126 



THREE YEARS IN THE PACIPIC. 



yer and talking politician,) who, having been in England, spoke 

 English well and rapidly. For some reason or other he was 

 dubbed Sir James Mackintosh ! The opposite end was occu- 

 pied by a man who called himself English or American, as 

 occasion suited. He had been master of a merchant vessel, but 

 through misfortune, or something worse, was sold out. Having 

 lost his money, as well as his character, with his vessel, he at 

 once called into requisition his talent for drawing, and in a 

 very short time gained considerable reputation as a miniature 

 painter. Ambitious in his new art, he quickly took to portraits, 

 and in the opinion of the Chilian public, painted a la merveille. 

 How frequently did he exclaim, ''what an ass I have been to 

 waste my time on miniatures at two 'onzas' a piece, while I 

 get six for a portrait! My dear Sir, these stupid people judge 

 of the excellence of a picture only by its size !" This gentle- 

 man's pursuits had gained for him the cognomen of Sir Thomas 

 Lawrence. This Sir Thomas was a strange compound. He 

 frequently held a colloquy with a large water dog while he fed 

 him. On such occasions he would exclaim, ''poor Pompey! — 

 they say you have no soul — the rascals are not content to live 

 three times as long as any other animal, but after that they 



must be immortal — and then, d n them, they keep their 



immortality to themselves, and shut out all other animals of 

 this world ; but, Pompey, 'tis vanity ; for their clay will be 

 as senseless as your own." To all of which Pompey replied 

 by sagaciously wagging his tail, and looking grateful for the 

 morsels of meat and consolation bestowed upon him. One day, 

 while I was in his room, a party of young ladies came to look 

 at a portrait of an old aunt, who still flourished at tertulias. 

 Sir Thomas had invited them to suggest any improvements, 

 and point out any faults that might be apparent in the picture, 

 which represented a smiling countenance, in which time had , 

 been making his marks for five-and-forty years. The cap and 

 ribbons were about half finished. Sir Thomas seated the ladies 

 at a proper distance, and placed the picture in the most advan- 

 tageous light, at the same time asking after the kind lady's 

 health, and making a thousand trifling queries, accompanied 

 with smiles and grimaces intended to be cheerful. Then tak- 



