the Government at Rio de
Janeiro--this mode of reasoning not being very far wrong. Secondly--and
this fully accounts for the moderation complained of--I knew, from the
most authentic sources that, in case of attack on the city, Carvalho had
determined to retire into the interior, there to carry on civil war by
enlisting the negro population under his standard; to avert which, I
considered that moderation was the best course to induce him and his
partisans to quit the empire, which would thus have been well rid of
them.

It was folly, therefore, to consider the rebellion local, as had been
represented to the Imperial Government, or that its actors and
instigators were few and insignificant, for, in truth, as has been said,
it had already extended far and wide into the adjacent provinces, I
therefore wrote to the Minister of Marine, that "although it might not
be difficult to put down the revolution in the city, which, even the
land forces could have already accomplished, had they not been landed at
a distance--yet that without great circumspection, the prevention of
further revolution in the interior would be a work of time, trouble, and
expense; and that even all these would be thrown away, unless the causes
which had led to the rebellion, were removed or explained."

The time given having expired without acceptance of the terms, it became
necessary to make at least a shew of enforcing them, though the water
was too shallow to admit vessels of large burden to approach with
safety, and the small vessels were ill adapted to the purpose; still I
determined to make a demonstration, and as a preparatory step ordered
Captain Welsh, of the _Paraguassu_, to shift into the flagship all the
English petty officers and seamen; but a heavy swell set in, and as the
anchorage was bad, I considered the risk imprudent.

The schooner _Leopoldina_ was therefore ordered to try the effect of a
few experimental shells; but the mortar so shook the vessel, that she
had to be withdrawn, it being evident that nothing further could be done
till the weather would permit the approach of ships, or that rafts could
be constructed--for which purpose timber had been ordered from Bahia.
Little damage was effected by this experiment, for the wealthiest
inhabitants had fled into the interior, taking with them all their
valuable property.

Heavy weather having now set in compelled the flagship to run to Bahia
for safety, the outer road of Pernambuco b