STATE OF PUBLIC FEELING. 37 



which, though not less than fifty or sixty miles 

 distant, seem to overhang the town. 



On the 9th of January, the capital was thrown 

 into commotion by the arrival of news from the 

 army in Peru, giving the details of various suc- 

 cesses gained over the Royalists ; and such, it ap- 

 peared, had become the popularity of the Inde- 

 pendent cause, that a whole regiment of the King's 

 troops had passed over from Lima in a body, and 

 offered their services to the Patriots. So com- 

 pletely were the inhabitants of Santiago engross- 

 ed by this news, that nothing was thought of, or 

 talked of for several days, but the Peruvian expe- 

 dition. This state of things furnished us with 

 frequent opportunities of discovering the public 

 feeling on the general question of the Revolution ; 

 for every one was delighted to converse on the 

 subject, while the enthusiasm of the moment 

 made it the most popular topic in all companies. 

 The principal object of their thoughts, or that 

 which they dwelt upon with the steadiest deter- 

 mination, was the preservation of their independ- 

 ence ; the next, a bitter animosity against their 

 former rulers^ the Spaniards ; a feeling sometimes 



