olunteered to accompany
me. I took my hostler and an interpreter and proceeded to his house. At
his residence there was an extensive park enclosed by a high brick wall,
which we entered after passing two armed sentries, when we drew near to
a large wooden building fitted up in good style, having a piazza all
round it, and six or eight sentries walking on it, well armed and
uniformed. As we approached the outside door of the house we found a
sentry stationed there, who conducted us into the hall, where we found
another who conducted us into the president's room, which was splendidly
furnished, where I was introduced to his excellency by Colonel Burblong.
After the introduction was over, he invited us to take a glass of wine
with him. The horses were then brought near the door, which, having
examined, he said were worth two hundred dollars apiece; but since I had
been so polite as to call on him, he would give me two hundred and fifty
for as many as his groom should select. The president is about six feet
in height, of a mulatto color, rather thin in flesh, and makes a good
appearance on horseback, particularly in reviewing his army, who perform
their evolutions in the most graceful and soldier-like manner. I sold
the president one pair of horses, and disposed of a few to individuals
at a fair profit; the remainder sold at a loss, after deducting
expenses. The slow sale of horses detained me nearly two months, during
which time the yellow fever made its appearance, and raged with unabated
violence until our departure, particularly among the shipping. By the
laws of the country a ship-master is obliged to land all persons seized
with sickness on board of his vessel, and place them under the care of
the nurses of the city, who receive them into their houses at a charge
of two dollars and fifty cents per day for seamen, and three dollars per
day for masters and mates. If a seaman dies on board, the master is
fined five hundred dollars.

About three weeks after our arrival here my cook and one sailor were
attacked by the yellow fever, I took them ashore and placed them under
the care of nurses; the hostler was next landed with the same complaint,
and the third day after I put on shore another seaman in like condition.
During this day, after a long walk in the hot sun, I retired to the
house of one of the nurses, where I was taken down with the same fever;
my cook dying about the time I became fairly sick. The next day one of