MAJOR SEMt-LE LISLE. 357 



During my ftay at Portfmouth I received 

 .the fame attention and politenefs I had met 

 with at Litbon. As no doubts were entertained 

 concerning my fafety, I was permitted to amufe 

 myfelf as I pleafcd; but as a life of indolence 

 never fuited my difpofition, I again and again 

 made application t.o his jVIajefty's Minifters to 

 fend for me to town. I could not indeed fup- 

 pofe -that t.hey would order nne to be brought to 

 England without fome reafon, and I naturally 

 .concluded, that they had for their objed: the in- 

 veftigation of the mutiny on board the Lady 

 Shor.e ; two months and upwards, however, 

 elapfed before I wgs fent for. 



At length, either in confequenee of my ap^ 

 plications, or from fome other motive, Mr. 

 Townfliend was fent for me. He found me 

 early in the morning on board the Brilliant ; 

 and after acquainting me with his mifTion, he 

 left me, and returned to his inn, where I en- 

 gaged to join him before eleven o'clock j this 

 engagement I fulfilled, and we immediately fet 

 off to town. From him I received the moft 

 polite treatment ; I was laid under no reftraint 

 whatever, and fp far from being difarmed, I 

 not only travelled with my fide-arms, but Mr, 

 Townfliend, who knew my difpofition^ fur- 

 pifhed me with a brace of pif][ols for our mutual 



A a 3 defence 



