As already stated, the sea had no time to rise to any considerable height. At daylight the gale moderated. We set a spare fore topsail, reefed, as a foresail, bent and set main staysail. [Sidenote: May 29.] Breeze moderated and changed to the northward. [Sidenote: May 30.] More bad weather. Split the improvised foresail. [Sidenote: May 31.] [Sidenote: June 2.] Wind more moderate. Bent proper foresail and made sail, wind veering round to S.W. [Sidenote: June 9.] Shifted topgallant masts from stump to regulation. Standing for Cape Frio, opened the entrance of Rio Janeiro. Observed a barque being towed out by a Brazilian steam tug. Being becalmed the _Plumper_ towed us into our anchorage. Met the _Cormorant_, steam sloop, Captain Herbert Schomberg, coming out; he having received information from the Consul that the tug _Satrap_ was assisting a slaver. The _Plumper_, having towed us to a berth, joined in the chase. _Cormorant_ fired into the tug, and knocked away her funnel; on being boarded fifteen slaves were found secreted under hatches, and part of a slaver’s cargo. The tug was anchored and placed under a guard. The barque got away, but _Plumper_ put a shot into her. The Commander-in-Chief, Rear-Admiral Barrington Reynolds, was absent at Monte Video. Found here _Tweed_, sloop, 18, Commander Lord Francis Russell. She had been my first ship: then a 28-gun donkey frigate! There was also a heavy-looking French frigate _Penelope_. Also two handsome Spanish corvettes, _Esmeralda_ and _Arragon_, said to have been built on White’s lines, the United States corvette _Dale_, and a Dutch brig. Saluted the Brazilian flag, 21 guns. [Sidenote: June 12.] 4.30 A.M.--Weighed and ran out of the harbour with a light land breeze. [Sidenote: July 5.] Gave the ship her last coat of paint, and remounted carronades; neither useful nor ornamental. [Sidenote: July 28.] Arrived at Spithead. Saluted the flag of Admiral the Hon. Sir T. Bladen-Capel, K.C.B. The steam tender _Sprightly_ came off for our freight, $900,000, consigned to my friend E. Casher, for transhipment to the Bank of England. At sunset weighed for Chatham. [Sidenote: July 29.] Anchored at Sheerness. Saluted flag of Vice-Admiral the Hon. Josceline Percy. Glad to again renew an acquaintance which commenced when I commanded _Childers_ in Mediterranean and was renewed at the Cape in the _Dido_, when Sir Josceline was Commander-in-Chief. [Sidenote: July 30.] Paying off commencing. Sad to think out of 360 fine fellows, only 150 are left! CHAPTER XLVIII AT HOME [Sidenote: 1851. Aug. 7.] While _Mæander_ was dismantling, I attended the wedding of my nephew, Edward Coke, and Miss Agar-Ellis, daughter of Lord Dover, whose house was close to the Admiralty, and into which I walked after the breakfast, wearing my wedding favour. I was shown into the First Sea Lord’s room, with whom I had been on terms of intimacy some years.