Narrative of Services in the Liberation of Chili, Peru and Brazil, from Spanish and Portuguese Domi | Page 2

the people--Corruption of the
authorities--Murderous propensities--Difficulty in detecting
assassins--Letter to Minister of Marine--Pacification of
Parahyba--Doubts as to the President's sincerity--He establishes secret
agencies--Extraordinary memorials--Public complaints of the
President--Bruce endeavours to intercept them--My reply to the
memorialists--Letter to the Minister of Marine--Enclosing complaints
of the Consuls--Bruce prepares to resist my authority--Complaints of
the British Consul--He considers my presence necessary--Letter of the
French Consul--Detailing shameful atrocities--Danger of collision with
foreign states--Suspension of the President--Provision for future
Government--Conduct of the faction at Rio de Janeiro--No instructions
sent for my guidance--Letter to the Minister of Marine--The Ministry
had previously deposed Bruce--But turned on me for anticipating their
own act.
CHAPTER X.
Misrepresentations made in England--Letter to the Emperor--Tendering
my resignation--Repayment demanded from the Junta--Conduct of the
Prize Tribunal--No adjudication of prizes intended--Letter to the
interim President--Demanding the sums owing to the
squadron--Disturbance in Parà--Statement of Account to the

Junta--Offer of compromise--Imperial decree--Right of the squadron to
the claim.
CHAPTER XI.
Imperial approval--Continued enmity of the Administration--Junta
refuses to pay the squadron's claim--I persevere in the demand--Junta
agrees to pay the amount in bills--This refused--Arrival of a new
President--But without authority for the assumption--Intrigues to
establish him in office--I order him to quit the province--And send him
to Parà--Letter to the President of Cearà--International animosities--The
squadron left to provide for itself--Abuse of authority--Explanations to
Minister of Marine--Of transactions at Maranham--Letter to Carvalho e
Mello--Anticipating ministerial displeasure--The Junta reimburses part
of its debt.
CHAPTER XII.
I quit Maranham for a cruise--Bad state of the frigate--Connivance at
illicit trade--We are compelled to proceed to England--The frigate
reported to the Brazilian Envoy--Who cheats me of £2,000--His
assumption that I had abandoned the service--My contradiction
thereof--Order to return to Rio--Reasons for not doing so--Brazilian
Envoy tampers with my Officer--Who acquaints me therewith--Envoy
stops pay and provisions--Declares that the Brazilian Government will
give me nothing!--Captain Shepherd's reply--I prepare to return to
Rio--The Envoy dismisses me from the service--Without reason
assigned--He declares that I voluntarily abandoned the
service--Receipts for accounts transmitted to Brazil--These denied to
have been sent.
CHAPTER XIII.
I am dismissed the service by the Brazilian Government--Without any
acknowledgment of my services--Inconsistency of this with former
thanks--Though dismissed I am tried as a deserter--And am refused all
compensation--Report of recent Commission on the subject--False

representations--But partially true conclusions--My original patents
never set aside--Untrue assumptions as to my dismissal--My claims
founded on the original patents--Less than half the interest due
paid--Opinions of eminent Brazilians thereon--My services tardily
acknowledged--No act of mine had annulled them--The Estate
conferred, not confirmed--Promises on account of Chili
unfulfilled--The whole still my right.
CHAPTER XIV.
Proclamation for payment of Officers and Men--Log extracts in proof
thereof--The sum given up to the squadron disbursed--Denial thereof
by the Brazilian Government--Though made to serve as advance of
wages--The amount received at Maranham--Fully accounted for--By
the receipts of the Officers--Officers' receipts--Extracts from log in
further corroboration--Up to my arrival in England--All our prizes,
monopolized by Brazil--The conduct of the Brazilian Government
unjustifiable.
CHAPTER I.
BRAZILIAN AND PORTUGUESE FACTIONS--DON PEDEO
ORDERED TO QUIT BRAZIL--APPOINTED "PERPETUAL
PROTECTOR"--PROCLAIMED EMPEROR OF BRAZIL--EFFORTS
TO OBTAIN FOREIGN OFFICERS AND SEAMEN--THE NAVAL
COMMAND OFFERED TO ME--ACCEPTATION
THEREOF--ARRIVAL AT RIO DE JANEIRO--VISIT OF
INSPECTION TO THE SQUADRON--CONDITION OF THE
VESSELS--INFERIORITY OF SEAMEN--IMPERIAL
AFFABILITY--ATTEMPT TO EVADE THE TERMS OFFERED
ME--THIS FAILING, TO REDUCE THE VALUE OF MY
PAY--PRETENDED COMMISSION CONFERRED--AND
REFUSED--THE POINT ARGUED--I DECLINE THE
COMMAND--THE PRIME MINISTER GIVES IN--EXPLANATORY
FORTARIA--FORMAL COMMISSION--ORDERS TO BLOCKADE
BAHIA--PORTUGUESE FACTION--AVERSE TO ME FROM THE
OUTSET.

Although these memoirs relate to personal services in Brazil, it is
nevertheless essential, in order to their comprehension, briefly to
recapitulate a few events which more immediately led to my
connection with the cause of independence in that country.
The expulsion of the Portuguese Royal Family from Lisbon, in
consequence of the occupation of Portugal by the armies of the French
Republic, was followed by the accession of Don John VI. to the throne
of Portugal whilst resident in Rio de Janeiro.
Twelve months previous to my arrival in Brazil, His Majesty returned
to Portugal, leaving his son and heir-apparent, Don Pedro, regent of the
Portuguese possessions in South America, which had been for some
time in a state of disaffection, arising from a growing desire throughout
the various provinces for a distinct nationality. Hence two opposing
interests had arisen,--a Brazilian party, which had for its object national
independence; and a Portuguese party, whose aim was to prevent
separation from the mother country--or, if this could not be
accomplished, so to paralyse the efforts of the Brazilians, that in case of
revolt it might not be difficult for Portugal to keep in subjection, at
least the Northern portion of her South American Colonies. It will be
necessary, in the course of the narrative, to bear these party distinctions
clearly in mind.
As the Regent, Don Pedro, was supposed to evince a