St. Tammany farmer., 1901-07-27
BLuFFED AND ESCAPED.
Mell0, One Time Hero of
Brazil.

Exciting Experience of Admiral de-
Mell0, One Time Hero of
Brasil.
II see by the papers," said a New
Orleans coffee importer, reports the
Times-Democrat, 'that Custidio de
Mello, who is described as "a banker
was arrested in Rio the other day
for conspiracy against the Brazilian
government. No doubt the average
reader passed the little cable dis
patch by without recalling the fact
that De Mello was the hero about
ten years ago of one of the most
desperate and dramatic exploits of
recent times. It is an interesting
story. In 1898 Admiral de Mello was
in command of the Brazilian navy
which was undoubtedly the queerest
conglomeration in the world. It con-
sisted of half dozen old scows and
one tip-top, bang-up, frst-class bat
tleship-the Aquidaban-the equal
at the time of anything afoat. 1t
was the admiraPs flagship and one
fine day he astounded everybody by
sailing into Rio harbor and calmly
sending word to President Peixotto
that he wanted his resignation.
When Peixotto recovered from his
astonishment he told him to go to
blazes, and De Mello thereupon de-
clared the city under blockade. Rio
lies, as you know, on the inner side
of a large bay, with a very narrow
entrance. There were no guns at
the town heavy enough to do the
big battleship any damage, but at
the harbor mouth there were two
forts that could easily blow her out
of the water. So De Mello had really
sailed into rat trap, stalking every
thing on the chance of blufhng Peix-
otto out. He could not shell Rio on
account of foreign interests, and for
three solid months he circled round
and round the bay, trying repeatedly
to make landing and a dash into
the city. He was enormously out
numbered by the shore garrisons and
always beaten back with loss, and
eventually his situation became about
as desperate as can be readily inn
agined. Food and water had both
run short; it was impossible to get
more supplies; all hands, including
De Mello himself, were reduced to
walking skeletons, and meanwhile
the batteries at the harbor mouth
had been powerfully reinforced. In
this plight Peixotto supposed he
would be only too glad to surrender.
and sent demand to that effect.
You are bottled up,' he said in SUBJ
stance; you can't get out, and you
can't make a landing. It's case
of surrender or starve.' De Mello
sent back word that they would
starve. In the next couple of weeks
men did die on the Aquidaban of
actual starvation. Then De Mello de-
cided to end it all in grand coup
de theater, and one night he started
at full speed for the harbor mouth.
Concealment was out Of the question,
and the battleship made its dash with
lights blazing, flags flying and band
playing. I met the ADMIRAL after
ward in Caracas, and he told me they
had no expectation whatever OF get
ting through, but their sheer audaci-
ty SO disconnected the gunners at the
forts that they failed to land q sin
gle effective shot. As she passed
the narrows the Aquidaban let loose
double broadside and steamed tri-
umphantly out to sea. De Mello was
in exile for years, but he was finally
pardoned and returned to Rio. This
is the man who has just been ar
rested for new conspiracy, and I
think you'll agree with me that he
is an individual who is apt to make
things pretty hot when he gets start
ed. IT I were president of Brazil
I'd put him in the bastile and throw
away the key"