to the Place called "Bomfim," in company with the Scrivener of my Department, Justino Damazo Saldanha, to the end of examining the Slaves landed out of the Brazilian Schooner Carolina, from Cacheu. I began by examining the three Witnesses, as stated in the Act of Process annexed, not examining more of the Crew, because they had left this Port in another Vessel (as stated by the Consignee of the said Schooner, Antonio Francisco de Azevedo.) Afterwards proceeding to examine the Slaves, I found that none could speak the Portuguese language, although they were not quite untaught Negroes, but I found that they, for the most part, spoke the Creole language, which is common in the District of Cacheu, a great part being Creoles born there, and who, on being asked in that language by a Negro accidentally present, declared that they belonged to Donna Roza de Carvalho Albuquerque [Alvarenga,] and her Sons, and were going to their Estate in St. Jago, in the Cape de Verd. This is what I can inform your Excellency, who will determine what may be according to justice. DOMINGOS JOZE RODRIGUES DE SA. VIANNA. Maranham, February 10, 1826. The Secretary of Government, JOAQUIM FERREIRA FRANCA. Mem.-The Act of Process is not copied or translated, because it is very voluminous, and does not contain any further evidence or fact. ROBERT HESKETH. (Enclosure 2, K.)—Order of the President of Maranham regarding the Entry of the Slaves brought by the Carolina. IT appearing from the Act of Investigation, which I ordered to be instituted by the Judge of the Custom-House of this City, and which remains in the Secretary's Office of this Government, that the Slaves brought by the Brazilian Schooner Carolina belong to the Widow and Sons of Major Joao Pereira Barreto; these Slaves being accompanied by one of those Sons, Manoel Pereira Barreto, and that they were obtained bond fide, the Administrator of the Custom-House will admit them to entry (" a despacho,") in virtue of the Avizo which will be presented to him by the said Manoel Pereira Barreto, giving, at the same time, satisfactory Bond for the Slaves, Schooner, and any Cargo which may be on board. In this manner let it be executed. Maranham, Government-House, February 15, 1826. BARROS, President. SIR, No.73.-Mr. Consul Hesketh to Mr. Sec. Canning.—(Rec. May 15.) Maranham, March 9, 1826. As it will appear from the Reports of the Trade at Maranham, that there have been more Slaves imported during 1825, than was the case in the preceding Year, I have the honour to state, that these Slaves were for the chief part sent here, in consequence of the great scarcity of Provisions in the Province of Cearâ, and not for the purpose of Traffick, distress having forced their Masters reluctantly to part with them. I beg leave to enclose a Copy of the Annual Statement transmitted to His Majesty's Consul-General at Rio de Janeiro*, detailing all the particulars of the Importation of Slaves into Maranham during the Year 1825. I have the honour to be, &c. The Right Hon. George Canning. ROBERT HESKETH. No. 74.-Mr. Consul Hesketh to Mr. Sec". Canning.-(Rec. May 15.) (Extract.) Maranham, March 11, 1826. HAVING on the 8th instant had the honour to report the Case of the Carolina, the detention of the Vessel carrying that Despatch enables me to add the following particulars: When the Slaves were seized, on the 6th instant, by the Legal Authority, only 113 were found, the Owner stating that the 20 Negroes who were missing had died+. To-day I am informed that, out of the number seized, 3 Negroes have since died, and that, of the 110 now living, 77 are deposited in this Town, and 33 remain sick at the Lazaretto‡. I suspect that the greatest portion of the 23 Negroes said to be dead, have been sold; and I am attempting to investigate, satisfactorily, the truth. The Right Hon. George Canning. ROBERT HESKETH. No. 75.-Mr. Consul Hesketh to Mr. Sec". Canning.-(Rec. June 6.) (Extract.) Maranham, April 17, 1826. THE last Communication which I had the honour to make, respecting the Negroes landed from the Schooner Carolina, was in the Despatch dated March 11th of the present Year. On the 13th of March, I succeeded in ascertaining from the Negroes themselves, who were landed from the Carolina, that, up to that date, only 11 had died, and that 12 were removed alive, making together 23 Negroes, the number reported to me as dead, when my last Communication was transmitted. On the following day, I addressed to His Excellency the President, a Letter, complaining of those irregularities, a Copy of which I beg leave to enclose. * See Second Enclosure in No. 42, Page 327. +133 landed 20 reported to have died before seizure. 36 left sick at Lazaretto 113 alive on 6th March 110 living 11th March. I also enclose a Translation of His Excellency's Reply, and also of the Admonition sent by the President to the Judge. As I found that His Excellency was doubtful how far the Slave Treaties with His Most Faithful Majesty were now acted upon at the Port of Rio de Janeiro, I sent to His Excellency, with my Despatch, Copies of the Correspondence and Documents, upon the subject, in the Slave-trade Papers, marked (B,) presented to Parliament in the Year 1825: those Copies were transmitted to the Ouvidor, and are alluded to in the Admonition. On the Night of the 15th of March, I had information where 2 of the Negroes landed from the Carolina (and some of those reported as dead) were concealed: by applying to the President they were apprehended, and again sent to the Deposit. Notwithstanding this occurrence, and the allusion I made to the President of the improper conduct of the Ouvidor's subordinate Officer, and of the Person who had charge of the Negroes, both these Individuals continue in their Situations; and when the 2 Negroes were found, it was asserted that they were part of the 9 Slaves included in the Crew of the Carolina. As I humbly conceive that all the Slaves shipped on board the Carolina at Cacheo are to be dealt with alike, I addressed a Note to the President on the 20th of March, a Copy of which, and a Translation of the Answer, I also enclose. I am informed that the Caulker and Carpenter of the Carolina, who are both Slaves, were sold; and I have well-founded hopes of discovering the Purchasers of those 2 Negroes, as well as 10 more. On the 21st March, I made a full Report of all these occurrences to His Majesty's Consul-General at Rio de Janeiro, transmitting Copies of what I had the honour to communicate to the Foreign Office, up to the 11th of that Month. At the time my Despatch was sent to Rio de Janeiro, it was currently reported, that the Case of the Carolina would be sent at once for decision to the Mixed Commission in that Port; but it has proved otherwise, the Parties having brought it before the Relaçam of this City. Being anxious to report the latest Proceedings in the Case of the Carolina, I addressed a Letter on the 14th instant to the President, asking for information as to the decision of the Relaçam, and the number of all the Negroes now in the Deposit, including those landed as part of the Cargo, and those in the Muster-Roll of the Crew; but I regret to add, that the Answer which was sent, a Translation of which I enclose, is very unsatisfactory on both points, the decision being still delayed, and a clear and correct statement respecting the Negroes evaded. In the statement there is no reference to the 133 Negroes originally landed, and it is made to appear that 5 more Negroes have died since my last Report, dated the 11th ultimo; the total number in the De posit being on the 14th instant only 105, independent of the 2 Negroes which are still declared to belong to the Crew. I have acquainted the Consul-General, that the Master and Second Officer of the Carolina were put into confinement on the 16th of March; but, from what is occurring with regard to the Negroes, I do not expect that the Law will be put into full force against those 2 Persons, one of whom (the Master,) says, that he is the Owner; but the Supercargo, one of Barreto's Sons, is at large. I have also made known to His Majesty's Consul-General, that an Establishment at Cacheo, which has been carrying on the Slave-trade, has for Years past been purchasing there Negroes from the Interior; keeping them at Cacheo 2 or 3 Years, and ultimately shipping them to the Cape de Verd Islands, or elsewhere; and when sending them to this Country, appealing to the pretended authority of the "Avizo" of 1817. I have ascertained that the Schooner Carolina is 80 tons British measurement. The Right Hon. George Canning. ROBERT HESKETH. (Enclosure 1.)—Mr. Consul Hesketh to the President of the Province of Maranham. SIR, Maranham, March 14, 1826. It is with great pain that I am obliged, by publick duty, to call your Excellency's attention to the following circumstances, under the conviction that if your Excellency's observation was not necessarily confined more immediately to matters of equal importance, connected with the duties of the highest Authority, I should have been spared this painful task of complaint. After your Excellency had assigned to the competent Tribunal the full investigation of the Case of the Schooner Carolina, and the Negroes landed from her, the "Ouvidor do Crime," on the 6th instant, seized both that Vessel and the Negroes, according to the Alvará of 26th January, 1818, that Alvará having for its object the upholding of the Stipulations in the Treaty for the Abolition of the Slave-trade to the Northward of the Line. It is needless to repeat the penalties which the said Alvará enforces on those found guilty of an infraction of that Treaty; but it is to the point to remark, that the only proceedings which have taken place have been hitherto confined to the Vessel and Negroes. I have been mindful of all the proceedings with the latter, and I find that 133 Negroes were landed, and that when the "Ouvidor" seized them, 20 were reported as dead. On the 11th instant I was also informed, that, of the 113 seized, 3 more were dead, leaving, thus, 110 Negroes living on the 11th instant, of which 77 were in health, and the remainder sick; and this I reported to His Britannick Majesty's Government on the 11th instant. Since then I have learnt that only 11 Negroes died at Bomfim; that 5 were removed from thence alive before the seizure, and 7 after the seizure, from the Deposit in this Town; these two unlawful removals of the Negroes, with the number really dead, forming the exact number of 23, reported to me as dead on the 11th instant. I doubt not that in a short time I shall be able to inform your Excellency who were the Purchasers of those 12 Negroes; but, in the mean time, I confine myself to the fact, that they did not die, and that an outrage has been committed against your Excellency's commands; and, I am also inclined to believe, against the confidence reposed by the Ouvidor in his subordinate Officer, and the Person intrusted with the duty of" Depositario." To-day I was also informed by the "Depositario" himself, that 2 more Negroes were dead, and I suspect that I shall soon have proof that they also were removed alive. Under these circumstances, I am called upon to protest before your Excellency against the very great negligence of the "Ouvidor do Crime" in this matter. A negligence which not only renders ineffective the Measures of the Alvará, but also renders nugatory the Stipulations of the Treaty; so that the conduct of the "Ouvidor do Crime" becomes indecorous to both the Crowns interested in the Treaty, and it is most evident that your Excellency will not allow such infractions. Under that persuasion, I have thus applied most urgently to your Excellency, in order that your Excellency may take such steps towards those who are responsible for the appearance of the Negroes, as your Excellency may deem fit; and also may adopt the requisite measures respecting the deposit of the Negroes, and the subordinate Officer of the above-mentioned Ouvidor. I have, &c. H. E. Pedro Jose da Costa Barros. ROBERT HESKETH. (Enclosure 2.)-The President of the Province of Maranham to Mr. Consul Hesketh.-(Translation.) SIR, Maranham, March 15, 1826. I ACKNOWLEDGE the receipt of your Letter, dated yesterday, in which you make it appear that you are persuaded, that a part of the Slaves arrived from Cacheu by the Schooner Carolina, stated as forced into this Port, have been sold to different Persons before there is any decision on their Case, such Slaves at the same time being reported as dead; and also that you are suspicious that the Judge intrusted with this Case has conducted himself with little circumspection respecting it, and that you will even be able in a little time to declare who were the Purchasers of those Slaves; all which may have happened without the knowledge of that Judge, of whose rectitude and distinterestedness |