MO A VOYAGE TO 



this liver were composed, we found among the crowd 

 attracted by curiosity, several Englishmen, and a per- 

 son of the name of White, who informed us he was an 

 American, and made a tender of his services. Lieu- 

 tenant Clack inquired for the American consul, but 

 was informed that he resided at Buenos Ayres. Mr. 

 Bland then inquired for a hotel, and asked if general 

 Carrera was in town, and was answered by Mr. 

 White in the affirmative, but who, at the same time, 

 suggested the propriety of first waiting on general 

 Lecor, the commanding officer, with whom he professed 

 to be intimately acquainted. He offered his services 

 to conduct us; the lieutenant thanked him, observing 

 that this was his business on shore, and that he would 

 accept his offer. 



We accordingly proceeded to the quarters of the Por- 

 tuguese general, who occupies one of the largest and 

 best houses in the city. We entered a spacious court 

 or varanda, with galleries all around it, through a 

 guard of black troops, with sleek and greasy looks, and 

 dressed in showy uniform. In these countries the 

 blacks are preferred as guards and centinels, about 

 the persons of officers of distinction. After going 

 through several apartments, passing centinels and offi- 

 cers on duty, exhibiting to us, all the pomp and pa- 

 rade of the establishment of a great military chief,** 

 we entered an apartment where we were politely in- 

 vited to sit down. We had scarcely time to recover 

 from the reflections produced by this, to us unusual 

 scene, when the general himself made his appearance, 



* The government of the place may be considered for the pre- 

 sent entirely military. 



