VOYAGE TO NEW SOUTH WALES. 
53 
Auguft. 
and windows, diflinguifliing, by prefents of nofegays and 1787. 
flowers, thofe on whom they had no objedlion to beftow 
their favours ; a diftindion in which ftrangers fliared as well 
as their acquaintance. That this might have been the cafe 
I will not take upon me to deny ; and, imprefied with the 
idea, on my firft arrival, I confidered every woman as a 
proper object of gallantry ; but a month's refidence among 
them convinced me that this imputed turn for intrigue is 
chiefly confined to the lower clafs, and that, in general, the 
higher ranks are as undeferving of the imputation as the 
females of any other country. 
The popularity of our commodore with the viceroy and 
principal inhabitants here, procured for the oflicers the 
liberty of going wherever they pleafed. It has always been 
the cuftom, for a foldier to follow every foreign officer that 
landed at this port ; and it was fcarcely ever difpenfed 
with. It was, however, unknown to us ; and this unaccuf- 
tomed liberty gave us an opportunity of infpeding more 
minutely into the manners and difpofition of the women as 
well as the men. 
2 1 ft. This being the Prince of Brazil's birth-day, the 
commodore, with mofh of his officers, went to court, to 
compliment 
