n their
power to prevent others from joining her.

I have the honour to remain
Your obedient humble Servant,

JAMES SHEPHERD.

To His Excellency
MANOEL RODRIGUEZ GAMEIRO PESSOA.

On the 29th of October, I received from the Brazilian Legation in
London, further orders from the Imperial Government, dated August 25th,
1825, to return with the _Piranga_ to Rio de Janeiro--and with these I
made preparations to comply, notifying to Gameiro my readiness to
sail--by the following letter:--

London, Nov. 3, 1825.
MOST EXCELLENT SIR,

Having informed your Excellency on the 1st of
October, that previous to quitting Maranham I had anticipated the
Imperial resolutions, and having in my letter of the 24th further
made known to your Excellency that the _Piranga_ should sail for
Brazil on or as soon after the 10th of this month as the wind would
permit, your Excellency will perceive that there is nothing remaining
of the Imperial decree to be executed, unless the _Piranga_ (which I
much doubt) should be enabled to put to sea before the early day
which I have fixed for departure.

(Signed) COCHRANE AND MARANHAO.
His Excellency
MANOEL RODRIGUEZ GAMEIRO PESSOA.

This declaration of my readiness to comply with His Imperial Majesty's
orders did not, however, suit the Envoy, nor did it fall in with his
instructions from the Brazilian Ministry, which, no doubt were, as soon
as peace was proclaimed, _to get rid of me without satisfying my
claims_--this course being, indeed, apparent from what the Envoy, as
just shewn, had communicated to Lieutenant Shepherd. (See page 260.) On
the 3rd of November, peace between Portugal and Brazil was announced,
and the independence of the Empire acknowledged; Gameiro being, on the
occasion, created Baron Itabayana, whilst I--to whose instrumentality
the peace--as a consequence of the consolidation of the Empire had been
mainly owing, _was to be ignominiously dismissed the service_!

On the 7th of November--four days only after the announcement of
peace--Gameiro took upon himself the execution of the spurious
ministerial decree issued by Barbosa on the 27th of February, 1824,
which _had been abrogated by the Emperor, through the same minister, in
the July following, as a prelude to my employment in the
tranquillisation of the Northern provinces_. Gameiro did not venture
previously to apprise me of the act lest I should resist it--