Narrative of Services in the Liberation of Chili, Peru and Brazil, / from Spanish and Portuguese Domination, Volume 2

by Earl of Thomas Cochrane Dundonald

COCHRANE AND MARANHAÕ.

On the 16th of March, the Junta—finding that I would not listen to any farther evasion—paid 30 contos (£.6000) in bills, and 3 contos (£.600) in silver, as the first instalment of the 106,000 dollars (£.21,200) for which the restoration of 425,000 dollars (£.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 £.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.

Accordingly—after paying both to officers and crews their share of the prize money refunded by the Junta of Maranham (see concluding Chapter), I shifted my flag into the Piranga, despatched the Pedro Primiero to Rio, and leaving Captain Manson, of the Cacique, in charge of the naval department at Maranham, put to sea on the 18th of May.

On the 21st we crossed the Equator, and meeting with a succession of Easterly winds, were carried to the Northward of the Azores, passing St. Michael's on the 11th of June. It had been my intention to sail into the latitude of the Azores, and then to return to Rio de Janeiro; but strong gales coming on we made the unpleasant discovery that the frigate's maintopmast was sprung, and when putting her about, the main and maintopsail yards were discovered to be unserviceable. A still worse disaster was, that the salt provisions shipped at Maranham were reported bad; mercantile ingenuity having resorted to the device of placing good meat at the top and bottom of the barrels; whilst the middle, being composed of unsound provisions, had tainted the whole, thereby rendering it not only uneatable, but positively dangerous to health.

For the condition of the ship's spars I had depended on others, not deeming it necessary to take upon myself such investigation; it is however possible that we might have patched these up, so as to reach Rio de Janeiro, had not the running rigging been as rotten as the masts, and we had no spare cordage on board. The state of the provisions, however, rendered a direct return to Rio de Janeiro out of the question, the good provisions on board being little more than sufficient for a week's subsistence of the crew.

On ascertaining these facts, I convened the officers for the purpose of holding a survey on the state of the ship and provisions, they all agreeing with me as to the impracticability of attempting a six weeks' voyage with defective masts and rigging, and only a week's provisions on board, at the same time signing a survey to that effect, which document is now in my possession. It was therefore determined to put into some port for the purpose of refitting; but here another difficulty presented itself. Portugal was still an enemy's country. Had we made a Spanish port, the prominent part I had taken in depriving Spain of her colonies in the Pacific would have ensured me a questionable reception. A French port too was unsuitable, as France had not acknowledged the independence of Brazil.

To enter an English harbour was attended with some risk of annoyance to myself, in consequence of the enactments of the "Foreign Enlistment Bill," the provisions of which had been specially aimed at my having taken service in South America though before that Bill was passed, so that I did not consider myself to come within the meaning of the Act. Still the point was debateable, and were it raised, might subject me to considerable personal inconvenience, the more so as being in command of a foreign ship of war belonging to an unacknowledged state. The necessity was, however, urgent, and taking all circumstances into consideration, I resolved, notwithstanding the Foreign Enlistment Bill, to stretch on to Portsmouth, and there procure provisions, anchors, cables, and stores, indispensable for the use of a ship of war; the frigate being so destitute of all these, that, had I been fully aware of her condition before quitting Maranham, I should have hesitated to put to sea.