244 



PERU. 



bers of society, instead of being slaves as hereto- 

 fore. San Martin, with much discretion, did not 

 attempt to raise the lady from the ground, but al- 

 lowed her to make her appeal in the situation she 

 had chosen, and which, of course, she considered 

 the best suited to give force to her eloquence : he 

 stooped low to hear all she said, and when her first 

 burst was over, gently raised her ; upon which she 

 threw her arms round his neck, and concluded her 

 speech while hanging on his breast. His reply 

 was made with suitable earnestness, and the poor 

 woman'^s heart seemed ready to burst with grati- 

 tude for his attention and affability. 



He was next assailed by five ladies, all of whom 

 wished to clasp his knees at once ; but as this 

 could not be managed, two of them fastened them- 

 selves round his neck, and all five clamoured so 

 loudly to gain his attention, and weighed so heavi- 

 ly upon him, that he had some difficulty in sup- 

 porting himself. He soon satisfied each of them 

 with a kind word or two, and then seeing a little 

 girl of ten or twelve years of age belonging to 

 this party, but who had been afraid to come for- 

 ward before, he lifted up the astonished child, and 



