TALCUHUANA. 



335 



for either side ; and though he had the art to seem 

 thoroughly in earnest in his politics, never thought 

 seriously of anything but of his freight. He in- 

 troduced us to the Governor of Talcuhuana^ who 

 received us with a stateliness of manner, worthy 

 of the insignificance of his situation ; and when 

 we spoke to him about horses, said very pompous- 

 ly, he would most gladly use his influence to get 

 us mounted. In the meantime, we strolled over 

 the town and decayed fortifications, lately, we 

 were told, in perfect repair ; but the rains are here 

 so hard, that exposure to a few wet seasons soon 

 demolishes any work not built of stone. On re- 

 turning to the Government-house, we found no 

 horses, nor could^e hear any tidings of our oblig- 

 ing friend his Excellency the Governor. We 

 therefore cast about for some other assistance, and 

 at last, tired of waiting, walked into a house, 

 where we observed a gentleman reading, and some 

 ladies sitting at work. We sat down and chatted 

 for some time with them, and on communicating 

 our distress, the worthy master of the house being 

 pleased, as he said, with our attention in visiting 

 him, and gratified, perhaps, by the attention we 



