rable for
his safety as a prisoner, allowing him to do so. It was,
however, considered the most prudent course, by Lord Keith,
not to permit the delivery of the process, the exact nature
of which was at the moment unknown, lest it might involve
himself or Captain Maitland in any difficulty, by an apparent
disrespect to the Court, and more particularly as it might
create erroneous impressions in Buonaparte's mind, that a
breach of the law was committed in his not being permitted to
comply with the terms of the document, not aware that it
contained no power authorising his release from detention as
a prisoner of war."]

While the ship was working out of the Sound, two well-dressed women in
a boat kept as close to her as the guard-boat would allow, and,
whenever Buonaparte appeared at the stern windows, stood up and waved
their handkerchiefs.

On joining the Prometheus off the Ramehead, where Lord Keith's flag
was then flying, I received the following note from his Lordship.

No date; received August 4th, in the Afternoon.

"I have been chased all day by a lawyer with a Habeas Corpus: he is
landed at Cawsand, and may come off in a sailing-boat during the
night; of course, keep all sorts of boats off, as I will do the like
in whatever ship I may be in.

KEITH."

"Captain Maitland."

Buonaparte wrote another letter this evening to the Prince Regent,
which I carried to Lord Keith, who again told me of his having been
chased all day by a lawyer: who had first started him out of his own
house, then followed him to the Tonnant, where he attempted to get in
at one side, as his Lordship left her on the other; he afterwards
pursued him towards Cawsand, but the Admiral being in a twelve-oared
barge, out-rowed him, and gave him the slip round the Ramehead. It was
on his return from this chase that he attempted to get on board the
Bellerophon.

Buonaparte now confined himself entirely to his cabin, never coming on
deck, or appearing at breakfast or dinner. He was not served from the
table, but what he ate was prepared and carried in to him by Marchand,
his favourite valet de chambre. Messrs Bertrand and Las Cases passed
much time with him; and this evening the protest was prepared, which
will appear in the sequel.

On the morning of the