of

urged to the determination by a very great desire of acquiring a knowledge of the countries in the New World, which had been wholly withheld, or but partially afforded, by antecedent travellers. To obtain this end, I gladly secured the opportunity of personal observation, by accepting the office Secretary to H. B. M. Chargé d'Affaires, at the head-quarters of the Bolivian Republic; and under such flattering auspices, I anticipated every facility towards the attainment of the object I had in view. After undergoing the painful ordeal of parting from friends and relatives, and bidding adieu, perhaps for ever, to long-remembered faces, I set sail from Southampton.

After a prosperous voyage from England, we drew near the beautiful island of Jamaica; crags, hills, mountains, and vales followed each other in quick succession, as the panorama passed rapidly before us. Every now and then a sudden ray of light would illuminate plantations of well cultivated cane, when the extensive works and comfortable habitations adjoining appeared in bold relief against the cocoa forest in the background; whilst snugly anchored in some

safe creek might be seen a West Indiaman laden with her luscious cargo, and ready to depart on her homeward voyage. All at once our steam is stopped, a boat approaches with a black pilot on board. on board. Again we

start amidst the shoals. Port Royal is close at hand, with her sweeping batteries frowning from the water's edge.

As we coast along within a stone's throw of the shore, we pass the line of battle or guard ship, commanded by the Commodore of the station, and near to which are anchored two steam vessels of war. A salute is fired as a high government officer is signalled. Our course is now shaped within the piles, and as we sweep round the bay or spacious harbour, we disturb from his repose many a ponderous pelican, who flaps his huge wings and takes to flight, then skims the water's brink, and darts upon its prey. Another battery is passed, after which a forest of masts appears, and close at hand is seen the picturesque city of Kingston; at the back, suburban houses, cottages, and gardens happily blend together in the pleasing picture; whilst large tracts of cultivated lands, amongst which beautiful villas are occa

sionally interspersed, extend to the very base of the first range of hills, receiving the invigorating sea-breeze, which renders the air of this locality so particularly salubrious. The small town and barrack of Newcastle are here situated, the winter quarters of European troops, who remove from their high position in the summer time to an encampment in the plains beneath,

From this range of hills tower the mountains which give such a grandeur to the scene, adding, by the purple richness of their tints, the charms of colour to the many other beauties of this delightful country. Some of our passengers had now reached their destination;-I, together with many others, paid but a temporary visit to the Island, before proceeding on our way to Chagres. We were soon escorted to the Hotel of Madame Feron, where I was fortunate enough to obtain a sleeping room facing the north; a luxury which is fully appreciated in these southern climes. I was waited upon by a fat elderly garçon, who seemed to be butler, majordomo, and everything else—a gentleman of colour, as he called himself, and as black as a coal. He had lived, as

he told me, some time in England under the cognomen of Mr. Sambo Smut Miller, and seemed very anxious to do for me all the honours of "de big house," of which, he informed me he understood "ticlar well de sarvice." After indulging in a bath, and partaking of the luxuries of a West Indian breakfast, followed by a mild Havannah in a rocking-chair, the bill of fare of an American theatre was placed in my hands, which determined me as to the character of my evening's amusement.

In company with two or three compagnons de voyage, I first of all sallied forth to see the Lions of the place, and procure certain necessaries for our transit across the Isthmus. The streets and lanes of the city are, with scarcely any exception, as bad as they can possibly be, notwithstanding their all being built at right angles, and of a very convenient breadth. Good houses are occasionally to be met with in Hanover Street, and the neighbourhood about it. In the High Street may be found large stores, outfitters, clock-makers, with a very average run of business, together with the Commercial Hotel, which is now under the superintendence of a French

man who was formerly cook on board one of the steamers. This house is conducted according to the American style. Everything is there enormously dear, with a great absence of real comfort. It is the great rendezvous of the captains of the Merchant Marine. In addition to the dismal appearance of the shops and houses, which seem to have seen better days, and are now fast falling into decay and ruin, the town possesses a great disadvantage in its pavements of white sand, into which the pedestrian, much to his annoyance, is continually sinking. The glare, too, from these pavements, during the oppressive heat of a noonday sun, is so painful to the eyes, that my rambles about the place were anything but agreeable. We bought a box of excellent cigars, at the rate of 12 dollars the thousand, and then hastened home to prepare for dinner, and our evening's amusement.

We enjoyed our repast amazingly; the wines, which did our host great credit, being delightfully iced, and very refreshing. We were kept the whole time in a perfect roar of laughter, from the facetious jokes, and amusing style of narration, of the aforesaid