After my return to Crato, all my collections were despatched for the coast by the 10th of January in order to be shipped for England, and I prepared every thing in readiness for our journey, which I was assured might now be undertaken with safety, as it had rained nearly every day since the beginning of the month. I was, however, prevented from leaving so soon as I had anticipated, owing to the necessity of dismissing my servant Pedro. He had now been about a year in my service, and as he was intelligent and useful, and we had travelled together more like companions than master and man, and as he had moreover acted with great kindness and attention to me during several slight illnesses, I always treated him with much indulgence, and certainly would not have parted with him, had he not returned that indulgence with ingratitude. For some time before this, he had conducted himself as if he imagined I could not do without him. It was on a Saturday that I intended to leave Crato, and on the morning of that day, I sent him to purchase several articles for our journey, but he did not return till two o’clock in the afternoon. Being still desirous of starting, I told him to fetch the other men who were to accompany us, and to bring the horses from the pasture; in reply, he said that he would go for them, but that I might start with them myself, as he did not intend to leave Crato till Monday; this being more than I could reasonably bear, I instantly discharged him. Fortunately at this very moment, I had a visit from a young Englishman, Mr. Edward Walker, who had come up to Crato while I was at Barra do Jardim, to take charge of a Rapadura Engenho in the absence of the owner, who, although a man upwards of forty years of age, was about to proceed to the College of Olinda, in order to study for the church. During two years before this, Mr. Walker had been travelling over the interior of Ceará, and in the north of Piauhy, selling European goods, but about two months before he came to Crato, he had been robbed of all he possessed, and had no other resource left than to accept of the situation he then held, so that he might earn the means of enabling him to reach the coast. That occupation not being to his taste, he at once offered to accompany me as my assistant; I had therefore to purchase two additional horses for him and his trunks, and as there was some difficulty in procuring such as would answer our purpose, it was not until the fifteenth of the month that we could leave Crato. The day previous to my departure was occupied in taking leave of my good friend Capt. João Gonsalvez, his wife, and daughter, and of my other friends.