with much irritation and
impatience, frequently endeavouring to convince me that our Government
could have no right to dispose of them in that way, and talking to me,
as if I had been one of his Majesty's Ministers, and had influence in
determining on their future destination. All I could say on the
subject did not prevent them from frequently recurring to it, and
appealing against the injustice of such a measure.

This morning General Gourgaud returned from the Slaney, which we found
lying here, not having been permitted to land, and having refused to
deliver the letter he had been charged with for the Prince Regent to
any person except his Royal Highness himself.

When I was conversing with Madame Bertrand, she said, "Had the Emperor
gained the battle of Waterloo, he would have been firmly seated on the
throne of France." I answered, "It certainly might have protracted his
downfall, but, in all probability, he would have been overthrown at
last, as the Russians were fast advancing, and he never could have
resisted the combined forces of the Allies." To which she replied, "If
your army had been defeated, the Russians never would have acted
against him." "That I cannot believe," I said, "as they were using
every effort to join and support the Allies; and the assertion is
ridiculous." "Ah," said she, "you may laugh at it, and so may other
people, nor will it, perhaps, now be discovered; but remember what I
say, and be assured that at some future period it will be proved,
that it never was Alexander's intention to cross the frontiers of
France, in opposition to him."

In the course of the day I received many applications for admittance
into the ship: among others a note from a lady residing in the
neighbourhood, accompanied by a basket of fruit, requesting a boat
might be sent for her next morning. I returned a civil answer,
informing her that my instructions would not admit of her request
being complied with: no more fruit was sent from that quarter. Lord
Gwydir and Lord Charles Bentinck also applied for