ACAPULCO. 



the news. We had scarcely anchored when a 

 barge came alongside with the governor of the 

 town, accompanied by all the officers at the head 

 of the different departments. The governor, af- 

 ter he and his suite had severally embraced me, 

 made a set speech, in which he said we had long 

 and anxiously been looked for ; and that, as the 

 Conway was the first of His Britannic Majesty*'s 

 ships that had honoured the harbour of Acapulco 

 with her presence, he considered it his duty, no 

 less than his inclination, to wave the usual eti- 

 quette, and come on board in person to welcome 

 our arrival. I replied in the best Castilian I 

 could muster to this remarkable compliment ; af- 

 ter which he formally communicated a message 

 he had lately received from his Serene Highness 

 Generalissimo Don Augustin Iturbide, then at 

 the head of the government, inviting me and all 

 my officers to visit the capital, and placing hor- 

 ses and every means of travelling at our com- 

 mand. This was a most tempting occasion, in- 

 deed, to see the country : but it was impossible to 

 avail ourselves of it, and we reluctantly declined 

 the honour. The governor, after a long and 



