428 



SAN PABLO. 



order to be ready to proceed across the Isth- 

 mus the following morning. On landing, I 

 went up to the Tambo, where I found an Al- 

 calde, placed by the government to collect a 

 real duty on every tercio (or load) passed over 

 the Isthmus. He was a very civil man, and 

 endeavoured to make the place as agreeable as 

 he could. 



The Tambo is very badly placed, being in a 

 morass, the river often rising sufficiently high 

 to surround it. About thirty yards distance 

 there is an eminence, where the Tambo might 

 be placed without being subject to this in- 

 convenience. 



Found the Alcalde and his wife very com- 

 municative, professing great friendship for the 

 English. I enquired of the old lady what ad- 

 vantage the revolution had been to her? and 

 why she was not as well off under the Spanish 

 government as under the republic ? Her reply 

 was, *'0h! I can now procure English goods 

 at one-third of the price at which they could 

 be purchased during the dominion of the Spa- 

 niards." The same reply was invariably given 

 to me, on making this enquiry of many of the 

 \ natives. Slept agreeably cool. 



