SAN MARTIN. 



231 



the majority of the inhabitants, notwithstanding 

 the flight to Callao, were certainly still in the city, 

 it was inconceivable how so many people could 

 have remained locked up for such a period, with- 

 out being once tempted to peep out ; especially 

 when the danger was by no means pressing or cer- 

 tain. We fancied that the slaves were more cheer- 

 ful than usual ; but this probably was a deception, 

 arising from our contrasting their undisturbed 

 gaiety with the doubt and gloom which had beset 

 every other mind. It may be mentioned here, that 

 one of San Martin's first proclamations declared 

 the freedom of every person born after the 15th 

 of July 1821, the day on which the independence 

 of Lima was first announced; and that every slave 

 voluntarily enlisting into his army should become 

 from that instant a free citizen : measures which 

 at once gave a death-blow to the whole system of 

 slavery. 



When all was quiet in the capital, I went to 

 Callao, and hearing that San Martin was in the 

 roads, waited on him on board his yacht. I found 

 him possessed of correct information as to all that 

 was passing ; but he seemed in no hurry to enter 



