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this river were composed, we found among the crowd attracted by curiosity, several Englishmen, and a person of the name of White, who informed us he was an American, and made a tender of his services. Lieutenant Clack inquired for the American consul, but was informed that he resided at Buenos Ayres. Mr. Bland then inquired for a hotel, and asked if general Carrera was in town, and was answered by Mr. White in the affirmative, but who, at the same time, suggested the propriety of first waiting on general Lecor, the commanding officer, with whom he professed to be intimately acquainted. He offered his services to conduct us; the lieutenant thanked him, observing that this was his business on shore, and that he would accept his offer.

We accordingly proceeded to the quarters of the Portuguese general, who occupies one of the largest and best houses in the city. We entered a spacious court or varanda, with galleries all around it, through a guard of black troops, with sleek and greasy looks, and dressed in showy uniform. In these countries the blacks are preferred as guards and centinels, about the persons of officers of distinction. After going through several apartments, passing centinels and officers on duty, exhibiting to us, all the pomp and parade of the establishment of a great military chief,* we entered an apartment where we were politely invited to sit down. We had scarcely time to recover from the reflections produced by this, to us unusual scene, when the general himself made his appearance,

*The government of the place may be considered for the pre

sent entirely military.

with which we were much struck. He is a remarkably fine figure; tall and erect, with a native unaffected dignity of manners. His age is above fifty-five, his complexion much too fair for a Portuguese; indeed we afterwards learned that he is of Flemish descent. The character of this officer does not contradict the favorable impression which his appearance is calculated to make. His reputation is that of a brave and honorable soldier, and a polite and humane man. From all accounts, however, he is not exclusively indebted for these good qualities, for his elevation from a low rank in life. Mr. Bland introduced himself through White, who acted as interpreter, and after some conversation, in which he stated the motives of the visit, he accepted a general invitation to dine the next day, the general at the same time in the most obliging manner tendering his services. Arrangements having been made on the subject of the salute, we took our leave. Mr. White next conducted us to an inn in the great square or plaza, fronting the cabildo. Here Mr. Bland had the good fortune to meet with general Carrera; and White and myself, being soon after left alone together, I proposed a walk through the city. Lieutenant Clack and Mr. Breeze the purser, were at this time engaged in the business of the ship.

There is something extremely painful in the contemplation of scenes of recent and rapid decay. The sufferers in the havoc and desolation, are brought near to us, and we cannot but sympathise in their misfortunes, Ancient ruins are associated with beings who in the course of nature and time, would long since have passed away at any rate, but we unavoidably share in the miseries of our cotemporaries, where we

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are surrounded by their said memorials. At every step I found something to awaken these reflections. Taces of the most rapid decline of this lately flourishing and populous town, every where presented themselves. The greater part of the houses were tumbling down or unoccupied, whole streets were uninhabited excepting as barracks for the soldiery. In the more frequented streets, few were seen besides soldiers, or perhaps a solitary female dressed in black, stealing along to some chapel to count her beads. There seemed to be little or no business doing any where not even at the pulperias or shops. The town, in fact, looked as if it had experienced the visitation of the plague. During the latter part of our walk, it being the commencement of the siesta, (about one o'clock) the silence in the city was in some measure to be attributed to this circumstance. We observed a number of the lower classes of people, lying across the footways flat on their backs, in the shady side of the houses, with their poncho or rug spread under them; we were obliged to pass round, being unwilling to step over them, from the same kind of apprehension we should feel from a fierce mastiff or bull dog. Happening to peep into a meat shop, I observed a kind of Indian lying on his poncho on the earthen floor, in the midst of myriads of flies, who covered his bare legs, face, and hands, without causing him the slightest uneasiness. These people of whom I have been speaking, appeared to have a considerable mixture of Indian race, judging from their complexion and their lank black hair, which is almost as coarse as the mane of a horse.

The town still retains every proof of having oncę

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been flourishing. The streets are laid off at right angles, and are much more spacious than those of Rio, as well as less filthy, although little or no attention is paid to them; the buildings are also in general, erected in much better taste. The streets are paved, but the footways narrow and indifferent. Monte Video may be considered, comparatively a new town; for within the last century, Spain has laid the foundation of much fewer colonies or cities, than during the former period of her dominion in America. At the same time, such cities as have been built, are much more elegant and convenient. The rapid growth of this place, is to be attributed to the circumstance of its possessing a much better harbor than Buenos Ayres, if the latter place can be said to have any harbor at all. The harbor of Monte Video is in fact, the only one on the river, which deserves the name. This city came to be the emporium of what is called the Banda Oriental; a vast tract of country, lying between the river Uruguay on the west, the Portuguese dominions on the north, the ocean on the east, and the river La Plata on the south, and containing about the same number of square miles as the state of Mississippi and the Alabama territory. Its position on the Plata, is not unlike that of the countries just mentioned between the Tennessee, the Mississippi, and the gulf of MexiThe principal exports of this city and province, consisted of hides, salted meat, tallow, &c. to a very considerable amount.

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In July, 1806, when Buenos Ayres was taken by general Beresford and sir Home Popham, Monte Video was simply blockaded; these officers having determined to proceed at once against the capital, under

with little or no inThe British, under

a mistaken idea, that if once in possession of it, the rest of the country would willingly throw off the Spanish yoke, and acknowledge obedience to the government of Great Britain. But in the month of May of the year following, general Auchmuty, who commanded the van-guard of the second British expedition against this country, after some resistance, took possession of Monte Video. During this time it experienced a momentary flush of prosperity, from the increased demand of its produce, and the immense quantities of British goods thrown in, and which the owners were compelled to sacrifice. This was soon after succeeded by a series of reverses, termission until the present time. Whitlock, having been defeated at Buenos Ayres, the troops of that city laid siege to Monte Video, and compelled the British to evacuate it. In the troubles which afterwards ensued, these two cities were soon found engaged in opposite interests. The people of Buenos Ayres having deposed the Spanish viceroy Sobremonte, on account of his incapacity, elected Leniers in his stead; but at Monte Video, the European Spaniards, who were more numerous in proportion, combining with the Spanish naval officers, prevailed over the native Americans, who although the majority, were by no means so well directed. A junta was formed attached to these interests, determined to follow the varying temporary governments of Spain, and therefore in opposition to that which had been set up by Buenos Ayres. The year after the British had been expelled from this country, Cisneros was sent out as viceroy from Spain, Leniers was superceded, and peace between the two cities for a short

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