of Chili; and that, soon after my return to Portsmouth, the Greek committee, zealous in the cause which they had adopted, had renewed their offers, under the impression that my work in Brazil was now completed.  At the same time, I assured the Envoy that as, in the case of Chili, I did not accept the Brazilian command till my work was done, neither should I accept a Greek commission till my relations with Brazil were honourably concluded, but that nevertheless the offer made to me on behalf of Greece was not rejected.

This reply was construed by the Chevalier Gameiro into an admission that I had accepted the Greek command, and he addressed to me another letter, expressive of his regret that I should have “come to the resolution to retire from the service of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Brazil, in the great work of whose independence I had taken so glorious a part, (a grande obra da independencia, V. E’a teve tao gloriosa parte) regretting the more especially that his august Sovereign should be deprived of my important services (prestantes servicios) just at a moment when new difficulties required their prompt application,” &c. &c.

These expressions were probably sincere, for, since my departure from Maranham, serious difficulties had arisen in the river Plate, which afterwards ended with little credit to the Brazilian cause.  But I had not accepted the Greek command, and had no intention of so doing otherwise than consistently with my engagements with Brazil.  On the 6th of September, I therefore addressed to the Envoy the following letter:—­

   Edinburgh, 6th Sept. 1825.

   MOST EXCELLENT SIR,

I regret that your translator should have so far mistaken the words and meaning of my last letter as to lead your Excellency to a conclusion that I had taken the resolution to leave the service of H.I.M. the Emperor of Brazil, or, in other words, that it was I who had violated the engagements entered into with the late ministers of His Imperial Majesty in 1823.  Whereas, on the contrary, the portaria published in the Rio Gazette on the 28th of February, 1824, was promulgated without my knowledge or sanction, and the limitation of my authority to the existing war was persevered in by the present ministers, notwithstanding my remonstrance in writing, both to the Minister of Marine and the Minister of the Interior.

Your Excellency ought not therefore to be surprised, if—­threatened as I am with this portaria—­I should provide beforehand against a contingency which might hereafter arise from an occasion happily so nigh, as seems to be the restoration of peace and amity between His Imperial Majesty and his royal father.

With regard to any communications of a pressing nature relative to the equipment of the Piranga, your Excellency may consider Captain Shepherd authorised to act, in my absence, in all ordinary cases.  And that officer, having instructions to acquaint me whenever the Piranga shall have two-thirds of her complement of men on board—­I can at any time be in London within two days of the receipt of such communication, and most assuredly before the complement can be procured.

   I have the honour, &c.