t out of Brazil through a bloodless revolution.

Yet the reaction was to come. A federal republic was organized, with a
constitution closely like that of the United States. But the men at the
head of government had the army at their back and were rather military
dictators than presidents, and it was not long before rebellions broke out
in some of the states. For three years there was war between the two
factions of the people, with frightful destruction of life and property.
Then, in September, 1893, the navy rebelled.

The navy had always been officered by aristocrats, and looked with
contempt upon the army. At its head was Admiral Mello; his ships lay in
the harbor of Rio, and their guns commanded the city. It soon became
evident that it was the purpose of Mello and his fellows to re-establish
the empire and bring back Dom Pedro to the throne.

But the rebel admiral found himself in a difficult situation. He hesitated
about bombarding the city, which was full of his friends. Peixoto, the
president, filled the forts with soldiers, and the naval officers had much
trouble to obtain supplies. Mello, finding himself in a dilemma, left the
harbor with one of his ironclads and went to Santa Catharina. Saraiva, an
able chief of his party, invaded this and the neighboring districts, but
he was hotly pursued and his forces defeated, and Mello returned to Rio
without having gained any advantage. Here he found his position a very
awkward one. The rebels were all afloat. They had nothing to gain by
bombarding the city. The best they could do was to try and establish a
commercial blockade, so as to force the government to terms, and in doing
this Mello found himself running up against the power of the United
States.

[Illustration: RIO JANEIRO AND HARBOR.]

RIO JANEIRO AND HARBOR.

We have given these incidents not so much for the interest they may have
in themselves, but because they lead up to a dramatic finale which seems
worth relating. There were warships of several nations in the harbor, the
officers of most of which accorded the rights of belligerents to the rebel
navy, though it had not a foot of land under its control. Saldana da Gama,
then in command of the ships, refused permission to any merchant vessel to
go to the wharves to deliver its cargo, threatening to fire on any one
that should venture. Thus the fleet of merchantmen was forced to lie out
in the bay and await the