340 MISSION TO PORTUGAL. [1806. 



kinsman's account of that transaction. He did not 

 deny it, but said there were material variations in his 

 plan. There was force, though gentle force, if neces- 

 sary, at the beginning of his plan, and there was no 

 maltreatment or cruelty at the end. He expressed 

 the greatest horror of Cortes's cruel, bloodthirsty, and 

 sordid conduct, not only towards Montezuma, but in 

 all his actions and designs; and on my entirely agree- 

 ing with him, he said that miscreant had not been 

 enough abused. Your uncle, I think he said,"* has 

 not abused him half enough ; in which I entirely 

 agreed. Our discussions on the matters connected 

 with this plan took place at different times before I 

 went to the northern provinces. ' It formed a frequent 

 subject of our conversation. It plainly occupied his 

 thoughts a good deal; and I recollect when at Cintra, 

 where we had gone for a day to escape the heat and 

 the offensive atmosphere of Lisbon, after his rubber of 

 whist, which he made me play with his old hostess 

 Mrs Dacy, and Dr Cope our physician when she and 

 the Doctor retired, he would fall a-musing on the sub- 

 ject, and putting questions for consideration. 



It was on such occasions, as well as on board the 

 Hibernia, that he dwelt on many things which were 

 most interesting in his former life. Thus he described 



* Of this expression I may have some doubt, for he was in the habit 

 of saying " your uncle," in reference to another, Mr Meux, who had 

 married my father's sister, and with whom Lord St Vincent had been 

 at school, and always kept up some intercourse, and had him occasion- 

 ally on board his ship. He used to speak of " my old schoolfellow, your 

 uncle Dick." 



