ovinces to the evils of
anarchy and confusion. Their loyalty also partook more of self-interest
than of attachment to the supremacy of Portugal, for the commercial
classes, which formed the real strength of the Portuguese faction,
hoped, by preserving the authority of the mother country in her distant
provinces, thereby to obtain as their reward the revival of old trade
monopolies, which twelve years before had been thrown open, enabling the
English traders--whom they cordially hated--to supersede them in their
own markets. Being a citizen of the rival nation, their aversion to me
personally was undisguised; the more so perhaps, that they believed me
capable of achieving at Bahia--whither the squadron was destined--that
irreparable injury to their own cause, which the Imperial troops had
been unable to effect. Had I, at the time, been aware of the influence
and latent power of the Portuguese party in the empire, not all the
so-called concessions made by De Andrada would have induced me to accept
the command of the Brazilian navy; for to contend with faction is more
dangerous than to engage an enemy, and a contest of intrigue was alike
foreign to my nature and inclination.

CHAPTER II.

ATTEMPT TO CUT OFF THE ENEMY'S SHIPS--DISOBEDIENCE TO ORDERS--LETTER TO
THE PRIME MINISTER--WORTHLESSNESS OF THE MEN--THEIR TREACHERY--BLOCKADE
ESTABLISHED--EQUIPMENT OF FIRESHIPS--ENEMY'S SUPPLIES CUT
OFF--PORTUGUESE UNTRUSTWORTHY--DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE ENEMY--HIS
PRETENDED CONTEMPT FOR US--THE ENEMY RETURNS TO PORT--THEIR
CONSTERNATION AT THE FIRESHIPS--PORTUGUESE CONTEMPLATE ATTACKING
US--FLAGSHIP RECONNOITRES ENEMY AT ANCHOR--EXCESSIVE ALARM AT MY
NOCTURNAL VISIT--PROCLAMATION OF THE COMMANDANT--CONSTERNATION IN THE
CITY--THE AUTHORITIES DECIDE ON EVACUATING BAHIA--INSTRUCTIONS TO THE
BRAZILIAN CAPTAINS--WARNINGS ADDRESSED TO THE AUTHORITIES--ENEMY QUITS
BAHIA--READINESS FOR CHASE--NUMBERS OF THE ENEMY--CAPTURE OF THE
CONVOY--PRIZES DISABLED--ATTEMPT OF TROOPS TO ESCAPE--PRIZES SENT TO
PERNAMBUCO--PURSUIT DISCONTINUED--REASONS FOR GOING TO MARANHAM--REASONS
FOR NOT TAKING MORE PRIZES--ADVANTAGES TO THE EMPIRE.

On the 3rd of April, we put to sea with a squadron of four ships only,
viz. the _Pedro Primiero_, Captain Crosbie, _Piranga_, Captain Jowett,
_Maria de Gloria_, Captain Beaurepaire, and _Liberal_, Captain
Garcao--two others which accompanied us, viz. the _Guarani_, Captain de
Coito, and _Real_, Captain de Castro, wer