steeds. It is seldom that the most vicious animal unhorses his rider. They, like the mamelukes, tutor their horses to start with astonishing quickness, and to stop suddenly. I have seen them ride with the geatest speed, till within six feet of the side of a house, and there stop as suddenly as if the animal had fallen dead on the spot. Sometimes I have seen them attempt to stop the horse in full career, when he would throw all his feet forward and slide perhaps more than four yards. Frequently the hinder feet would slip from under him, and seat him on his backside, in the position we sometimes see a dog.

The ladies also are fond of this exercise, and most of them ride extremely well. The better sort rode sidewise, like the women of this country. Their manner of mounting a horse was singular, and sufficiently ludicrous in the eyes of a stranger. At first I was unable to comprehend how the feat was performed. I soon, however, had an opportunity of receiving a lesson at a house where several ladies were assembled for the purpose of amusing themselves with a ride. When the horses were brought and all things ready, they prepared to mount. As a sailor is generally foremost when a lady is in the way, I offered my assistance, and the offer being accepted, one of them said, "Help me first." "O, yes," said I, with all the gallantry I possessed. She went to the side of a horse, held by a servant, and leaning her breast against his side, threw her arms over the saddle across his back, and stood in that posture, saying, "Help me." I stood awkwardly enough, not seeing any part, that delicacy would allow me to take hold of, in order to aid her ascent. The servant perceiving my embarrassment, left his post, and taking one of her ancles in each hand, she gave a jump, and he assisted her ascending node with all his strength, till she was high enough to be seated. She then turned herself in the air, aided by the man, who, crossing his wrists, brought her into her seat, with the utmost grace and dexterity. In this manner the first ladies in the land are assisted in mounting a horse. I profitted by the lesson, and was soon able to help a Spanish lady into her saddle, with as much grace, I suppose, as an ancient chevalier, Women of the inferior class sometimes ride with both feet on one side of the horse, and sometimes with both feet on the other side. and I have often seen them with a foot on either side; as to such affairs they seemed not to be very ceremonious. The furniture of

their horses was different from what we had before seen; the reins of the bridle were worked in a manner resembling the lash of our whips, in a braid of four square made of some kind of skin; these were fastened to bits made according to our fashion, the reins long enough to come over the horse's neck, where they are united. The single part was extended six or seven feet, with a leathern tassel at the end, which was used as a whip. The saddle was first made something in the form of our saddle trees, then covered with a coarse skin, fitted to sit easy on the horse's back; these were covered with sheep skins, with the wool on, from four to six inches thick, painted with various colours and handsomely bound upon the saddle. This saddle looked well, and was easy to the horse and the rider. The most inconvenient part of the apparatus to an Englishman, was the stirrups. These were flat at the bottom, about a foot long, and six inches wide, the upper part making an arch highest in the middle, closed on the sides and fore part at the top, leaving an opening in the back part, large enough to admit the foot. They were fastened to the saddle with straps like ours, had a clumsy appearance, and in case of a fall might endanger the rider by confining his foot. Some ladies had saddles made in Europe, but for the most part they used those made in the country, which differed from the gentlemen's saddle chiefly by raising the tree on the off side, which made the top something in the form of a hollow bottomed chair. Both ladies and gentlemen are fond of equestrian amusements. Those of the higher ranks are rather indolent, having slaves and servants who perform the greater part of the labour.

The ladies in some parts of the country have a cotton cloth, wove with stripes, very handsome, of different colours, about six or seven feet long and two thirds that width, which they form into something resembling a hammock on ship-board. This they suspend by small lines made fast to it through holes made for the purpose, two or three feet from the floors of their houses. On this they swing, sometimes sitting and sometimes lying, as best suits them. The dress of the gentlemen is very similar to the dress of the people of this country, only they have no outside coats in the manner of our countrymen. Some of them wear a cloak, made according to our fashion; they have also an outside garment called a poncho, which is much used. It is made of cloth similar to that of

the ladies hammocks, of variegated colours, woven very thick, of a fine thread and curiously wrought. In weaving this cloth they use twelve or more treadles in the loom. It is usually from five to six feet square, handsomely fringed round the edges, having a slit in the middle of it just big enough to admit a man's head. This aperture was bordered with beautiful needle work. They put it over them, with their heads through the hole, and the garment hangs over them like a blanket. They are so thick and of so fine a texture, that they turn off water as well as leather, and are the most convenient garments to ride in, that could be contrived; the wearer having his legs and arms always at liberty, and his body completely defended from the rain."

In addition to what we have already said respecting the construction of their houses, we shall insert a few remarks, worthy of notice. They are mostly made of clay, and such houses have either tile or brick floors. The tile or brick being always laid on the ground, make these dwellings very unhealthy, more especially for women, on account of their dampness. The first class of people commonly build their houses of wood, with good wooden floorings, and are much more healthy. On one side of the sitting room the floor is raised about a foot, a little inclined from the wall, and about eight feet wide. This is covered with a carpet and mats, and next the wall are a number of small benches, like our ladies' crickets or stools, elegantly covered with cushions of crimson silk velvet or satin. This elevated place was the usual seat of the ladies. Their mode of sitting is cross-legged, in the Turkish fashion, or like a tailor on his shop-board, and near together. When a gentleman reclined on it, he drew one of these cushions under his arm for support. I was frequently in their parties, and found this a most agreeable resting place, especially when the ladies sat near me. Their prattle was innocent and lively; and they had a disposition to render the visits of their guests entertaining them sang well, accompanying the voice with the guitar, their fa vourite instrument. A customary compliment is for a gentleman to hand one of these instruments to a lady, who is ever ready to gratify him with her performance.

The employment of the men, other than amusements, is in laying out and planing their buildings, their vineyards, and their gardens, and transacting their mercantile affairs. A large proportion of them

are employed in offices of goverment, either in a military or civil capacity. A great many are employed riding about the country transporting money, bullion, and all kinds of merchandize, most commonly conducted by convoys of horses and mules. These convoys sometimes consist of two or three hundred, laden with some kind of traffic. Many of these cross the Andes to and from the River of Plate. Some of the men are employed as mariners in the ships that are owned in the country. A few vessels are built on the coast, which give employment to numbers, in preparing cargoes, sawing boards and plank, and felling timber. They are very poorly provided with all kinds of good mechanics; medical men are likewise scarce. The ladies' employment is nothing more than sewing, or making their own clothes, some trifling embroidering and lace work, and in superintending their household affairs; they commonly, however, live pretty free from labour. I have been at almost all the ports on the coast of Chili repeatedly, and seldom but when I carried in more or less Spaniards who had been prisoners of war, or otherwise distressed. I have taken them off the Gallipagos Islands, after they have run away from English ships, and gone on shore to prevent being carried to England. I have also prevailed on several English captains to deliver some of their prisoners to me, whom I afterwards delivered to their friends in safety. On the other hand I have taken out of the different Spanish prisons on the coast of Chili and Peru, more than one hundred and fifty Englishmen at several times, and put them on board other ships, or kept them on board my own, until I arrived at some friendly port, or returned to America. My principal motive in such cases was always to relieve the unfortunate, and "grant the prisoner sweet release." Both the English and Spaniards, in the Pacific Ocean, have in general treated their prisoners with cruelty; but the conduct of the Spaniards has been most severe. I will relate a singular incident that happened in the year 1805. There was a captain Thomas Folger, a native of Nantucket, who commanded an English ship called the Vulture of London, on a whaling voyage. She mounted twelve or sixteen guns, and fell in with a Spanish ship, bound from the port of Conception to Lima, of equal force. The ships met not many leagues distant from the Spaniard's destined port, and a very severe action for small ships took place. Folger at last came off conquerer, captured his enemy, and gained himself

much credit and honour; first, by fighting like a brave fellow, and then by treating the prisoners with humanity. He manned her and ordered her for St. Helena, putting six men on board, and leaving two Englishmen, who were on board when the Spaniard struck. One of them had been my gunner, and left Boston with me in 1803. He deserted from my ship in Conception, in February, six months previously to his capture. The Spanish boatswain and two Spanish sailors, were likewise left on board. In two or three days after the ship was despatched, the Spaniards rose on the English, and put them all to death but two, one of whom had his hand half cut off. Some weeks after, the Englishman, or American, who had not been injured, whose name was Halsey, and the wounded Englishman, rose on the Spaniards and killed them. I saw Halsey and the Englishman afterwards, who related the above transaction, and the horrid barbarity which attended it. The three Spaniards took an opportunity, when part of the crew were asleep at night, and killed as many as they could before the rest awoke; and then despatched the others as fast as they came on deck; having first determined to save Halsey alive, as he understood navigation, of which the Spaniards were ignorant. Having their plan thus arranged, they began their wicked work, and killed all the Englishmen on deck but the one who was wounded; he made a shift to go aloft as high as the foretop, and beg for his life. They then went below to the cabin, in which my unfortunate gunner lay, and told him to get out of his birth. He knowing what had happened, begged they would not kill him, and putting his hands over the side of his cabin, asked them to put irons on him, or do any thing but take his life. They then tied his hands and made him get out, when they struck him with a carpenter's axe and nearly cut him in two with the first stroke. This man was with captain Edward Edwards in the Pandora, when she was lost attempting a passage through Endeavour Straits. They spared the one in the foretop, as has been before stated. My gunner's name was Charles Spence; he had fought to save the lives of the Spaniards on board the ship Tryal, not six months before this unfortunate event. Then again came on the catastrophe of the three Spaniards, who had planned to hoist out the boat as soon as they should see land, to be ready to leave the ship should any vessel be discovered. Halsey had concerted with the Englishman a plan to go aloft, when it was expected they