COMPLAISANCE OF OUR HOST. 83 
foreign powers might covet these treasures, 
probably, also, contributed to a refusal which 
has undoubtedly proved, for the present, a seri- 
ous loss to science. All the arguments I could 
urge to obviate the President’s objections were 
ineffectual: all I could obtain for our learned 
associates was permission to travel round the bay 
of Conception and the environs of Talcaguana, 
for which a passport was made out ; and a subal- 
tern officer was appointed to accompany them, 
who in all probability had also his private in- 
structions to see that the journey extended no 
farther. 
Overwhelmed with courtesies and promises 
to make our residence here as agreeable as _pos- 
sible, we left the President, and concluded the 
day in pleasant society at the house of our 
host Mendiburu, who on the following morn- 
ing accompanied us back to Talcaguana. He 
had the complaisance to surrender for our ac- 
commodation and: the convenience of our astre- 
nomical observations, a large house belonging to 
him in Taleaguana, which had once been inha- 
bited by La Pérouse. I took immediate pos- 
session of it, and our time was now very agree- 
