234 



I'ERU. 



sion to visit him early one morning on board his 

 schooner, and we had not been long walking to- 

 gether, when the sailors began washing the decks. 



What a plague it is/' said San Martin, " that 

 these fellows will insist upon washing their decks 

 at this rate " I wish, my friend," said he to 

 one of the men, " you would not wet us here, but 

 go to the other side.*" The seaman, however, who 

 had his duty to do, and was too well accustomed 

 to the Generars gentle manner, went on with his 

 work, and splashed us soundly. " I am afraid,*" 

 cried San Martin, " we must go below, although 

 our cabin is but a miserable hole, for really there 

 is no persuading these fellows to go out of their 

 usual way.*" These anecdotes, and many others 

 of the same stamp, are very trifling, it is true ; 

 but I am much mistaken if they do not give more 

 insight into the real disposition, than a long series 

 of official acts : for public virtue is unfortunately 

 held to be so rare, that we are apt to mistrust a 

 man in power for the same actions which, in a 

 humble station, would have secured our confi- 

 dence and esteem. 



On our way back to Lima we were threatened 



