On the afternoon of the 22nd September, 1857, the city of Mozambique was in a great state of excitement, for in the offing was the frigate “Don Ferdinand,” having on board the new Governor-general, sent by the government of Portugal to supersede Vasco Guedes de Carvalho e Menezes, for carrying on the slave-trade in the province of Mozambique.
Slowly the old frigate threaded her way into the harbour, and took up a berth, opposite the town, between Fort San Sebastian and the Palace of the Governor-general.
On the next day invitations were issued for the principal personages at Mozambique to attend the ceremony of the installation of the new Governor-general, on the following Saturday, the 29th, at eleven o’clock.
An invitation was sent to the British consul as a matter of course, but it was for Saturday the 30th, at half-past eleven o’clock. The object of wording his invitation in this manner was that it was hoped he would attend on the 30th instead of on the 29th, by which he would be “a day after the fair,” and by this means a misunderstanding might be at once created between the new Governor-general and the British consul. The consul found that he was evidently asked for the wrong day, but hoping that this might be a mistake, he proceeded to the palace at a few minutes before half-past eleven, as invited.
On his arrival, he found that the ceremony of presentation to his Excellency was almost finished; and, while elbowing his way through the reception-rooms of the palace, crowded with brilliant uniforms, the Jesuit secretary of Vasco Guedes met him, and informed him that he “regretted exceedingly that the British consul had arrived too late to be presented to the new Governor-general.” The British consul quietly replied by pulling the letter of invitation out of his pocket, and pointing out that by reading it in one way, he was just five minutes and a quarter before the time invited; and reading it another way, he was at the palace twenty-four hours, five minutes, and one quarter before the hour indicated in the letter. The secretary smiled, apologized, wished to explain, and, in fact, do anything to cause delay until the presentation was over. But the British consul at once requested him to present him to the new Governor-general; when this nephew of a cardinal positively declined, alleging, as an excuse, that it was too late. Hereupon the British consul produced his commission, and, politely bowing to the cardinal’s nephew, reminded him that the Exequatur of the King of Portugal, &c., gave access at all times to the Governor-general of Mozambique. The secretary smiled, showing all his white teeth, and bowed low in acknowledgment of his defeat. The consul passed on, and at last, just before the ceremony was over, reached the astonished Vasco Guedes, to whom, after paying the usual compliments of the day, he preferred a request that he would at once present him to his successor, Colonel Almeida, who was standing on his left hand.
The new Governor-general shook hands with the British consul, and requested him to take his proper place, on his left hand, and then inquired if he had brought over with him, from the mainland, a machilla, for the purpose of attending the ceremony, which was to take place in the principal church. A machilla, I ought to explain, is a sort of cot, or swinging sofa, with an awning over it, in which persons are carried by four slaves, bearing on their shoulders the large bamboo pole to which it is attached.
Finding that the British consul had no machilla with him, and would, consequently, have to walk in the sun, Colonel Almeida asked Vasco Guedes if a machilla could not be procured for the consul; to which the latter replying in the negative, his Excellency called a young aide-de-camp, a nephew of the Sa de Bandeira, and asked him to procure a machilla; but this the polite young aide-de-camp found impossible, for every one had made up his mind to make the British consul walk.
The ceremony being ended, and no machilla making its appearance for my use, the new Governor-general said, “Now, gentlemen, we will repair to the church; but, as Mozambique cannot provide a machilla for the use of the British consul, we must all accompany that gentleman on foot.”
I have been particular in mentioning the above, to show the animosity of the slave-dealers towards myself; and how it was at once perceived by the new Governor-general.