rs beyond doubt or question.

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 L.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 FOE ACCOUNTS
TRANSMITTED TO BRAZIL--THESE DENIED TO HAVE BEEN SENT.

The anxiety occasioned by the constant harassing which I had
undergone--unalleviated by any acknowledgment on the part of the
Imperial government of the services which had a second time saved the
Empire from intestine war, anarchy and revolution--began to make serious
inroads on my health; whilst that of the officers and men, in
consequence of the great heat and pestilential exhalations of the
climate, and of the double duty which they had to perform, afloat and
ashore, was even less satisfactory. As I saw no advantage in longer
contending with factious intrigues at Maranham--unsupported and
neglected as I was by the administration at Rio de Janeiro, and as I
knew that my immediate return to the Capital would instantly be followed
by resident contention, I resolved upon a short run into a more bracing
Northerly atmosphere, which would answer the double purpose of
restoring our health, and of giving us a clear offing for our
subsequent voyage to Rio de Janeiro.

Accordingly--after paying both to officers and crews their share of the
prize money refunded by the Junta of Maranham (see concluding Chapter),
I shifted my flag into the _Piranga_, despatched the _Pedro Primiero_ to
Rio, and leaving Captain Manson, of the _Cacique_, in charge of the
naval department at Maranham, put to sea on the 18th of May.

On the 21st we crossed the Equator, and meeting with a succession of
Easterly winds, were carried to the Northward of the Azores, passing St.
Michael's on the 11th of June. It had been my intention to sail into the
latitude of the Azores, and then to return to Rio de Janeiro; but strong
gales coming on we made the unpleasant discovery that the f