s before stated, saved the Brazilian Government the delay,
expense, and uncertainty of powerful expeditions.

These services--undertaken solely on my own responsibility--were
productive of the most beneficial consequences to the future career of
the Brazilian Empire, the integrity of which they secured at a blow, or
it may rather be said, without a blow, for none of any magnitude was
struck; the dread of the fireships and the certainty arising--from the
nocturnal visit of the flagship on the 12th of June, that my plans for
making use of them were completed--having determined the Portuguese
Admiral to save his fleet by evacuating Bahia.

CHAPTER III.

CAPTURE OF THE DON MIGUEL--SUMMONS TO THE AUTHORITIES--REASONS FOR
THREATS HELD OUT--PROPOSALS FOR CAPITULATION--PROCLAMATIONS--TERMS
GRANTED TO PORTUGUESE GARRISON--DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE--PORTUGUESE
TROOPS ORDERED TO EMBARK--SYMPTOMS OF DISOBEYING THE ORDER--DELIGHT OF
THE PEOPLE ON BECOMING FREE--ELECTION OF A PROVISIONAL
GOVERNMENT--LETTERS TO THE MINISTER OF MARINE.

On the 26th of July, the _Pedro Primiero_ arrived in the river Maranhao,
and--knowing from the Portuguese admiral's instructions found in the
troopships overhauled in the chase, that reinforcements were
expected--we hoisted Portuguese colours, with a view of inducing a
belief that the flagship belonged to that nation, and had arrived in
support of its cause. The authorities, deceived by this ruse, sent off a
brig of war--the _Don Miguel_, Captain Garcao--with despatches and
congratulations upon our safe arrival! but the commander of the brig was
disagreeably undeceived by finding himself upon the deck of a Brazilian
ship. The despatches put me in possession of the enemy's plans and
intentions, and from them I learned that some reinforcements had already
reached, independent of those which had been intercepted in the recent
chase; thus shewing the great importance attached by Portugal to the
preservation of the wealthy and influential province of Maranham.

To the surprise of Captain Garcao--now a prisoner of war--I offered to
release him and his vessel on condition of his carrying sealed letters
to the Governor and Junta in the city--a proposition gladly accepted.
Previous to his departure--by a fiction held justifiable in war, and,
indeed, necessary under our peculiar circumstances, as having only a
single ship to reduce a province--he was duly impressed by the relation
of an imaginary n