SOUTH AMERICA, 



117 



peared to great advantage. We were afterwards vi- 

 sited by captain Hickey of the Blossom; a frank, live- 

 ly sailor, with whom we were all much pleased; and 

 a few days after our arrival by captain Shireff of the 

 Andromache, a much younger man, of a more shewy 

 exterior, and as we suspected better supported by 

 court favor at home, as he was the superior officer of 

 the two, although but a midshipman when Hickey 

 was a captain. They were both however, officers of 

 liberal and gentlemanly deportment, and manifested a 

 wish to cultivate a good understanding with us, by 

 the exchange of civilities and friendly offices. They 

 invited the commodore and the commissioners to dine 

 with them, and were invited in turn. The truth is, that a 

 similarity of manners, and identity of language, are the 

 best foundations of social intercourse, while the laws of 

 good breeding forbid the bringing to recollection, cir- 

 cumstances unpleasant to the feelings of the parties. 

 We could easily see one thing, that secretly nourished 

 our pride, which was the homage universally render- 

 ed to our superior excellence in nautical concerns. 

 This could not be concealed; we could see it in every 

 look and action of our proud cousins of the family of 

 John Bull; and as to the Portuguese and others, they 

 pretended no competition. Never was national pride 

 more fully gratified than ours, at the noble and dis- 

 tinguished figure made in a foreign distant port, by 

 this admirable representative of our national sove 

 reignty. 



I felt impatient to set my foot once more on the 

 fixed and stedfast earth, as well as some curiosity to 

 behold this great city, now the capital of the Portu . 



