SPANISH ETIQUETTE, 



ComJuaiidiiig-iTi-Chief, — doing the duties of the Captain- 

 General, who was absent on a tour in searcli of liealtli, 

 I was much struck by the moro than regal state ami 

 etiquette observed by the Don. The (tinner was excellent. 

 Aides-de-camp, in liandsonie scarlet uniform, stood at 

 each end of the table and carved : they entered into 

 conversation, and made themselves very agreeable, but 

 never attempted to eat, nor even to sit down except 

 during the changing of the courses ; and then only at a 

 distance from the festive board. 



The Captain-General, Don Marciso Claveda, liad lately 

 been made a Grandee of Spain, under the title of Conde 

 do Manilla, for Ids services in putting down a horde of 

 pirates at Balagnini. The patent of nobility had been 

 sent out by the Overland J^IaiJ ; and the officer ia cliarge, 

 who was conveying it from the mail-steamer at Hong 

 Kong to the Spanish Chargd-dWairesat Macao, liappened 

 to be in one of the vessels that was attacked by the 

 Chinese pirates, some of whom were afterwards hanged 

 at Hong Kong. This officer was murdered, and his 

 portmanteau, containing the Letters Patent heautifidly 

 illuminated in gold, was retaken in the junk that was 

 captured by tlie boats of the Inflc^nMei and had thus 

 just reached the hands of the Condessa. I found her 

 rejoicing over its contents when I called to pay my 

 respects. 



We sailed from Manilla on the 2nd July. Passing 

 round the north end and down the coast of Lnban^ we 



