Cochrane's disappearance was an eleven days' wonder. Every newspaper
had each day a new statement as to his whereabouts. Some declared that
he had gone mad, and, as a madman's freak, was hiding himself in some
corner of the prison; others that he was lodging at an apothecary's
shop in London. According to one report, he had been seen at Hastings,
according to another, at Farnham, and according to another, in Jersey;
while others declared that he had been discovered in France and
elsewhere on the Continent.

None of the thousands whom political spite or the hope of reward set
in search of him thought of looking for him in his real resting-place.
"As soon as I had written to the Speaker," he said, "I went into
Hampshire, where I remained eleven days, and till within one day of my
appearance in the House of Commons. During that period I was occupied
in regulating my affairs in that county, and in riding about the
county, as was well known to the people of the neighbourhood, none of
whom were base enough to be seduced by a bribe to deliver an injured
man into the hands of his oppressors."

At his own house, known as Holly Hill, in the south of Hampshire, Lord
Cochrane remained quietly, though with no attempt to hide himself,
until the 20th of March. He then, in fulfilment of his original
purpose, returned to London, and on the following day entered the
House of Commons at about two o'clock in the afternoon. Very great
was the astonishment among the officials in attendance caused by his
appearance, "dressed," according to one of the newspaper reports, "in
his usual costume, grey pantaloons, frogged great-coat, &c.;" and by
some of them the intelligence of his arrival was promptly communicated
to the Marshal of the King's Bench. In the meanwhile, considering
himself safe within the precincts of the House at any rate, he