good of the service, and
that I was ready to put to sea as soon as I received your Lordship's
orders. He then asked me if I was the effective Captain of the ship?
and whether I was not under the orders of Captain Crosbie? I told him
that I was not acting under the orders of Captain Crosbie, but that I
was Captain of the ship by virtue of a commission from the Emperor,
and by an order from Lord Cochrane. He then said--Are you authorised
to obey the orders of Captain Crosbie? and I said, I was not. Suppose
you were to receive an order from Captain Crosbie, would you obey it?
I said I would not. Then you consider yourself the lawful Captain of
that ship? I do.

Upon this Gameiro remarked, "You are not an officer of Lord
Cochrane's, but of the Imperial Government. It is impossible for Lord
Cochrane to return to the Brazils as the Admiralty Court there _has
sentenced him to pay L.60,000 sterling, and his command will cease as
soon as peace is made between Brazil and Portugal! Besides, Lord
Cochrane's motive for detaining the_ Piranga _is the expectation on
his part of receiving L.6000 per annum at the termination of the war,
which the Government will never give him_!"

Finding that this made no impression on me, he began to threaten,
saying that "he would state to his Government that all delay was
occasioned by me, and that I should have to answer for it." I told
him that, in the event of my sailing without your orders, I subjected
myself to be tried by a court-martial for so doing, and leaving your
Lordship behind. He answered that "I must be aware that he was the
legal representative of His Imperial Majesty, and that he would give
me despatches of such a nature as would not only exonerate me from
all blame, but would shew the great zeal I had for His Imperial
Majesty's service."

I asked Gameiro--if I were to act in such a manner, what would people
think of me? The answer was, "_Never mind what Lord Cochrane says,
you will be in the Brazils and he in England, and I will take upon
myself all the blame and the responsibility._" He gave me till the
evening to think of his proposals, and if I would not consent to
them, he had other means of sending the _Piranga_ to sea. He further
requested me to keep this secret from your Lordship, as if you heard
of it you would come post and stop it; adding that if I would
cons