216 



MEXICO. 



expectation, for the view extended to the sea, and 

 along the coast to a great distance. On the other 

 hand, it brought some ranges of the Andes in 

 sight, especially one remarkable mountain, the 

 top of which, unlike this chain in general, was 

 perfectly flat for an extent of many leagues. 



Nothing certainly could have been more inno- 

 cent than this trip to the hill, and I was of course 

 greatly surprised to learn next day that it had ex- 

 cited suspicion in the minds of the local authori- 

 ties. It was provoking too to find, that the un- 

 ceasing pains we had taken to avoid giving cause 

 of offence had proved ineffectual. On first reach- 

 ing Tepic, I had learned from a friend, that the 

 people of this place were remarkably jealous of 

 strangers, and apt at any time to misinterpret the 

 most harmless actions ; and that, in our case, 

 their wonted suspicion would be increased, as the 

 Conway was the first English man-of-war that had 

 visited this remote corner of the country. I did 

 not see why this should follow, but attended, ne- 

 vertheless, sedulously to the hint, and took care 

 to impress on the officers a similar feeling. We 

 had been flattering ourselves that we had com- 



