SOUTH AMERICA. 



101 



rick Bland, commissioners, and H. M. Brackenridge, 

 secretary. William T. Reed, and Thomas Rodney, 

 (son of the commissioner,) accompanied the mission. 

 The commissioners arrived at Norfolk in the steam- 

 boat, on the 2Hth of November, 18 17, v^here the frigate 

 Congress, commanded by commodore Arthur Sinclair, 

 who had been selected for this purpose, wa.s ready 

 to receive them on board. Owing to some delay in 

 transmitting the orders for sailing, the mission did not 

 embark until the third of December. In the mean 

 time, we were treated with every mark of attention 

 and civility by the people of Norfolk, who do not 

 yield to the rest of Virginia in that elegant hospitality 

 for which the state is justly celebrated. The differ- 

 ence in the climate between this place and Baltimore 

 is very sensible. We had just escaped the skirts of 

 winter; the warmth of the sun, the softness of the air, 

 and the appearance of vegetation, seemed to carry us 

 back to the middle of autumn — that season which may 

 be styled the glory of the American skies. 



On the 14th, the Congress weighed anchor and put 

 to sea. Commodore Sinclair had taken pains to ren- 

 der our accommodations as comfortable as possible 

 for along and tedious voyage. . It is very certain that 

 the voyage could not be made under more agreeable 

 circumstances; in a noble frigate, manned by an ex- 

 cellent crew, and commanded by officers of experi- 

 ence and skill. There were several lieutenants and 

 a considerable number of midshipmen on board, be- 

 yond the usual complement; the voyage being consider- 

 ed an interesting one, it was a desirable object among 

 the naval gentlemen to engage in it. To me the little 

 world to which I found myself transferred, con tin- 



