SOUTH AMERICA. 



They walk more elegantly than any women I ever 

 saw. They are seen usually in family groups, but ac- 

 cording to the custom of the country, seldom attended 

 by gentlemen. There are usually a few beggars about 

 the church doors, all blind, or decrepid with age. I 

 am informed, there are two convents in the city, but I 

 did not go to see them, as 1 was told the nuns were all 

 old and ugly. 



A very animated and martial scene was presented 

 to me, by the exercising of the regular troops, and civic 

 militia. The black regiments, made an uncommonly 

 fine appearance, and seemed to be in a very higli state 

 of discipline. The civic militia is said to be fully as 

 well trained as the regulars. I saw several very fine 

 bands of music. A battalion of slaves, consisting of 

 five or six hundred men, was also mustered, and then 

 marched to one of the churches. With all these things 

 going on, the city exhibited one of the most animating 

 scenes I had ever witnessed. These are certainly a 

 more enthusiastic, and perhaps warlike people, than 

 we are; if they possessed, with these qualities, by 

 way of ballast, something of our steady habits, and ge- 

 neral stock of information, I think they would nearly 

 equal us. 



In the afternoon, in company with Dr. Baldwin, and 

 a gentleman with whom I became acquainted, I re- 

 solved, if possible, to breathe the air outside of the 

 city; and being pedestrians, we resolved to take it on 

 foot, though horses might have been had, either to buy, 

 or hire for the trip; the diff'erence in price for these 

 two modes of obtaining them, does not quite bear the 

 same proportion as with us. It would have cost us, 

 probably, one dollar and an half, or two dollars, fpr 

 VOL. I. 38 



