VICISSITUDES OF FORTUNE. 361 



the project of the British government, vrhich I mention- 

 ed to him, of sending steamboats to connect the West 

 India Islands with the American coast, vrhich, by touch- 

 ing at the port of San Juan, could bring his secluded 

 capital v^^ithin eighteen or twenty days of New- York. 

 In fact, usurper and despot as he is, Carillo works hard 

 for the good of the state, and for twelve hundred dol- 

 lars a year, with perquisites, and leave to be his own 

 paymaster. In the mean time, all who do not interfere 

 with him are protected. A few who cannot submit to 

 despotism talk of leaving the country ; but the great 

 mass are contented, and the state prospers. As for 

 myself, I admire him. In that country the alternative 

 is a strong government or none at all. Throughout his 

 state I felt a sense of personal security, which I did not 

 enjoy in any other. For the benefit of travellers, may 

 he live a thousand years ! 



In the afternoon I dined with the foreign residents at 

 the house of Mr. Steiples. This gentleman is an in- 

 stance of the vicissitudes of fortune. He is a native of 

 Hanover. At fifteen he left college and entered the 

 Prussian army ; fought at Dresden and Leipsic ; and at 

 the battle of Waterloo received a ball in his brain, from 

 which, unfortunately, only within the month preceding, 

 he lost the use of one eye. Disabled for three years by 

 his wound, on his recovery, with three companions, he 

 sailed for South America, and entered the Peruvian 

 army, married a Hica del Sol, Daughter of the Sun, 

 turned merchant, and came to San Jose, where he was 

 then living in a style of European hospitality. I shall 

 lose all reputation as a sentimental traveller, but I can- 

 not help mentioning honourably every man who gave 

 me a good dinner ; and with this determination I shall 

 offend the reader but once more. 



Vol. I.— Z z 31 



