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PDFI feel myself much shaken in health by the great heat of the climate, and the anxiety occasioned by the peculiar circumstances in which I have been placed; all of which I might have saved myself under the plea of want of instructions, but for my desire to promote the real interests of His Imperial Majesty, by once more accomplishing that which His Majesty, in his instructions to me of the 31st of July last, was graciously pleased to describe as “of no less importance than the integrity and independence of the Empire.”
I am, with great respect,
Your Excellency’s devoted friend,
and obedient servant,
COCHRANE AND MARANHAO.
On the 16th of March, the Junta—finding that I would not listen to any farther evasion—paid 30 contos (L.6000) in bills, and 3 contos (L.600) in silver, as the first instalment of the 106,000 dollars (L.21,200) for which the restoration of 425,000 dollars (L.85,000) had been commuted. The disbursement of this sum amongst the officers and men entitled to it, is fully narrated in the concluding chapter, containing a full statement of the disbursement of this and other monies charged against me, which statement is accompanied by vouchers fortunately retained in my possession, these placing the proper disbursement of the money amongst its rightful owners 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.
