MOST EXCELLENT SIR,

In answer to the wishes of your Excellency to place myself under your immediate orders, I have to acquaint you that I have this morning had a letter from Lord Cochrane, stating that he had received letters from your Excellency of such a nature as to require his immediate presence in town, where he intends to be on Monday next.  This alone—­you must be aware—­will entirely preclude the possibility of putting into execution the arrangements which you wished; the celerity of the Admiral’s movements being such as to preclude all hope of effecting them.

I am sorry to add, that all our men have this morning left the ship in a complete state of mutiny, occasioned by their not having received their last two months’ pay, and I much fear that it will be now more difficult than ever to get her manned—­as, from their having been so long kept in arrears, and leaving their ship without being paid, has irritated their feelings to such a degree, that I have no hesitation whatever in saying that they will do all in 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!