Wednesday, May 13th.—­Early this morning a strange steamer was discovered at anchor about half a mile from us; and at 8 A.M., when we hoisted our colours, to our great surprise and delight, she too hoisted the Confederate flag.  We then exchanged the established signals; and on sending a boat on board of her, we ascertained that she was the Georgia, Lieut.  Commanding Maury.  Chapman and Evans, two of my Sumter Lieutenants, were on board of her.  The Georgia sailed from England about the 2nd of April, and armed off Ushant.  Our ship has been crowded with visitors ever since we came in.

Thursday, May 14th.—­At 12.15 P.M. with a party of officers from the Georgia and my own ship, I took a steam-tug and proceeded up the harbour to the railroad depot, at the invitation of the manager of the road, for an excursion into the country, which proved to be very pleasant.  We passed along the whole port of Bahia, the lower town skirting the water, and the upper town the crests of a semicircular height, the intermediate space being filled with trees and shrubbery.  The houses are mostly white, and many of them very picturesque.  The terminus of the road is a beautiful and spacious iron building, situated in the middle of a great square; and the road itself is a very substantial job.  We rode out twenty-four miles through a picturesque country, the road bordered for most of the way by the bay and lagoons, with beautiful little valleys occasionally opening on either hand, with their patches of sugar-cane and cotton.  On our return we sat down to a beautiful lunch, with champagne.  Our hosts were attentive and agreeable, and we returned on board at dusk, after a very pleasant day.  The English residents here have been very attentive to us.  Our tug-man, who was a Thames waterman, dodged in and out among the launches and vessels in a way that only a Thames man can do.  The French mail came in to-day, and brought us news that the Florida was at Pernambuco.

Friday, May 15th.—­This morning a person in citizen’s dress came on board and said that the President had requested him to ask me to show him my commission.  I replied that I could have no objection to show my commission, but it must be to an officer of my own rank, and that this officer must come on board in his uniform for the purpose; that I could not show my commission to any person who might come on board in citizen’s dress, bringing me a mere verbal message, and without any credentials of his rank, &c.  I remarked, however, that it would give me very great pleasure to call on the President myself and exhibit it.  To this he readily assented; and having appointed an hour for the interview, I went on shore, accompanied by my aide, and had a long and agreeable chat with his Excellency, who was a man of about thirty-five years of age, tall and delicate-looking, with black eyes and hair.

We discussed various points relating to the subject of neutral and belligerent rights, &c.; and I took occasion to repeat the assurances I had previously given him in my letter, that I had paid due attention to the neutral rights of Brazil during my visit to Fernando de Noronha, &c.  I told him I only desired him to extend to me and to the Georgia the same hospitality as he would extend to a Federal cruiser; but that I might say to him as an individual, that we were entitled to the warm sympathies of Brazil, &c.