have protracted the contest, and have worn them out. The Spaniards evidently saw the advantages to be derived from these divisions in Chili, and probably used every means to foment them; it would not be a wild conjecture that the Carreras had been suffered to escape from Chillan, with the express view of seeing the flames of civil war once more lighted up between these factions, whose mutual hatred had been gradually increasing. While at Buenos Ayres, I had frequent opportunities of seeing the deadly hatred of the partisans of Carrera to San Martin and O'Higgins; it even exceeded that of the old Spaniards, who look upon the former, as the most serious enemy their cause has ever had in America.* After the re. verses experienced by San Martin at Talca, it is said, that some attempts were made at Santiago, by the old Spaniards, and the Carreras conjointly, to produce a counter revolution; I think this improbable, yet such is the violence of the party animosity between the leaders, that such a thing is far from being impossible.

San Martin, who was about this time appointed governor of Cuyo, immediately sat about organizing an

* I took a good deal of pains to ascertain their feelings to wards San Martin. I was enabled to do this by an intimacy with a person who was friendly to the old order of things, and at the same time personally intimate with the Carreras. I particularly observed that they were both extravagantly elated at the dispersion of San Martin's army at Talca; but I believe there was no understanding between them; the Spaniards rejoiced because there was a hope for them in the ruin of San Martin-the Carrera party saw in it a prospect of being again elevated to power-it was not unlikely that they might combine to effect the same object with very different views.

army for the purpose of attempting the re-conquest of Chili. But this was the work of time. It was not until the beginning of the year 1817, more than two years after the conquest, that he found himself fully prepared to scale the Andes, with an army of four thousand men; an enterprise which has been justly ranked amongst the boldest military achievements. Like a great and prudent general, he risked nothing until he found himself perfectly prepared, having trained and disciplined his army with incredible pains. His march across the mountains, was executed with so much skill, that he descended into Chili before it was known that he was on his way. I shall, probably, have occasion to say more of the passage of the Andes, in the course of this work. It has been stated, that his army consisted of two thousand Chilian refugees, and two thousand negroes from Buenos Ayres! This, with a view at once to detract from the merit of San Martin, and to take away from the United Provinces, all the credit of the affair. The number of Chilians in the army of San Martin, did not exceed a few hundred; the number of negroes, probably, amounted to a thousand or twelve hundred; the remainder were whites of the United Provinces. The great reliance of San Martin, was on his own corps of cavalry, twelve hundred strong, disciplined with great pains by himself; as a cavalry officer in particular, he is said greatly to excel. It would have been unnecessary to have noticed these particulars, if certain writers, who listening only to their prejudices, had not taken pains to detract from the merits of this officer. There is but one sentiment among the disinterested and impartial, with respect to the part

of the United Provinces, and of their general, San Martin, in this great military achievement; and nothing can more strongly evince the deeply-rooted prejudice of those who would attempt to deprive them of their just share of its honors.

Our arrival at Buenos Ayres, happened to be during lent; the circus and theatre were closed, and public amusements suspended. My curiosity was a good deal excited to see the bull-fights; the favorite amusement in all Spanish countries. As soon as the circus was opened, I took the earliest opportunity of attending it. It is a circular amphitheatre, capable of containing between two and three thousand persons. The arena is about one hundred and fifty feet in diameter, with an enclosure of about six feet high, with openings, at intervals, sufficiently wide to admit the body of a man; at one end there is a small covered pen, with stalls, in which the bulls were confined, and opening into the arena by a gate. On the opposite side, there was a large gate, at which the bulls were dragged out, after being killed. I found the place considerably crowded; but chiefly by the lower classes of people; at least the females appeared to be such. At one side of the toro, there was a seat appropriated to the city authorities; formerly, the viceroy, and some of the principal public functionaries, had, also, their places set apart; but this is no longer the case, as it is considered even disreputable for those persons to be seen here. The town-major, who is the chief officer of the police, always attends on these occasions, and presides, in order to prevent any disorder or disturbance. Immediately below his seat, there was a band of music, which played before the

commencement of the bull-fights, and during the intervals between them. When the spectators had begun to assemble, a guard of soldiers, about thirty in number, was marched into the arena, and after going through a variety of evolutions, were divided into small detachments, and distributed through the different parts of the toro. The different combatants who were to display their skill and courage on the occasion, came forward, and made their obeisance to the townmajor, and then retired to their places. The first two were on horseback, called the picadores; one a Chilian, of enormous stature and bodily strength, the other a half-Indian, of a more delicate frame, and a more sprightly countenance. They had both been convicted of crimes, and condemned to fight bulls for the amusement of the public; their irons were not taken off until immediately before entering the toro. There were five or six others, called banduleros, with different colored flags, for the purpose of provoking and teasing the bull; the last were the mattadores; having in the left hand a flag, and in the right a sword. The picadores were armed with pikes, about twelve feet in length, with the point so as to wound the animal without penetrating deeply; they posted themselves on the left side of the place whence the bull was to be let out, and at the distance of fifteen or twenty paces from each other. On the signal given, the gate flew open, and a furious animal rushed forth. He immediately made at the Chilian, but feeling the point of the steel in his shoulder, he suddenly wheeled round and ran towards the middle of the arena, when the bandaleros endeavored to provoke him with their flags. It was the turn of the mestiso to receive

him next on his lance; but it was not until after the bull had chased both several times round the circus, that he could venture to take such a position as would justify his engaging him; it was necessary to be near the enclosure, so as to have its support, otherwise, in a furious assault of the bull, he might be overturned. The animal attacked the half-Indian with greater fury than the other, but on feeling the steel, withdrew in the same manner; after this was repeated several times, the bull seemed no longer inclined to attack the picadores. At the tap of the drum, the picadores withdrew from the contest, the bandaleros next advanced with crackers, which they dexterously thrust into different parts of the animal's body, who had now become rather sullen; but as soon as they exploded, and scorched him severely, he grew furious, and ran about bellowing with rage and agony: no one but a savage could witness this scene, for the first time, without being shocked. The crackers being consumed, the animal stood still, his tongue lolling out, with panting sides and eyes blind with rage. The mattadore now came forward; at first the generous animal shewed reluctance to take notice of him, but on being provoked, he made a plunge at the flag held in his hand, while the mattadore, dexterously avoiding him, thrust his sword between the neck under his shoulder, thus giving him a mortal wound. The band of music struck up, the gates of the toro were thrown open, five or six gauchos rushed in on horseback, threw their lassoes about him, some fastening round his horns, others about his legs and body, and in this manner, in an instant bore him out of the circus, in the midst of the shouts of the multitude. Seven other