, he had been night and
day getting provisions, plate, books, jewels, whatever could be moved on
board the fleet, and, remaining to the last, was again ordered to
provide quarters for Junot: but he was fortunate enough to secure a boat
to carry him off to the fleet, leaving papers, money, and even his hat
behind him on the beach.
Such is the picture of the hasty embarkation, given by some of the
attendants on the royal family.
[Note 22: These were the Visconde de Rio Seco, who managed all; the
Marquis de Vagos, gentleman of the bed-chamber; Conde de Redondo, who
had the charge of the royal pantries; Manoel da Cunha, admiral of the
fleet; the Padre Jose Eloi, who had the care of the valuables belonging
to the patriarchal church.]
The fleets had no sooner got off the land than they encountered a
violent gale of wind, but by the 5th of December they were all collected
again; on that day Sir Sidney Smith having supplied the ships with every
thing necessary for their safety, and having convoyed them to lat. 37 deg.
47' north, and long. 14 deg. 17' west, left them to go on under the
protection of the Marlborough, Capt. Moore, with a broad pennant, the
London, Monarch and Bedford.[23] They proceeded without farther accident
to the coast of Brazil, and landed at Bahia on the 21st of January,
1808.[24]
[Note 23: On the removal of the family of Braganza to Brazil, Sir
Samuel Hood and General Beresford took possession of Madeira, in trust
for Portugal, till a restoration should take place.]
[Note 24: The Rainha de Portugal, and the Conde Henrique with the
Princess Dowager and the younger Princesses arrived straight at Rio, on
the 15th of January. The Martim de Freitas and Golfinho arrived on the
15th at Bahia for supplies, sailed for Rio on the 24th, and arrived on
the 30th.]
The Conde da Ponte was at that time governor of Bahia, and is said to
have been very popular[25]: he had married a lady of high family who was
not less so, and she possessed, besides the manners of the court, a
considerable portion of both beauty and talent.
[Note 25: The Conde died in May, 1809, at the age of 35, leaving ten
children, and an embarrassed estate.]
The reception of the royal party was rendered so agreeable to the Prince
by the governor and his lady, that he remained at St. Salvador's a
month, every day being a festival, and then left it with regret. In
commemoration of the visit, a spot was cleared near the fortress of St.
Pe
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