58 VOYAGE TO THE 



and wretched companions for the Mexicanus instrid- 

 das. Besides, there were no balls or bull-fights in 

 Monterey ; and for all the news they heard of their 

 own country, they might as well have been at Kam- 

 schatka. To compensate for these dreadful privations, 

 the ladies generally amused themselves in the evening 

 by smoking and playing cards, and relating the perils 

 they encountered in the land journey from Mexico to 

 the shores of the Pacific. Politeness and attention, 

 however, were the characteristics of these good people, 

 who offered our party every assistance in their power 

 during their stay at Monterey. 



Upon inquiry after the stores and medicines the 

 ship stood in need of, the result was highly unfavour- 

 able ; as there were no medicines to be had, and some 

 stores which were essential to the ship could nowhere 

 be procured. The exchange on bills was favourable, 

 but there was no specie : Mr. Marsh therefore pur- 

 chased what stores he could from the inhabitants and 

 from the shipping in the roads, and arranged with a 

 person who had come out from Ireland for the pur- 

 pose of salting meat for the Lima market, to cure a 

 quantity for the use of the ship, and to have it ready 

 on her arrival at Monterey. They then hastened their 

 departure, but the same diflftculty arose about horses 

 as before, and they were much inconvenienced in con- 

 sequence, being obliged to alter a plan they had con- 

 templated of returning by a different route. This, very 

 unexpectedly to padre Arroyo, brought them again 

 under his roof. The padre either did not Hke this 

 second tax on his hospitality, or was put out of tem- 

 per by the increase of a complaint to which he was 

 subject, as he gave them a less cordial reception, and 

 appeared very little disposed to conversation. It was 



