They might as well have signed my death-warrant at once, for it is
impossible a man of my habit of body can live long in such a climate."

Having so expressed himself, he wrote a second letter to the Prince
Regent, which was forwarded through Lord Keith. It was the opinion of
Generals Montholon and Gourgaud that Bonaparte would sooner kill himself
than go to St. Helena. This idea arose from his having been heard
emphatically to exclaim, "I will not go to St. Helena!" The generals,
indeed, declared that were he to give his own consent to be so exiled
they would themselves prevent him. In consequence of this threat Captain
Maitland was instructed by Lord Keith to tell those gentlemen that as the
English law awarded death to murderers, the crime they meditated would
inevitably conduct them to the gallows.

Early on the morning of the 4th of August the 'Bellerophon' was ordered
to be ready at a moment's notice for sea. The reason of this was traced
to a circumstance which is conspicuous among the many remarkable
incidents by which Bonaparte's arrival near the English coast was
characterised. A rumour reached Lord Keith that a 'habeas corpus' had
been procured with a view of delivering Napoleon from the custody he was
then in. This, however, turned out to be a subpoena for Bonaparte as a
witness at a trial in the Court of King's Bench; and, indeed, a person
attempted to get on board the Bellerophon to serve the document; but he
was foiled in his intention; though, had he succeeded, the subpoena
would, in the situation wherein the ex-Emperor then stood, have been
without avail.

On the 5th Captain Maitland, having been summoned to the flag-ship of
Lord Keith, acquainted General Bertrand that he would convey to the
Admiral anything which Bonaparte (who had expressed an urgent wish to see