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Everything being thus satisfactorily settled, my next step was to inform the Minister of Marine at Rio de Janeiro of the extraordinary means by which possession of the city and province of Maranham had been obtained; the subjoined letters were accordingly despatched.
The pursuit would not have terminated even then, but would have been pressed until the rest of the convoy fell into his hands, but several of the transports had made their escape during the night attacks, and Lord Cochrane was anxious to prevent them from carrying their troops safely into Maranham.
The Portuguese squadron, and other vessels armed for war, I have every reason to believe are on their route for Lisbon. I have also fully ascertained that the troopships which separated from their squadron during the night were destined for Maranham. I have the honour, &c. The Minister of Marine.
"The naval and military forces under my command," he wrote to the former, "leave me no room to doubt the success of the enterprise in which I am about to engage, in order to free the province of Maranham from foreign domination, and to allow the people free choice of government. Of the flight of the Portuguese naval and military forces from Bahia you are aware.
As there were few bidders, and the cigars were of inferior quality, the owner of the Clarissa bought the lot at the rate of three dollars per thousand, and put them on board the brig. They were sold in Maranham as "Cuban cigars" for fifteen dollars a thousand, and on the return of the brig the custom house handed over the debenture three dollars and a half a thousand!
I have now to inform you of the capture of two-thirds of the transports and troops, with all their stores and ammunition. I am anxious not to let loose the imperial troops of Bahia upon Maranham, exasperated as they are at the injuries and cruelties exercised towards themselves and their countrymen, as well as by the plunder of the people and churches of Bahia.
There is another name for this kind of charm; it is called feitiço, and the initiated are called feitiçeros; of these there was formerly one at the plantation of St. Joam, who became so much dreaded, that his master sold him to be sent to Maranham."
In the meantime we are as effectually blockading Bahia, as if the enemy did not dare to remove from his anchorage for both this ship and the Maria de Gloria outsail them all. We have captured three Portuguese vessels, and from the letters found therein, many more are expected from Maranham and other ports to leeward, as well as from San Mattheos.
Leave Paramaribo Across the equator A day of misfortunes On a sandbank A narrow escape Maranham A Yankee protest Bold assertions A visit to the President News False alarms Paying bills A patriot Off again A prize The Joseph Park News of Bull Run A sad birthday. A whole month had thus been lost through the failure of the Sumter's coal off the mouth of the Amazon.
Your Excellency will perceive by the official documents accompanying this, that in order to effect the objects I had in view at Maranham, I judged it expedient to create a belief amongst the people and garrison, that a large force was at my disposal, and therefore I used expressions in my public correspondence that were not borne out by the actual circumstances under which I summoned that city, as I had in fact no other force than this ship alone, which from the nature of the anchorage could scarcely approach within gunshot whilst there was neither a soldier nor effective marine on board; but the fear entertained by the hostile Government of Imperial troops from Bahia, whom they understood to be off the bar with the remainder of the squadron, and the sudden appearance of so large a ship as this, produced the effect which I had anticipated, and it is with the greatest satisfaction that I now communicate the occupation of this important city and province, which has been accomplished without effusion of blood, or material disturbance.
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