TO GUAHOX. 239 



the crew with them. The governor is, in fact, the 

 only real Spaniard ; the other officers, and even 

 the priests, are natives either of Manilla or 

 Mexico, and descendants from Spaniards. He is 

 about forty years old, and, notwithstanding his bad 

 health, an agreeable companion, and a particularly 

 polite host. He must know how to make himself 

 useful to the government, as his administration 

 had been prolonged for three years longer, though, 

 according to the law, the Governor of a Spanish 

 possession, can only fill his office for three years. 

 I had little difficulty in conversing with him by 

 Wilson's assistance, but I tried in vain to turn the 

 conversation on the Marianes, respecting which, I 

 wished to learn many things ; but, mysterious as 

 all the Spanish governors are in this quarter of the 

 globe, he always contrived to give the convers- 

 ation another turn. But he took the more care to 

 please our palate. After he had several times 

 offered us tea and chocolate, he conducted us to a 

 table, richly laid out with fruits, confectionary, and 

 the choicest wines. We enjoyed ourselves very 

 well, as we thought this was to be our supper. 

 Scarcely had an hour elapsed, when we were 

 shown into the dining-room, where the table, 

 covered with the richest dishes, awaited us. We 

 did not know whether it was the custom here to 

 eat without intermission, or whether they gave 

 only the Russian stomach credit for such powers 

 of digestion, but we soon observed that they all 



