by many influential persons—­the Emperor was in the act of explaining the nature of his disease to the anxious inquirers—­a strange incident occurred.  On catching my eye, His Majesty burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter, in which I as heartily joined; the bystanders, from the gravity of their countenances, evidently considering that both had taken leave of their senses.  The Ministers looked astounded, but said nothing—­His Majesty kept his secret, and I was silent.

Months had now been consumed in endeavours on the part of the Administration to give annoyance to me—­and on the part of the prize tribunal to condemn me in costs for making lawful captures, this appearing to form their only object; save when a prize vessel could be given up to a claimant or pretended claimant, in outrage of justice, as evinced in the case of the Pombinho’s cargo, and numerous other instances.

To such an extent was this being carried, that I sent protest after protest on the subject.  The following will serve as a specimen:—­

    PROTEST.

The Marquis of Maranhao, First Admiral and Commander-in-Chief of the Naval forces of His Imperial Majesty, does hereby protest, on behalf of himself and those employed under his command in the blockade of Bahia, and other services of the Empire, against the sentence given in the case of the Nova Constitucao, whereby costs and damages to the amount of four times the value are decreed against the captors of the said vessel (taken in the act of violating the blockade of Bahia), in performance of duties which the law sanctioned and the service of His Imperial Majesty required.

And further, the said Marquis of Maranhao, on behalf of himself and the captors, does again most solemnly protest against all sentences of acquittal of vessels which violated the said blockade, or which were seized, navigating under Portuguese flags or with Portuguese registers—­and against all proceedings to recover damages against the said Marquis and captors for any capture whatsoever; His Imperial Majesty having been graciously pleased to signify that all expenses thus incurred in case of vessels pronounced “malprisa,” shall be placed to the account of the State.

    Rio de Janeiro, July 23, 1824.

The anxiety of His Majesty on account of the revolt at Pernambuco was meanwhile utterly set at nought, neither Severiano, nor his colleague Barbosa—­though now beginning to be alarmed—­shewing the slightest disposition to carry out His Majesty’s orders for the compromise with the officers and seamen, in order that the squadron might be manned.  At length intelligence arrived from the revolted districts, of such a nature as to appear to His Majesty fraught with immediate danger to the integrity of the Empire, as in truth it was, for the Republican nature of the insurrection had become an established fact, whilst the squadron which, months before, ought to have sailed to quell the revolt, was, from, want of men, lying idle in the port of the capital.