Upon this Gameiro remarked, "You are not an officer of Lord Cochrane's, but of the Imperial Government. It is impossible for Lord Cochrane to return to the Brazils as the Admiralty Court there _has sentenced him to pay £.60,000 sterling, and his command will cease as soon as peace is made between Brazil and Portugal! Besides, Lord Cochrane's motive for detaining the_ Piranga _is the expectation on his part of receiving £.6000 per annum at the termination of the war, which the Government will never give him_!"
Finding that this made no impression on me, he began to threaten, saying that "he would state to his Government that all delay was occasioned by me, and that I should have to answer for it." I told him that, in the event of my sailing without your orders, I subjected myself to be tried by a court-martial for so doing, and leaving your Lordship behind. He answered that "I must be aware that he was the legal representative of His Imperial Majesty, and that he would give me despatches of such a nature as would not only exonerate me from all blame, but would shew the great zeal I had for His Imperial Majesty's service."
I asked Gameiro--if I were to act in such a manner, what would people think of me? The answer was, "_Never mind what Lord Cochrane says, you will be in the Brazils and he in England, and I will take upon myself all the blame and the responsibility._" He gave me till the evening to think of his proposals, and if I would not consent to them, he had other means of sending the _Piranga_ to sea. He further requested me to keep this secret from your Lordship, as if you heard of it you would come post and stop it; adding that if I would consent, he would send a sufficient number of men in a steamboat, with every kind of store and provisions required to complete us, and we were to sail immediately.
This deep laid plot of Gameiro's was not to be carried on as Portuguese plots are in general, but was to be done--using his own words--_at a blow_, before anybody could know anything about it.
With this I send a copy of my answer to Gameiro's proposals, and a letter representing the state of the ship.
I have the honour to remain Your Lordship's obedient Servant, JA'S. SHEPHERD.