hstanding the Foreign Enlistment Bill,
to stretch on to Portsmouth, and there procure provisions, anchors,
cables, and stores, indispensable for the use of a ship of war; the
frigate being so destitute of all these, that, had I been fully aware of
her condition before quitting Maranham, I should have hesitated to put
to sea.

In passing the Azores, we overtook the brig _Aurora_, which left
Maranham ten days before the _Piranga_, cleared out for Gibraltar under
Brazilian colours. She was now steering direct for Lisbon under a
Portuguese ensign, in company with a Portuguese schooner; this
circumstance clearly shewing the kind of intercourse carried on between
Brazil and the mother country by connivance of the authorities. Though
both vessels were within my grasp I did not molest them, in consequence
of having received private information of a decree passed by the supreme
military council at Rio de Janeiro on the 26th of October, from the
tenor of which decree, had I made further captures from the enemy, I
should have incurred additional penalties, as acting contrary to the
obvious intentions of a majority of the council, though their views had
not been officially communicated to me.

I had, however, stronger reasons for not molesting these vessels.
Knowing that both were bound for Lisbon, I felt certain that they would
carry the news of our approaching the shores of Portugal with a view to
mischief--and that a knowledge of the proximity of a Brazilian ship of
war, with the further consideration of the injury she might do to the
trade of that nation in case of rupture of the pending negociations,
could not fail to inspire a desire for peace on the minds of the
mercantile portion of the population, who had hitherto been chiefly
instrumental in delaying the paternal intentions of His Portuguese
Majesty with regard to the independence of Brazil as now firmly
established under the government of his descendant and heir apparent.
The effect anticipated was, in reality, produced by their report, so
that we contributed in no small degree to hasten the peace which was
shortly afterwards established.

Another motive for not molesting these vessels was, that being
compelled, for the reasons before stated, to resort to an English
port, at a time when I knew the British Government to be carrying
on negociations for peace between Portugal and Brazil, I felt it
better to abstain from hostilities against Portuguese vessels or
property