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guage a spacious thatched house, with all the accommodations required for convenience and for comfort; and here we had a table already laid out with abundant wines, cakes, never omitting the pride of the Caracas housewives, a variety of the finest sweetmeats; and, as it was a day to take air, and to see as well as converse, we perambulated the avenues of the coffee trees, saw those which had escaped ruffian outrage, and the new and vigorous plants in full fruitage, which had replaced those that were destroyed; we saw the ditches, which deliberate vengeance had dug to draw off the virgin stream, without which the plant perishes, and where it was restored and improved, so as to diffuse its healthful rivulets over a more extended surface, with the enlargement of the plantation. The valley in the rear, or south-east of the Hacienda, is more than 100 feet lower than the plantation, and the sugar cane was rearing its golden stems in parallel lines, and the manufacture was already in progress of drying, cleaning, and shelling. The store houses and offices, which cannot be too airy or commodious for the skil ful preparation of the coffee, yet exhibited their wrecks, but were in the slow train of reparation. Until these are repaired, the process is carried on only by expedients very slow, but with care effective; earthen pots supplying the place of steeping cisterns, cowhides instead of sloping platforms for drying, and wooden troughs and hand pestles, the place of the shelling-mill. I felt much satisfaction at the cheerfulness and contentedness of the labouring people employed; there were some women who had been slaves, but who would not separate themselves from the hacienda of their former master, and who appeared to feel the happiness of being restored to the kindness of the excellent family, by whom they were treat. ed as kindly as their kindred.

Lanes of orange trees ornamented the verge of the lower valley, and the extremity of the coffee ground. In the mountain, more than a mile distant, but which scarcely seemed a

stone's throw, one of those chasms or openings, characteristic of the mountain regions, was displayed by the abrupt termination of the hills which skirt the south side of the Guayra, from the westward to this place; this leads to other valleys, rich as that of Chacao, far to the south, and west, and east. After spending a delightful day, we returned by a different route, having passed the handsome bridge of Candelaria, over the Anuco, on going out, and the paved causeway hereafter noticed on our return. I was not aware that there was so populous a suburb, until this occasion; but there were several villages on the road, and in full active population, occupied by agriculture; and many arrieros, with their mules, who transport the fruits of the valley to market. We were overtaken by the light shade of night as we entered the city, which we found to be already very generally illuminated, it being the 27th, and the name-day of Bolivar being the next day; so that, not content with the birthday itself, they illuminated the night before, and they continued it on the 29th, which was also devoted to general festivity: we spent an evening as agreeable as the day, the spirits light, and exhilarated by this delicious climate.

The 28th being the President's birth-day, the voice of the artillery was heard very early in every direction; and the drum gave "a louder note" than common. The streets of Caracas are usually very still, and seldom crowded in ordinary; on this day they appeared like ant-hills with their inhabitants in motion. The military shone in all their best uniforms-if it be not a misnomer to call that uniform, which conforms to no common cut, or pattern, or colour; but they formed to a stranger's eye an attractive spectacle, some in blue, red, or yellow short coats, with blue, red, yellow, or white pantaloons; waistcoats scarlet, yellow, or white; and many with each of the three garments of a different colour, blue or red coat, with red waistcoat, and yellow trowsers; others with trowsers à la Turc, of yellow, white, or crimson, tied above

the ancle; some with fan hats, and others with the like diversity of leather, straw, or Italian caps, and towering fea thers of diverse hues. There were some officers of the staff, who paid more regard to military uniformity, who wore their blue coats, fan hats, boots, white waistcoats and breeches, sabres, belts, and spurs. These varieties of colours were not altogether the effect of caprice or vanity; there was a regulation for uniform, but a regulation could neither import cloth sufficient of a colour, nor pay the tailor; so that the necessities of the case authorised an innovation, which caprice and vanity improved upon.

This festival drew out all the troops, regulars and volunteers; the latter composed, like our own during the late war, of the promising youth of the most opulent families, and best educated, who, indeed, appeared to as much advantage as those whom they resembled: the diversity in the uniform was not so great among these as among the regular officers. The arms were, in general, in excellent condition as to appearance, but some were fit only for a parade of ceremony.

The regulars of the line were in jackets of Russia sheeting, Osnaburg pantaloons, shirts, and shoes, and apparel generally in very good condition, whole, and neat. The caps were the leather caps of the French fashion, a frustum of a cone inverted, with a shield for the eyes in front, in good polish; belts and other accoutrements neat. Each regiment had a facing, such as red, blue, or yellow, and the cut of the clothing proved that the tailor's establishment was complete.

Such of the officers as rode during the day were well mounted; and some fine horses, sixteen hands high, appeared on parade, the first I had seen of that stature; bays and blacks, but particularly roans and moose-coloured. I was sorry to see that some of them had been subjected to that cruel, wanton, and pernicious practice of nicking, which undertakes to disfigure that beautiful animal, and to deprive him of the means of protecting himself from insects, and

often injuring his health and temper. The saddles worn by the mounted officers were the high-peaked and cantled, the only saddles fit or safely to be worn in this steep mountainous country. The housings were not agreeable to the eye of those who are accustomed to uniformity; they were extravagantly gaudy, and no two alike.

I had full opportunity to see the troops move, and they must not have had ears or souls if they did not move well, and in time to their inimitable drums and bugles and wind instruments, of which there were several distinct bands; their marching was in lively animating triple time, and their attention and silence most exemplary. I could not but recollect my two poor sentinels at Laguayra, and wished they were here to share the new regimentals, or at least a pair of paragattas each, and a part of the good things that were handed along the line. Salvos of artillery took place, and the troops went through the usual forms common in other countries.

The churches were all open, and it was on this occasion that with my daughter I attended high mass in the cathedral, where the Intendant with his suite were present; his coat was of scarlet with embroidery of gold, that would not have appeared to disadvantage in the cortège of Napoleon.

After high mass was finished the troops formed in the great square. A pavilion had been erected over the flight of stairs at the north entrance, and a full band of vocal and instrumental musicians performed some musical pieces, and there were recited and sung some odes written for the occasion, in which whenever the name of Bolivar occurred, and it was the whole theme, the air resounded with acclamations, not only from the soldiery, but from the vast concourse assembled. Where I had placed myself, I could hear many exulting expressions and allusions to former times, and to the cruel butcheries that had been committed on that very plaza, which was at that moment the scene of triumph and grateful celebration of the hero, whose constancy had surmounted all difficulties, and liberated his

country. Numerous ladies attended, and the windows of the adjacent houses were crowded with them. Tears of joy and of remembrance flowed in abundance from the eyes of aged matrons, and widows, whose fathers, husbands, brothers, or sons, had perished by Spanish vindictiveness, and whose wrongs were expiated by the triumph with which they could not but be assimilated on this occasion.

The evening had been assigned for a splendid ball. Acom. mittee was selected from the principal citizens and officers, to whom the direction was given, and who acted as stew. ards, to which we had the honour of an invitation, and of which I shall give some account, as indicative of customs and manners, in the next chapter.

CHAPTER VII.

Anniversary of Bolivar, 28th October-rejoicing and ball-sketches of manners -dancing-music-waltzing.—Customs derived from Spain remaining.—Etiquette.-Equality realized.-Many beauties absent, royalists.-The magna. nimity of the republicans towards the royalist families, a noble contrast with that of the Spaniards to patriot females.-An exposition of the principles of this conduct by a revolutionary sage.-Dr. Litchfield.-Party to Chacao.Evening at Blandin's—plantation described—and house-the excellent means for steeping and preparing coffee-the augmentation of the plantation-kind of soil-females of the family--domestic concert.-Generous feeling towards Bolivar.-Midnight party.-Exquisite climate.-Novel aspect of ruins by

night.

THE whole of the 28th was a day of uninterrupted festivity. The climate, always temperate, was, on this occasion, particularly favourable to the interchange of visits and to walking. The streets were crowded by the genteel class of young ladies, visiting some hours in their gayest apparel, and di

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