PORTER'S JOURNAL. 



arrival as the most happy event. Captain Munson stated, 

 that the bells had been rung the whole day, and illumina- 

 tions had taken place the evening after our arrival was an- 

 nounced ; and that it was generally believed that I had 

 brought from my country nothing less than proposals for a 

 friendly alliance with Chili, and assurances of assistance in 

 their struggle for independence. This idea I felt no dispo- 

 sition to do away with ; and as I had not, since my arrival, 

 given any hints of my object in this sea, I found it not too 

 late to encourage a belie/ that suited my views and accord- 

 ed with their wishes. I had prepared my officers and 

 crew to secresy before my arrival, and had now no objec- 

 tion that the good people of this place should put the most 

 favourable construction on our arrival among them, pro- 

 vided it did not traverse my only object, the getting a sup- 

 ply of provisions, a circumstance which their solicitude to 

 oblige gave me no cause whatever to apprehend. 



When we were about to embark our provisions, it was 

 signified to me by the deputy vice-consul, that the officer 

 of the customs did not feel himself authorized to permit 

 their embarkation free from duty, without orders from su- 

 perior authority, unless we would enter into bonds to pay 

 the duty, if it should be exacted by the junta ; the gover- 

 nor also had felt a delicacy on the subject, and had written 

 to St. Jago for instructions. Knowing the favourable dis- 

 position of the superior government toward us, and learn- 

 ing that the officer of the customs was averse to the present 

 form of government, and suspected of monarchical princi- 

 ples, I spurned the idea of entering into bonds, and refused 

 to take any thing on board until I had full authority from 

 the president and junta, which I vv^as sure of getting without 

 any material loss of time, as a courier was about being de- 

 spatched with my letter, in reply to that of Mr. Poinsett, 

 in which I took the opportunity of mentioning the circum- 

 stance. The governor, however, received orders the next 

 day to permit us to take on board whatever we pleased, 

 free from every embarrassment of custom-house or other 

 regulations, and was directed to afford myself and officers 

 every facility and civility in his power, calculated to for- 

 ward our views, and render our stay among them agreea- 

 ble. This order the governor brought himself on board to 

 show me, and at my request furnished me a copy. 



