HMS FAVORITE

[18 gun - Frigate]

1818

James had joined Favorite in September 1817 and the ship sailed from Sheerness on the 6th January 1818. After calling at Madeira and Pernambuce (Recife, Brazil) for water and provisions she arrived at Cape Town on 21st May. The next three weeks were spent in Simons Bay. Favorite then sailed to join the squadron, based on Ascension Island, which was guarding Napoleon on St Helena.

AT ST HELENA

[PAGE1810] contains a brief biography of the personalties that James Hall became involved with while visiting St Helena.

July 20th

At Solomans, obtained some very broad gold lace taken off a blue coat presented to Napoleon by the City of Lyons, also I obtained two buttons, one a French manufacture, having the Imperial arms on it of Napoleon. All persons with whom I conversed agreed in asserting that an unnecessary and severe restriction is placed on Bonaparte and his establishment. The effect has been that of making all persons except those connected with the Governor sympathise with him (Napoleon).

I brought several articles from England consisting of books, etc, some of which were for Napoleon, and I was directed to give them to no one but O'Meara.

On leaving England, Captain Towers, who formerly commanded the Curacao frigate off Elba, when he was particularly intimate with Bonaparte, requested Lieutenant Pearce, of this ship, to deliver the following message to the ex-Emperor. "That last autumn (1817) he was at Rome, he then saw some of Bonaparte's family and his sister, the Princess Pauline, who told him that as she was aware that the orders of the British Government precluded him from taking charge of a letter from her to the Emperor, yet, as she might have a friend going to St. Helena, she begged him to convey to Napoleon her love and affection, and assured him that it was not from forgetting him that she did not write, but because she did not wish her letters to be made public. She assured Napoleon that his happiness will be always uppermost in her thoughts, that herself and family always pray for his welfare, and were in good health."

I went ashore and wrote a note to Mr. O'Meara, who met me on the following day, when I gave him the note addressed to the Emperor Napoleon in which I had written the verbal message of the Princess Pauline. From the statement of my messmate, Pearce, I am induced to think that Captain Towers had an intrigue with the Princess at Rome; this opinion is in some degree confirmed by what I shall presently state. On the following day I again saw O'Meara, who told me he gave the Emperor the note, that he was much pleased with the receipt of intelligence from his family.... in conversation he observed to O'Meara that he believed Captain Tower was in love with his sister, he desired his remembrance to be conveyed to Captain T., and that he considered this "as a fresh token of friendship." In conversation with O'Meara I was informed of various acts of annoyance practised on Napoleon, of which I select the following as specimens.

A ship arrived, on board of which was a bust of young Napoleon intended for Napoleon; this was ordered to be destroyed. Also one of the persons onboard had a picture of the boy; this was intended by the owner as a present for Bonaparte; it was no sooner known than it was ordered to be destroyed.

Napoleon and his friends used to take exercise about the neighbourhood, but the interruptions they were continually meeting by the sentinels so much annoyed them that they have ceased to quit their residence.

Since April, Napoleon has not been out of his house; this confinement has injured his health. O'Meara told me that Napoleon had certainly a chronic inflammation of the liver, his feet and ankles are dropsical, his appetite is weak, and his sleep is restless; he dines late and rises at eleven o'clock in the forenoon; he takes a few turns in his billiard-room, and the rest of his time is occupied in reading, writing, and compiling histories of his various campaigns, but he dictates more than he writes. The only papers that have been truly dictated by him since his residence on this island, and published, are the Letters from the Cape of Good Hope and the Reply to Lord Bathurst. . .

He attributes his downfall to the treachery of Talleyrand; the defeat at Waterloo he says was owing to the obstinacy of the English and the arrival of the Prussians; that Wellington did not acquire any reputation from that victory, because, in the first place, he allowed himself to be surprised, and, secondly, he gave battle with a wood in his rear.

I rode to Longwood, the residence of the Emperor. I found it composed of several rather mean, irregular buildings, like a farm, with various outhouses, barns, and offices.

Whilst I was regarding Longwood House at the Guard House, which is placed at the entrance to the grounds, Bonaparte suddenly appeared at the window of his billiard-room, and remained a long time looking towards me. The guard officers assured me it was a matter of great surprise to them that he had appeared, and that I might have come a hundred times and not have seen him.

I received the following note from ... to be sent to ... and also a lock of ... hair for myself.

ASCENSION ISLAND

August 7th

Today the Griffon, brig, arrived from St. Helena, and, having stopped a few hours, made sail for England. I was much surprised on seeing Barry O'Meara on board the brig.

O'Meara showed me a gold snuff-box, chased, having N., with an imperial crown over it, on the lid, presented to him by Napoleon. I saw other presents one of which was an antique ring of great value - onyx - taken from the museum at Naples, and given by the Queen of Naples to Princess Pauline, by her to Countess Montholon, and by this lady to O'Meara. The ring had the number of its place in the museum (261 I think).

At noon the Mosquito, brig, of eighteen guns, Captain Brine, arrived from St. Helena, and, after staying three hours, made sail for England, The captain is charged with important despatches for Government from Sir H. Lowe charging Mr O'Meara and Mr. Balcombe, a merchant in London, but formerly of St. Helena, with treason.

I feel assured that O'Meara had rendered many favours to Bonaparte and perhaps did many kindnesses to him and his family, but I cannot believe that he did more than these, or that his acts were intentionally criminal, so as to admit of the charge of high treason being deduced from them. Everyone in this part knows how much O'Meara was insulted, oppressed, and maltreated by Sir H. Lowe; therefore I wait to hear the clear charges against O'Meara and his defence before I give credence to his criminality.

In October Favorite paid a short visit to the island of Sao Thome in the Gulf of Guinea. After spending November at Ascension Island she paid a second visit to St Helena.

ST HELENA

December 19th

At the time the Griffon arrived at Ascension I had some conversation with O'Meara respecting Bonaparte. as has been stated; by a circuitous route Sir Hudson Lowe got informed that I had told some persons that O'Meara had declared to me that Sir H. had wished him to poison Bonaparte. On our arrival Captain Robinson dined with the Governor, who told him he had been informed of the above. Captain Robinson replied he had heard me say that O'Meara had given me information to that effect, which I had related in private conversation to him. Sir H. desired him to speak to me and request I would wait upon him.

Christmas Day, 1818

This morning I waited on Sir Hudson Lowe by his request. He commenced by relating what he had been told by Captain Robmson. I replied it was all true; that I did not, however, hear O'Meara say positively that Sir. H. wished him directly to poison Bonaparte, but his assertions allowed me to draw that inference. I told him in answer to a question, that O'Meara gave me a memorandum proving that Bonaparte was legally permitted to receive the visits of fifty persons, that Sir H. withheld - notwithstanding that authority - persons from visiting Bonaparte, and at the same time asserted that the latter would not see any person.

I told Sir. H. that I had long wished to see Bonaparte, and had intended to apply to him, Sir H., for a pass, which request would enable me to judge by the pass being granted or refused whether the assertion of O'Meara was true. The Governor replied that he did not prevent nor did he wish to prevent, any persons from seeing Bonaparte; that he wished persons to see him.

During this interview, which lasted an hour, the conversation was short and broken. Sir H. seemed very absent between each discourse, and walked up and down the room in deep thought. . . . At last Sir H. requested me to put down in writing the matters I had stated, unless I had any objection. I, therefore, as nearly as I can remember, wrote the following memorandum ....

After my return from Plantation House I found a dragoon had brought a letter from Sir H. to Sir Thomas Reade, the Deputy Adj. General. to ask me some questions concerning a letter I had brought from England for Bonaparte.

I asserted my ignorance of such a letter; at length I discovered that among the anti-Gallican newspapers which Mr. M. (an acquaintance and brother-in-law to the editor) gave me to bring to his son-in-law, L. G., at St. Helena, for the use and by the desire of Sir Hudson, were some letters in cypher addressed to Bonaparte.

Sir Thomas Reade surprised me not a little when he put one of the newspapers into my hand. Here is a copy of the letter. Sir H. has the key, and says it is a letter of importance: 345, 228; 74, 460, 548, 324, 529: 208, 230: 554, 416, 540, 472, 229; 250, 548, 324, 529, 226; 16; 254, 19, 324, 531; 548, 412, 229; 274, 468, 15, 408, 202, 203; 506, 228, 404, 512, 15, 529, 324, 416, 407; 324, 184, 324, etc.

Sir Thomas Reade and Sir Hudson allege against O'Meara that he carried on a traitorous correspondence in different parts of Europe for Bonaparte, and it was thus discovered. A letter came to the post-office addressed to Mr. Forbes. No person of that name was known on the island. The letter was opened, and it began: 'Dear O'Meara.' Its contents I do not know, but it informed him that £1,800 had been received from Lafitte, banker, at Paris and placed to O'Meara's credit, that the writer was going to Paris, and that money to any amount might be obtained. The writer was O'Meara's agent, William Holmes, 3 Lyons Inn, Strand. Some weeks afterwards another packet came, having the same address. It was an envelope containing a letter addressed to Mr. Stokoe, surgeon of the Conqueror, and having the seal of the Navy office. The Governor and admiral now concluded they had caught Stokoe, whom they regarded as a traitor. He declared his innocence, and also his ignorance of the letter began 'Dear O'Meara;' the writer was Mr. Balcombe, lately a resident at St. Helena and agent to the company. The writer informed O'Meara that he had procured for him many friends in Parliament, and should procure many more, and hoped soon to see the ... turned out, the Governor and his party; thus Stokoe's innocence was proved; as Balcombe was a married man, and a friend of the admiral, the latter did not wish to expose him by showing the letter to the Governor, on account of the very indecent, unmodest, and vulgar words it contained; therefore he put the letter aside. This gave rise to the accusation of high treason against Mr. Balcombe; thus an easy explanation is afforded of all the charges so heavily Laid against O'Meara and Balcombe.

Sunday, December 27th

I breakfasted with Sir Hudson.... After breakfast various questions were asked on matters before stated. I was asked whether O'Meara had told me of his having eluded the vigilance of Colonel Wynyard, who the bearer from the Governor of Lord Bathurst's letter which forbade O'Meara to have any communication with Bonaparte. I replied O'Meara told me he did wait on Napoleon. Sir H. said had he known this he would have sent O'Meara home as a prisoner. . . . The major asked how long I had known O'Meara. I answered "Only since I came on this station." The Governor dwelt very much on the journal which O'Meara had of Bonaparte's health; this journal Sir H. said he demanded to see, wishing to compare it with the bulletin that O'Meara had given; that, as O'Meara would not give it when he demanded, it was of no use, as in the space two hours O'Meara might have altered it, and, said Sir H., "I would not have cared if the devil had had the journal; he might have taken it to ...".

There seemed to be a great anxiety as to matters connected with this journal. As before, Sir H. was very mysterious, every now and then walking up and down the room in deep thought, his eyes directed to the ground, his eyebrows corrugated and his steps hasty; after a few minutes' abstraction and inattention to all external objects he suddenly looks and with piercing eyes he will ask some questions.

To cut short my visit, and to spare myself from being asked questions that might have been unpleasant to me. I told Sir H. that I had stated candidly all that O'Meara had told me and that I had done it only to corroborate what Captain Robinson had previously told him (Sir H.) he had heard from me, which I said I had told Captain R. in private, that it never was my intention, nor was it the wish of O'Meara, that I should circulate the discourse he had with me for the purpose of a calumny - thus far I had candidly gone, but beyond it I did not wish to go, as I considered him who betrayed private confidence to be a contemptible character. . . . After a few more words he gave me to understand I might return, politely thanking me, etc., etc.

Tuesday 4th

I went ashore with Lieutenants P. and B. and waited on Sir Thomas Reade to obtain passes to visit Longwood; he referred me to the Admiral.

The Secretary, Mr Elliot, said he was sure the Admiral could not give us a pass as he had asked him for one yesterday for Mr Parry, without success.

After pressing the Admiral by means of the secretary, the Admiral sent for Pearce, questioned him as to the object of his visit to Longwood, etc., etc. He at length gave us a pass on this condition that Pearce on his honour should promise that neither of us should go in to Bonaparte, not even if he might send for us.

I rode to Longwood, and in the road passed Count Bertrand, his lady, and children, walking... I saw the new house that is being built for Bonaparte . . . more sheltered than the other house I walked over the grounds to the apartment of Captain Nicholls, the officer of the guard who escorted us, and kept a very watchful eye over us; as we passed the billiard-room my companions saw the ex-Emperor at the window, having on a dressing-gown, and a red handkerchief round his head. It was now about six o'clock in the evening.

Presently I heard his bell ring. Captain N. said with a degree of impatience that he thought Napoleon would send for us. I was surprised at the miserable residence and bleak, windy prospect. At a distance Longwood House has a much better look than it really possesses. The house is an assemblage of little hovels, irregularly built, but forming only one house; its front faces to the south-east; to the left a black mountain, naked; to its right a dismal, barren ravine; behind it, at a distance, black mountains; and adjoining it a piece of ground of small extent, covered with grass and small trees of the kind called gum-wood tree.

As we were retiring, I saw Bertrand hastening towards us; one of my companions quickened his pace and galloped; we did the same; the reason he did so was soon afterwards explained to me. He preceded me to Longwood, and encountered Bertrand and family, but did not pass them unnoticed, as I did; he entered into conversation with Bertrand, who, being told our ship's name, etc., replied that the Emperor is always ill with a liver complaint; he asked how my companions dared to commit so as to speak to him; he asked what were the sentiments of the people in France - my friend having returned from that country last year - when the Allied troops would be withdrawn.

When he was told my companion was under an injunction not to see Bonaparte, he said, with great surprise, 'That is very extraordinary; we have not seen an individual for many months.(Vous 'etes defend? C'est fort extraordinaire; nous n'avons pas vu un individu depuis plusieurs mois.).'

As my companion had thus transgressed, he hastened away to prevent Bertrand speaking to him (a second time).

There are continual quarrels between the French and the Governor; lately Bonaparte complained to him of Dr.Baxter having drawn up a false bulletin of Bonaparte's health, although he neither saw nor spoke to Napoleon. Since O'Meara left Longwood, Bonaparte has refused to see any of the medical men of the Army. With respect to the journal, the truth of which Sir H. doubts, I have been told by a medical friend that he saw it, and that O'Meara kept a faithful daily record of the state of the health of Bonaparte and the remedies prescribed.

The great anxiety of the Governor may be easily accounted for if he has composed bulletins different from those received from O'Meara, which the latter person declared positively had been done. I find that after O'Meara left St Helena, Colonel Lascelles and Captain Reade of the 66th regt., were sent away by Sir H.. as being implicated with O'Meara. The Governor told me he kept the letter from Lord Bathhurst, ordering him to send O'Meara home, secret for many days, as he was waiting to see something.

30th December

I have written to O'Meara. . . . In his letter I enclosed a note for him from Bonaparte detailing grievances and accusations against Sir Hudson Lowe, written apparently for the purpose of being communicated to Ministers

Had the note been of a different kind I would not have hesitated in sending it to Sir Hudson. I enclosed O'Meara's letter to his bookseller. At ten-o'clock, weighed, and made sail, bidding adieu to the far-famed rock of St Helena.

1819

Favorite arrived at Cape Town on the 27th January and after staying there for a month sailed for the east coast of South America where she spent the next six months. Her first port of call was Rio de Janeiro where she arrived on the 3rd April. During the following months she visited Montivideo and on two occasions Buenos Aires, each visit lasting for about four weeks.

In early October Favorite left for home. She arrived at Spithead on the 20th November. James left the ship the following January.