SOUTH AMERICA. 



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ble citizens drawn together by the interest of the oc- 

 casion, their dress, appearance, and demeanor, was 

 like that of persons of the same rank of society in the 

 United States. Nothing I had yet seen, gave me so 

 high an opinion of the population. We found also, 

 considerable numbers inside the fort, and crowding 

 the entrance to the director's apartments. I can give 

 no idea of the pleasure which seemed to be depicted in 

 their countenances. They all bowed to us as we 

 passed, and said more by their smiles and their looks, 

 than they could have done if each one had pronounced 

 an oration. In passing through the different offices, 

 to that of the secretary of state, we saw a great num- 

 ber of civil officers, and functionaries, drawn together 

 by what appeared to be no common holiday, and who 

 showed us the same marks of respect. The secretary 

 now joined us, and led us up stairs, to the apart- 

 ments occupied by the director. We passed through 

 a large hall, where we saw fifty or sixty officers, of 

 the regular and civic troops, all in splendid uniforms. 

 They arose as we entered, forming a line on each 

 side, through which we passed. In the adjoining 

 apartment we were met by the director, who, with the 

 ease and affability of a polished gentleman, advanced 

 to meet us, and requested us to be seated. He seem- 

 ed to be upwards of forty years of age, his stature 

 about the middle size, a little inclining to corpulency, 

 and upon the whole, his appearance commanding and 

 dignified. His address and manners, were those of a 

 person accustomed to the best society, equally remov- 

 ed from coarseness and affectation. It was easily 

 discoverable, that he was a man, who had been long 

 accustomed to act a distinguished part in life. He 



