406 



THREE YEARS IN THE PACIFIC. 



yankee master of the pestle and mortar, whom I remember to 

 have seen several years ago in Lima. He told me that he 

 was married, made out to get a living," and that there was 

 an American carpenter in the place. There is not an out of 

 the way corner in the world, where some of our enterprising 

 countrymen, from the land of steady habits," are not met 

 with ! 



We stopped at the house of Don Antonio, which is at one 

 end of the square, and by far the neatest in the place. Don 

 Antonio was making his toilet in the sala, and saluted us with 

 a nod, without saying a word, but continued buttoning and ad- 

 justing his shirt bosom. One of our party thought the recep- 

 tion so cold, that he said something about returning. Before 

 our host found leisure to speak, we had examined him, the 

 apartment, and its furniture. He is a Spaniard, about forty 

 years of age, with a short corpulent stature, surmounted by a 

 square, stupid, inojSensive face, not at all set off by his thin 

 hair and light colored eyebrows. The apartment was large, 

 airy, clean, and floored with tiles. The furniture consisted of 

 a Guayaquil hammock, stretched across one end of the room, 

 two leather backed sofas, a baize covered table, and a host of 

 sulphur colored Windsor chairs, enough to make one pant with 

 heat. A pair of tame black-birds were hopping about, picking 

 up flies. 



At last, Don Antonio, with a deep sigh, gathering up the 

 clothes he had just thrown off", said, <^ Puez Senores, porque 

 no se asientan ustedes" — Well, gentlemen, why don't you sit 

 yourselves down ; and disappeared for a moment into the next 

 room. When he returned, he drew a chair, expressed his 

 pleasure at our visit, inquiring about our ride, &c. Then his 

 better half, who is young, and very agreeable in conversation, 

 came in, followed by a little curly headed girl about five years 

 old, whom. Dona Josepha told us, had been left at the door 

 when an infant, and having no children, Don Antonio and 

 herself considered her as their own. In five minutes, in spite 

 of our first impression, we were perfectly at home, and con- 

 versed with our new acquaintances as if we had known them 

 for years. 



