282 ST. HELENA 



on board, at Cabenda, and having put Mr. Wasey and a prize crew 

 on board, ordered him to proceed to Sierra Leone for adjudication. 

 The gales being unpropitious, he was driven by their force on the 

 south coast of America. He managed, however, by almost super- 

 human exertions to reach Maranham, one of the northern presi- 

 dencies of Brazil, although he had frequently seven feet of water 

 in the hold, with fresh leaks breaking out at intervals, and only kept 

 his ship afloat by dint of extraordinary perseverance in working the 

 pumps. On his arrival at Maranham, the British Consul rendered 

 every assistance and an endeavour was made to secure the offices 

 of the Government in obtaining proper protection for the slaves 

 until a vessel could be procured to take them. In the meantime, 

 whilst Mr. Wasey was engaged on shore with the President, en- 

 deavouring to effect his object, a body of about forty-six to fifty 

 armed men, in the uniform of the National Guard, proceeded to the 

 vessel, saying to those on board that they were instructed to take 

 the slaves and crew and conduct them to a place of safety for the 

 night, it being then impossible for any one to remain on board, as 

 the water was washing over the decks. The English seamen refused 

 to leave the vessel in the absence of their officer, but all the slaves, 

 together with the captain and crew of the slaver, landed with their 

 visitors. Mr. Wasey soon after returned, and finding the eighty 

 slaves with the prisoners gone, he immediately instituted inquiries, 

 when he ascertained that the visitors were a party of brigands in 

 disguise of Brazilian soldiers, who had made themselves masters 

 of the cargo and marched them off up the country. An ostensible 

 attempt was made on the part of the Government to recover them, 

 but of course without success, and finding all attempts fruitless, Mr. 

 Wasey embarked his men on board a merchantman for Liverpool. 

 Great credit is due to Lieut. Wasey for his conduct throughout the 

 affair. He preserved his vessel under the most disadvantageous 

 circumstances of wind, weather, and cargo, until she reached a place 

 of safety, and on the voyage succeeded in preventing an outbreak 

 which he had reason to apprehend was meditated on the part of 

 the slaves and the slaver captain, of which warning was given him 

 by one of the slaves who could speak a little English. They had 

 to work all day and night with their arms by their sides, bailing out 

 water, or their vessel would have gone down. 



Thursday, August 6th, 1846. Queen v. Brazilian brigantine 

 Emprehendedora. 



This vessel, which was formerly^ seized by Capt. Bosanquet of 

 H.M.S. Alert, and restored by decreeiof the Vice- Admiralty Court of 

 this Colony, on the nth May last, the particulars of which case 

 appeared in the S*. Helena Gazette of May 16, was again seized while 

 at anchor in these roads on the nth June by Capt. Birch of H.M.S. 

 Waterwitch for being equipped for the slave trade, and put into Court. 

 The case was adjudicated on Thursday. 



Mr. Gideon moved on the affidavit for condemnation, upon the 

 ground that the usual equipments for carrying on the slave trade 

 were found on board at the time of seizure. 



