SOUTH AMERICA. 



283 



Bat little attention is paid to the cleanliness of the 

 streets; in one of the front streets, where there was no 

 pavement, I observed several deep mud holes; into 

 these, dead cats and dogs are sometimes thrown, from 

 too much indolence to carry them out of the way. The 

 side walks are very narrow, and in bad repair; this is 

 better than at Rio Janeiro, where there are none at all. 

 I observed, however, as I went along, a number of 

 convicts, as I took them to be, engaged in mending the 

 bad places already mentioned. In these particulars, 

 1 was very much reminded of New-Orleans; in fact, 

 in many other points, I observed a striking resem- 

 blance between the two cities. I can say but little for 

 the police, when compared to our towns; but this place 

 manifests a still greater superiority over Rio Janeiro; 

 and many important improvements, that have been in- 

 troduced within a few years past, were pointed out to 

 me. I should like to see, however, some trouble be- 

 stowed in cleaning those streets that are paved, and in 

 paving the rest; as well as in freeing the fronts of their 

 houses from the quantity of dust cqllected, wherever 

 it can find a resting place. 



But it is time to speak of the inhabitants of the city, 

 and of the people who frequent it. And here, whether 

 illusion or reality, I shall not take upon me to say, but 

 certain it is, I had not walked far, before I felt myself 

 in a land of freedom. There was an independence, 

 an ingenuousness in the carriage, and an expression in 

 the countenances of those I met, which reminded me 

 of my own country; an air of freedom breathed about 

 them, which I shall not attempt to describe. All I 

 can say, is, that I felt the force of that beautiful thought 

 of Moore, in his Lalla Rookh; 



