The device of continuous narrative is here precisely employed in depicting Napoleon Bonaparte's final surrender to the Royal Navy through a series of linked events. Dominating the composition is ‘Bellerophon’, shown centre-left in stern view, slightly on the starboard quarter. From the ship’s barge below, the figure of Napoleon mounts a ladder leading to her gangway, whilst an expectant crowd awaits him on deck. Right of the ship, the same barge is seen in two further positions, marking out Bonaparte’s passage from the brig ‘L’Epervier’ (shown far right) that had carried him into Basque Roads from the island of Aix. The French coastline is shown distantly in the background.

The French ‘L’Epervier’ is shown flying a white flag from her gaff and a Union flag from her foretop. All contemporary written sources agree in her having borne a flag of truce at this moment, and whilst the Union flag goes unmentioned, it was presumably raised as a matter of routine (and thus unremarkable) protocol relating to a British officer being on board during Napoleon’s handover. Incidentally, this, and all other Union flags shown elsewhere are incorrect for the date of incident represented.