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ready on that station, commanding the Porcupine,) to acquaint him with the chief purport of the orders he was under from the Commander-in-chief, viz. to assist in defending the British in these provinces against any effects of commotion. Though no idea could be entertained by me,' says Capt. Heywood, in his account of the interview, of impeding his official measures, yet a duty paramount to almost every other made it necessary in me to protect his Majesty's subjects, so long as they should not infringe any positive or known law. That on this incontrovertible principle I was directed to repair to an anchorage near to Buenos Ayres, not with any intention to press commerce against a Viceroy's interdiction, but to warn the British merchants there of the delicacy of their situation, to recommend to them not to let any consideration, for their own private individual interests, induce them to become partisans in the political dissensions at this time existing in these provinces ; and lastly, to aid and assist such of the British merchants there as might be desirous of sending away their property, or of quitting the Rio de la Plata. In order to promote these and other results beneficial to the commercial interest of my countrymen at Buenos Ayres, and to obviate and remove some of the obstacles thrown in the way of commercial speculation by the unsettled state of the government here, I expressed my hope and confidence that the Viceroy would allow British ships, now laden

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or loading at Buenos Ayres, with property belonging to his Majesty's subjects, to pass from thence down the river without molestation, and moreover allow them to touch at Monte Video, if they wished it, without being subject to the repayment of any duties whatsoever, which they might have paid before at Buenos Ayres. In reply to the whole, his Excellency observed, that he presumed Captain Elliott, of the Porcupine, would lay before me the various communications that had passed between them. He said that the Junta of Buenos Ayres were traitors to their king, and enemies to Spain. That he held the sovereign power in these provinces, and was the only legitimate authority, and as such he had declared war against the Junta. That he had declared Buenos Ayres and the ports thereof in a state of blockade, and was determined to prevent English commerce, as well as any other, from entering there; though he was desirous of giving to the English every preference consistent with his duty. Therefore, that such ships as had arrived at Buenos Ayres, should, as I desired, be allowed to sail unmolested, but that no more should be permitted to enter. The Viceroy seemed to entertain an idea that I could force British vessels away, but I told him that was not in my power; but if the blockading power warned them off, and they should persist in entering, they must abide by the consequence. The Viceroy expressed in strong terms his disposition to do every thing to support and

assist the British; but said, that they must not enter Buenos Ayres, because their commerce had enabled the Junta, by the duties received, to carry on the war. He observed also, that they had even supplied the Junta with boats and vessels fit for war, and moreover had increased the spirit of insubordination among the people of Buenos Ayres, by holding out to them that they would be protected by Great Britain, and by spreading false news of the defeat of the Spanish armies. I concluded by begging to be informed of any new law or regulation the Viceroy might think proper to adopt, which might in any shape affect the interests of British merchants, in order that I might acquaint them with the same. He promised he would, and concluded by offering me any service in his power.'

On the 5th, the Viceroy having desired a conference, Captain Heywood waited upon him. We sat down in the study, and the Viceroy said, “Now we will have some conversation." Mr. McKinnon was with me, and the Viceroy sent an Aid-du-camp for Mr. Asavedo. The Viceroy then gave me a letter to read, which he had received from Lord Strangford, the British Minister. This letter contained expressions from his Lordship of great regret on account of the distracted state of these provinces ; offers of every assistance on the part of Great Britain to preserve these colonies to Spain; and recommended the Viceroy, in the strongest terms, to endeavour to bring about an armistice between

himself and the Junta of Buenos Ayres, till the mediation of Great Britain (which he offered) could be obtained, and assuring the Viceroy that it would be guaranteed by the Commander-in-chief of his Majesty's ships on this station. I had just read Lord Strangford's letter when Mr. Asavedo entered, and, being introduced by the Viceroy, he asked me, in English, if I was acquainted with the contents of that letter. He was told I had just read it. The Viceroy then asked me if I had ever read his correspondence with the Junta and Cabildo of Buenos Ayres, to which I replied in the negative, and he said he would give me copies of it. He then observed, that it was in substance the same as that which had been recommended by Lord Strangford; that Asavedo had been the bearer of his despatches, with whom the Junta had refused all communication, and whom they treated with the utmost indignity. Asavedo put this question to me, "If the Junta refuse to accept of the mediation proposed by Lord Strangford, and, on the contrary, should the Viceroy agree to it, would you act against the Junta?" I replied at once that I had no orders to act against the Junta, but, on the contrary, to preserve the most perfect and unqualified neutrality. I told him that I had a letter, similar, I believed, in tenor to that to the Viceroy, to deliver to the Junta, and that I should do so without making any observation whatever; that after this, should they send for me, as the Viceroy had been

pleased to do, I should wait on them, and tell them, as I had told his Excellency, the purport of my orders. Here I found some difficulty in explaining to the Viceroy and Mr. Asavedo that I had no political or diplomatic character whatsoever. They incorrectly imagined that I was the Commander alluded to in the letter of Lord Strangford, who would guarantee the proposed armistice. It was, however, explained to them that Vice-Admiral De Courcy was meant. The Viceroy then said, that on his part he would accept of the mediation proposed with great satisfaction; that he would agree to the cessation of hostilities, the basis of which should be the removal, on the part of the Junta, of the troops on this side of the river, and that he would raise the blockade, open the communication, and place every thing on a peaceable and friendly footing; and then refer to the Spanish government under the mediation of Great Britain. That, in regard to himself, if he was personally obnoxious to the government, or to the people of Buenos Ayres, he would retire; that his person should no longer be an impediment to the proposed arrangement, for he was interested only for the good and safety of his country, and desirous of putting an end to war. He continued (in strong terms), that he fully empowered me to pledge myself to the Junta, that he would fulfil these conditions. I then begged to know, clearly, if I was at liberty to say so to the Junta, to which he unequivocally replied, You Some conversation now took place as to the mode of communicating with the Junta, and I told

are.