PORTER’S JOURNAL, 
107 
the junta; the governor also had felt a delicacy on the subject, 
and had written to St. Jago for instructions. Knowing the favour¬ 
able disposition 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 principles, 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 was sure of getting without any material loss of time, as 
a courier was about being dispatched with my letter in reply to 
that of Mr. Poinsett, in which I took the opportunity of mention¬ 
ing' the circumstance. The governor, however, received orders 
$he next day to permit us to take on board whatever we pleased, 
free from every embarrassment of custom-house or other regula¬ 
tions, and was directed to afford myself and officers every facility 
and civility in his power, calculated to forward our views, and 
render our stay among them agreeable. This order the gover¬ 
nor brought himself on board to shew me, and at my request 
furnished me a copy. 
Agreeably to the governor’s invitation, we attended his party, 
where we found a much larger and more brilliant assemblage of 
ladies, than we could have expected in Valparaiso, We found 
much fancy and considerable taste displayed in their dress, and 
many of them, with the exception of teeth, very handsome, both 
in person and in face; their complexion remarkably fine, and 
their manners modest and attracting. This was our first impres¬ 
sion on entering a room, containing perhaps 200 ladies? to whom 
we were perfect strangers, Minuets were introduced ; country- 
dances followed ; and the ladies had the complaisance and pa¬ 
tience to attempt with my officers, what they had never before 
seen in the country, a cotillion. The intricacies of their country- 
dance were too great for us to attempt; they were greatly de¬ 
lighted in by those who knew them, and admitted a display of 
much grace. With their grace, their beauty of person and com¬ 
plexion, and with their modesty, we were delighted, and could 
almost fancy we had gotten amongst our own fair country-women; 
but in one moment the illusion vanished. The ballan de tierra t 
as they are called, commenced : they consisted of the most; 
