LIMA* 



91 



vidual to be seen, except, perhaps, a solitary cou- 

 rier galloping towards the fortress. In Lima it- 

 self the difference was as striking : jealousy and 

 distrust of one anotherj and still more of stran- 

 gers, filled every breast ; disappointment and fear, 

 aggravated by personal inconvenience and priva- 

 tion, broke up all agreeable society; rendering 

 this once great^ luxurious, and happy city, one of 

 the most wretched places on earth. 



Lima was not, however, on this account, the 

 less interesting to a stranger : and although we 

 often regretted not seeing it in its days of glory j 

 we could not but esteem ourselves fortunate, in 

 having an opportunity of witnessing the effect of 

 a combination of circumstances, not likely to be 

 met with again. The immediate cause of this 

 unhappy state of things, was the spirit of inde- 

 pendence which had recently burst forth in South 

 America ; and it may be remarked, that none of 

 those free states have achieved their liberty with- 

 out first running a similar course of suffering ; a 

 sort of ordeal to purify them frojn the contamina- 

 tion of their former degradation. 



Lima, up to this period, had been exempted 



