CALLAO. 



65 



unloading rich cargoes ; while the bay, to the dis- 

 tance of a mile from the harbour, was covered with 

 others waiting for room to land their merchandise. 

 On shore all was bustle and activity. The peo- 

 ple had no longer leisure for jealousy ; and, so far 

 from viewing us with hatred and distrust, hailed 

 us as friends ; and, for the first time, we landed 

 at Callao without apprehension of insult. The 

 officers of the Chilian expedition, whose appear- 

 ance, formerly, would have created a sanguinary 

 tumult, were now the most important and popular 

 persons in the place, living on perfectly friendly 

 terms with the very people whom we well remem- 

 bered to have known their bitterest, and as they 

 swore, their irreconcileable foes. It is true there 

 is nothing new in this degree of political versati- 

 lity ; but it is still curious to witness the facility, 

 and total unconcern with which the sentiments of 

 a whole town are at once reversed, when it suits 

 their interest. As the population of Callao de- ♦ 

 pend for subsistence entirely upon the port being 

 open, their anger had formerly been strongly excit- 

 ed against the Chilians who had shut it up, and 

 thereby brought want of employment and conse- 



VOL. II. E 



