# VIII: Bahia explained — The Cruise of the Alerte > Chapter companion for The Cruise of the Alerte by E. F. Knight. ## What happens The narrator describes their stay in Bahia, Brazil, including the city's picturesque streets, colonial history, and the crew's shore leave. He reflects on the dangers of trusting treasure to Spanish or Portuguese authorities, the local customs and religious celebrations, and the challenges of dealing with corrupt administration and high duties. The chapter details the departure of the troublesome first and second mates, the reorganization of the crew under Dr. Cloete-Smith as mate, and the provisioning of the Alerte. A pampero gale delays their departure, and the narrator recounts past experiences with such storms. ## Themes in this chapter ### Class and Social Structure The narrator notes the lingering colonial mindset of the Creole elite, who avoid labour and still use sedan chairs carried by former slaves. ### Seamanship and Preparation The crew learns practical seamanship en route, the narrator reorganizes watches, and they stock provisions and tools for the island camp. ### Danger and Risk The narrator discusses the risk of losing treasure to foreign governments, and the pampero gale poses a serious threat to the small vessel. ## Character check-ins ### The Narrator Reflects on treasure security, navigates Bahia's bureaucracy, and reorganizes the crew after the mates leave. ### Dr. Cloete-Smith Appointed as mate by the narrator, takes the port watch. ### Mr. Pollock Assigned the post of purser. ### Mr. Pursell Assigned the post of carpenter. ### Mr. Powell Listed as part of the aft crew remaining after the mates' departure. ### Mr. Wilson English ship-chandler who wins the narrator's custom in Bahia. ## Key lines > scarcely say that I had made up my mind, should we find the treasure, to sail directly to some British port. I would not trust myself in any country of the Spanish or Portuguese; for once in their clutches we should in all probability lose all the results of our labour. The narrator decides that if they find the treasure, they will sail straight to a British port to avoid losing it to Spanish or Portuguese authorities. _Reflects the narrator's distrust of foreign governments and his plan to secure the treasure._ > The old theory of the Conquistadores, that it was beneath their dignity to perform any labour save that of extracting gold from the country and its natives, seems never to have been quite eradicated from the Creole mind. The narrator observes that the Creole elite still hold the colonial attitude that manual work is beneath them, focusing only on extracting wealth. _Highlights persistent colonial class attitudes in Brazil._ > The cause of all the mischief on board had departed. There was an alacrity and cheerfulness fore and aft that had been wanting so far. After the first and second mates left, the crew became more efficient and cheerful. _Describes the positive change in crew morale after the troublesome mates departed._ > I now appointed Dr. Cloete-Smith as my mate, he to take the port watch and myself the starboard. The narrator promoted Dr. Cloete-Smith to mate, assigning him the port watch while the narrator takes the starboard watch. _Shows the reorganization of command on the Alerte._ > The pampero was our bugbear while we lay off Trinidad; for this islet is within the range of the more formidable of these gales. The narrator feared pampero gales while anchored off Trinidad, as the island lies in their path. _Explains the danger of pampero storms to their expedition._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_cruise_of_the_alerte_se/chapters/viii-bahia - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_cruise_of_the_alerte_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_cruise_of_the_alerte_se/chapters