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Updated: June 29, 2025
We have no record of the earlier part of this expedition; we only know, from Joao de Barros, to whom we owe nearly all we learn of Portuguese navigation, that beyond Congo he followed the coast for some distance, and came to an anchorage that he named "Das Voltas" on account of the manner in which he had to tack to reach it, and there he left the smallest of the caravels under the care of nine sailors.
He is no longer lovely to the sight!" He broke into a guffaw, then stuffed his mouth full and talked in the intervals of chewing. "There was nothing worth taking on Barros. They are both overboard." "Overboard!" I cried. "Why, yes," said he. "They are no good on deck. I stood them against the rail, then tipped them over." This was an illustration of his strength I did not much relish.
They roared, 'To the boats! to the boats! The captain endeavoured to bring them to their senses; he and I and the mate, and Joam Barros, the boatswain a Portuguese went among them pistols in hand, entreating, cursing, threatening. 'Think of the plunder in this hold! Will you abandon it without an effort to save it? What think you are your chances for life in open boats in this sea?
Strictly speaking the northern limits of Loango, one of the divisions of the extensive kingdom of Congo, is at the Sette river, ten leagues S.S. E. from Cape St Catherine. There is no island of that name in this position; so that the island of St Matthew of de Barros must refer to Annobon.
The Portuguese and some others had combined to place Barros in the Presidency by force, which intention I happily frustrated by arriving in Maranham with a considerable reinforcement from the Pedro Primiero, at midnight when the attempt was to have occurred. To put a stop to proceedings so injurious to the interests of His Imperial Majesty and the public, I have felt it necessary to remove Barros from Maranham until his commission shall arrive, or until His Majesty's pleasure respecting the appointment of Manoel Telles da Silva Lobo, shall be known. Barros therefore proceeds in the Cacique (which is the bearer of this) to Par
This additional degree of responsibility I took upon myself with the less reluctance, as Barros had no other authority to assume the Government than a letter to Bruce, whom I had previously been compelled to suspend from office and send to Rio to whom, therefore, such letter could not be delivered.
At first believing that he possessed the requisite authority I invited him to take possession of the office, but finding that he had no patent to shew for the appointment, I considered it my duty to His Majesty not to admit such pretensions till their validity was established, and therefore told Barros that he must await the official communications from Rio de Janeiro, before I could acknowledge him as president for that tranquillity being now restored, I would not have the minds of the people again unsettled on the mere presumption of his appointment.
"I have seen Barros praying to a little wooden saint in a gale of wind and then knock its head off and throw it overboard because the storm increased."
In this arrangement Barros appeared to acquiesce, but being a well-known partisan of the Portuguese faction, he was soon surrounded by the adherents of that party in Maranham.
On the 10th of March, a series of allegations was forwarded to me by the party of Barros against the interim President, but as they were of the most insignificant nature, and unsupported by proof, I refused to pay attention to them.
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