GUAYAQUIL. 



129 



est and handsomest, we had met with in South 

 America. 



2^th of Dec. — At the expenee of a httle squeez- 

 ing, we contrived to seat the whole party to a sub- 

 stantial breakfast. As most of the officers of the 

 ship spoke Spanish, we took good care of our 

 party, who split themselves into groups, and roved 

 about the ship as they pleased : a sort of freedom 

 which people greatly prefer to being dragged me- 

 chanically round to see everything. Our fiddler 

 being unfortunately indisposed, we could not have 

 a dance, which evidently disappointed no small 

 number of our fair friends ; but even without this 

 powerful auxiliary to forming acquaintance, we 

 were all soon wonderfully at ease with one an- 

 other. 



I lamented sincerely, that my duty obliged me 

 so precipitately to leave a spot, holding out a pro- 

 mise of such agreeable society ; and where every- 

 thing else, domestic and political, was at the same 

 time so peculiarly well circumstanced for the ex- 

 hibition of national character ; and calculated to 

 show, in a more striking light than in quieter 

 times, the real spirit and essence of a country, that 



VOL. II. I 



