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Page 44                                                                        Remarkable Occurrences &tc. at Rio De Janeiro.

SUNDAY 20.th Firstp.t cloudy wea.r the middle very hard Storms of Wind & Rain the latter mod.te with rain this Afternoon sent Lieut Hicks in the Pinnace with an Answer to the Vice Roys Memorial, with orders not to Suffer a Soldier to be put onto the Boat, upon which the Guard Boat attended him to the landing Place & reported it to the Vice Roy who refused to receive the Memorial & order'd Mr Hicks on board Again but in the Meantime they had put a Guard into the Boat  which Mr Hicks insisted should be order'd out that he might return on board in the same manner as he came without a 
Guard & upon his refusing to return otherways all the crew were by Arm'd force taken out of the Boat/tho they gave no provocation or made the least resistance/& hurried to Prison where they remain'd until the next day: Mr Hicks was then put into one of their Boats & brought onboard under the Custody of a Guard, immediately upon my hearing of this I wrote to the Vice Roy. demanding my Boat & Crew  & his Excellency's reason for detaining her & inclosed The Memorial he had before refused to receive, this I sent by a Petty Officer as I had never objected against a Guard being put into any of my Boats, wherein was no Commissed. Officer, he was admitted ashore & deliver'd the Letter & was told an Answer would be sent the next day. This evening between 8 & 9 o'Clock came on an Excessive hard storm of Wind & Rain the Long boat coming onboard at same time with 4 Pipes of Rum in her, the rope they got hold off broke & she went adrift, the Yawl was immediately sent after her. but the Longboat filling with Water they brought her to a Grapnel & left her & the Yawl with the People got onboard about 3 in the morning. Early this Morning I sent to the Vice Roy to acquaint him with the loss of our Boat, to desire leave & the Assistance of a Shore Boat to look after her & at the same time to demand the Pinnace & her Crew, after sometime the whole was granted & we was so fortunate as to find the Longboat the same Day & likewise the 4 Piper of Rum but every other thing that was in her was lost.

MONDAY 21.st This Morning I received his Excellency's Answer to my last Memorial & Letter, in his Letter he owns there was some indecency in Detaining the Boat. but lays the Blame to my Officer, who only Executed the orders I gave him with Spirit , In one of His Memorials he says that from the Built of the Ship & other Circumstances he Doubts that she is the Kings. this I Thought proper to Answer in Writing by telling His Excellency that I was ready to Produce my Commmiss.on Rain the most part of this Day-

TUESDAY 22.d Mod.te breezes with the frequent Shower of Rain,Employ'd getting onboard Water, Provisions &tc.Caulking the Ship & repairing the Sails-

 WEDNESDAY 23.d Fine Pleasant wea.r empl.d as before & setting up the Rigging This day I received from the Vice Roy an Answer to my last Memorial wherein he still keeps up his Doubts that she is not a Kings Ship accusath my People of Smugling[sic] a thing I am very Certain they were not guilty of for which his Excellency could Produce no Proof notwithstanding many Artful means were made use of to tempt such of our People as were admitted ashore to Trade by the Very Officers that were under His Excellency's own Roof. I thought it incumbent on me to Answer this Memorial, in which I desir'd His Excellency to take into Custody any one of my People that should be found trading even if it amounted to no more that one of the Sailors selling His Cloaths from off His Back for a Bottle of Rum, for what is Excellency Call'd Smugling[sic] was very Certain amounted to no more, & even this was only suspicions of my Own,

 

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