the corporal of marines belonging to the ship severely wounded, on
shore. It appears that neither of these men had so much as seen the
murderer before. He had been drinking in the inner room of a venda with
some sailors, and having quarrelled with one of them, he fancied the
rest were going to seize him, when he drew his knife to intimidate them,
and rushed furiously out of the room. The young man who was killed was
standing at the outer door, waiting for one of his companions who was
within, and the murderer seeing him there, imagined he also wished to
stop him, and therefore stabbed him to the heart. Our corporal, who was
passing by, saw the deed, and of course attempted to seize him, and in
the attempt received a severe wound. It is said, I know not with what
truth, that Captain Finlaison is so hated here, on account of his
activity against the slave trade, that none of his people are safe, and
the death of the unfortunate man is attributed to that cause; but it
appears to have been the result of a drunken quarrel. The town, however,
appears to be in a sad disorderly state: besides our two men, a
Brazilian officer was dangerously wounded in the dark, and three
Brazilian soldiers and their corporal were found murdered last night.
Captain Graham had sent one of his officers to act for him on the
occasion, and to apply through the British consul to the police
magistrate, Francisco Jose Perreira, for redress.[74] He himself is
sensibly worse since he exerted himself to attend to this painful
business.

[Note 74: Mr. Pennell accordingly wrote to Mr. Perreira, stating the
circumstance and also that the prisoner was taken. The magistrate
assured him that he had laid his communication before the provisional
government, and that the punishment directed by law should be inflicted,
and the greatest sorrow was expressed by the junta for the accident.
Colonel Madera, commanding the active military police, also assured
Mr.---- the lieutenant of the Doris, on his honour, that the assassin
should be brought to trial. But it was not done while we remained in
Brazil, and it is probable not at all. The political state of Bahia
shortly afterwards would scarcely leave leisure for such a matter.]

The disorders of this climate are sadly enfeebling; they attack both
mind and body, producing a painful sensitiveness to the slightest
incident.

_November 18th._--Our invalids have been sadly disturbed by the rockets
which have been fired,