oved in--the
merchants of the higher classes. I much regret," continued he, "that the
better sort of my countrymen have not the polish of yours. As long as they
give up all their time to dollar-making they cannot be anything more than
what they are."

One morning at an early hour I was called to attend the Governor. On my
seeing him, he appeared agitated; he had a kind of despatch in his hand.

"I am sorry to say," said he, "I have bad news for you. I have received
accounts from the coast that another of your boats has been taken. The
officer and three men have been shot, and five taken prisoners. I have
reprimanded my people severely for firing on them, as they were much
superior to yours in numbers. The officer who commanded our party assures
me he could not prevent it, as the natives near where your boat landed had
been plundered of most part of their live stock, and several of their pigs
were found shot near their huts." By the description given I knew it to be
the master, who had before brought off pigs which he had shot. I told him
then he would, I feared, try once too often, at which he only laughed. I
made as many lame excuses for the conduct of those who ought to have known
better, as I thought prudent, and assured the Governor that the officer
must have exceeded his orders, as I was convinced the captain would be
very much grieved to hear that he had lost his life and the lives of
others on so worthless an occasion.

"No," said he, "by what I can learn, his purpose was to procure water; had
he quietly restricted himself to that employment he would not have been
interrupted." Here the interview ended; I withdrew, and went with my mind
disquieted to the tavern, where I met some of the Yankee captains, who
would have drawn me into a conversation on what had happened, but I was
determined to be silent, and retired to prose in my chamber.

On the second day after this sad event I received an invitation for myself
and Mr. S., the mid who was with me, to a ball given by the Governor.
About eight o'clock in the evening Mr. B., the American Consul, called for
us, and we repaired to the Government House, a large, square building in a
spacious yard. We entered an ante-room, where the guard were stationed,
and afterwards a lofty kind of hall, the walls of which were whitewashed,
and at the farthest end was an orchestra raised on a platform. About
eighty well-dressed people were assembled, the greater part of whom were