CAPTURE OF PUERTO CAVELLO. 265 



viously not regarded, and consequently the 

 company had frequently many unwelcome 

 intruders. 



On the evening of the 9th, Mrs. General 

 English gave a ball and supper, which the 

 Vice-President attended. During the en- 

 tertainment, Major Wilthen, an Englishman, 

 aide-de-camp to General Paez, arrived from 

 Puerto Cavello, in the short space of twenty 

 days, a thing never done by an individual 

 before, and brought with him the official ac- 

 count of the capture of Puerto Cavello ; so 

 that Colombia was/ree / The Spaniards had 

 not one foot of ground left to them in the 

 country ! This news caused great joy, and 

 added much to the hilarity of the evening.* 



On a particularly fine morning, I was 

 invited to join Mrs. English and party in 



* For the official account, see Appendix. 



