NOTES ON BRAZIL. 



139 



treasury was in af most needy condition, the duty attempted to be 

 imposed promised to replenish it, and the Government obstinately 

 refused to listen to reason. In this state of things, the second fleet 

 appeared off the coast, when the Admiral declared to the Government, 

 that not a ship should enter the harbour, unless the demands of the 

 Consul were complied with. As necessity urged the Government, in the 

 first instance, to withstand these demands, the same necessity now 

 operated in a different direction ; money must be had, four per cent, was 

 better than nothing, and all we asked was conceded to us. Thus was 

 the British Commerce between Brazil and other Foreign Ports first freed 

 from arbitrary and exorbitant impositions, and the liberty obtained of 

 trading to them upon payment of a transit duty. 



We bad other difficulties to struggle with, but they were insignifi- 

 cant compared with those arising from a needy Government. The 

 Officers of the Customs at Rio had never been used to business on an 

 extensive scale; and in the little which they accomplished, proceeded 

 with the most tedious formality. The magnitude of British concerns 

 confounded all their ideas, and our rapidity in business, seemed utterly 

 to overwhelm them. The necessary documents were not obtained 

 without repeated applications ; and, when obtained, were seldom 

 correct. 



Thus it was with our papers, on the present occasion. By great 

 and persevering exertion our vessel was got ready for sea, and endea- 

 voured to sail on the 27th of November ; when an officer came on board, 

 with the usual ceremonies, to examine our Clearance and Passports ; he 

 latter of which were found to be defective. The owners of the Ct .go 

 returned to the city, and waited upon the Minister of Police, in whose 

 department the error had occurred. It was a Dia Santo, yet he received 

 us with politeness, called for a clerk, and ordered the Passports to be 

 amended. On receiving them, we immediately returned on board. 

 This is mentioned as an additional evidence of the great readiness of men 

 in office to assist and oblige the British, for had such an application come 



from a Brazilian, he might probably have been made to wait several days, 



s 2 



