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PERU. 



right and left. The President of the Council, at 

 the other end of the hall, invested the several 

 knights with their ribbons and stars ; but the 

 Protector himself administered the obligation on 

 honour, by which they were bound to maintain 

 the dignity of the order, and the independence of 

 the country. 



After a very busy and amusing visit of a week, 

 during which our attention was constantly occu- 

 pied by the multiplicity and variety of the objects 

 in this renovated capital ; we sailed, with orders 

 to visit the coast of South America, as far as the 

 Isthmus of Panama ; thence to proceed along the 

 shores of Mexico, which are washed by the Pa- 

 cific, to call at the various ports by the way, and 

 then to return to Peru and Chili. 



Circumstances occurred to prevent the com- 

 pletion of this plan, and to render it necessary 

 for me to repass Cape Horn, without again visit- 

 ing the western coast. I cannot, therefore, from 

 personal observation, or from inquiry on the spot, 

 give any detail of the interesting and important 

 events which took place subsequent to our depar- 

 ture. The following brief sketch, however, will 



