any other of the new republics, to promote improvement, both in its home and foreign departments. The warm and cordial manners, and intelligent conversation, of the venerable consul-general, (embracing much interesting matter from personal observation, not only along the South American coast, but in Europe, Asia, and Africa, enlivened by anecdotes of all parts of the world, and particularly of the naval service of the United States and of England, in which last he was himself a fellow midshipman and messmate with the duke of Clarence, heir apparent to the British throne,) caused the time to pass rapidly, till we were obliged to take a hasty leave, that the ship might secure an offing before night. A view of the beach, on which alone Mr. Hogan would consent to part with us, again reminded me of Honolulu. In addition to various objects, a sentinel on one of the angles of the ruinous castle on the precipice, the ramparts of which appear still to be partially fortified, with two or three figures seated on their feet like the natives, wrapped in thick mantles, imparted a touch of the picturesque; the purity of the air being such as to exhibit them in clearly defined and bold relief against the sky, which alone was to be seen behind them; so immediately were they over our heads. The evening was delightful; and while we rowed two or three miles to the frigate, lying off and ou in stateliness and beauty, and long after filling away for Peru before a fresh breeze, we enjoyed magnificent views of the Andes. LETTER XVI. ARRIVAL AT CALLAO. U. S. ship Guerriere, at Callao, NOTHING of moment occurred on a passage of ten days, from Valparaiso to this port. The wind ST. LORENZO-THE ST. LOUIS. 79 being mostly fresh and fair, we had a short run; but the weather generally was hazy and unpleasant. On the morning of the 18th inst. we expected to have made land in the vicinity of Callao before night, or early in the evening; but, notwithstanding a fine moon, the atmosphere was so thick, that we were obliged to heave to at an early hour, and wait for the return of day. In the morning the weather was still lowering, with a mist almost like rain; and it was not till nine o'clock that the barren hills of St. Lorenzo, an island forming the protection of this harbour against the sea, began to break on the sight through the gloom. We were already north of it; and, with the setting in of the ordinary sea-breeze, bore up in the direction of the anchorage: the main land, twelve or fifteen miles distant, being still entirely obscured. At the same time, a large sail was descried some five or six miles to the leeward of us, heading also for the harbour; which, as we neared each other, had the appearance of a man-of-war; and shortly proved to be the St. Louis, Capt. Sloat. She had been despatched from Rio de Janeiro, by Commodore Thompson, ten days previous to our sailing; but, after a most boisterous and distressing passage round Cape Horn, only reached Valparaiso a day or two previous to the Guerriere; and had sailed again on her voyage to Peru, the same morning of our call at that port. And thus, after a separation of more than two months, we still entered Callao, as we had left the United States, in company with each other. By two o'clock, the shipping at the bottom of the bay, with the broad pennant of Commodore Jones at the mast-head of the frigate Brandywine, was distinguished through the haze; and while partaking of a hasty dinner, the call-" All hands to bring ship to an anchor, ahoy!" echoed around our decks. . Every face was beaming with brightness at the propitious termination of our long voyage; and in the punctilious silence rigidly exacted, in bringing a man-of-war to anchor, I was yielding myself to thoughts of grateful adoration, at the kind providence which had brought so large a company of us in health and safety over so wide a waste of sea, when the first order in lessening sail, "Furl the royals," was given by the commanding officer. It was scarce done, before the hitherto unheard and appalling cry, "A man overboard! a man overboard!" passed rapidly from the forecastle to the quarterdeck; and as, the moment after, it was known that. one of the crew had fallen from the fore-royal yard, a height of more than 150 feet, into the sea! a shudder of horror passed over every one, in the persuasion that he was utterly lost! I was standing, at the moment, on the signal-locker at the stern, the ship moving at the rate of five knots, and had time only to turn round, before the poor fellow rose struggling to the surface in our wake. He was stunned and struggling, and incapable of lifting up his face from the water; but still appeared to understand the calls of the officers, cheering him to every effort, till assistance could be rendered. The life-buoys were already cut away, the ship ordered about, and two boats manned and lowering; but, in the haste and excitement, the tackles became entangled, the boats on touching the water were incapable of being unhooked, and the headway of the ship was still such, that, in an instant both were filled and swamped! thus, instead of one poor fellow struggling for life, fourteen of our number were in hazard of death!-three lieutenants, one midshipman, and ten of the crew. Knowing that, by remaining on deck, I should only be in the way of others, in every possible effort for the rescue of such as might escape, I hastened to my stateroom, to give vent to the feelings overpowering me, ALARMING ACCIDENT. 81 in ardent supplication and tears unto the Hearer of prayer, that He would have mercy upon us, would spare us the judgments of His providence, and redeem from death the lives exposed to a watery grave. As to the poor fellow who had fallen from aloft, I at once gave him up as lost; thinking it impossible, that, after the shock which he must have received in striking the water from such a height, he could keep himself afloat the additional time which would now be requisite to his rescue; but, happily, one of the life-buoys floated so near him, as to attract his bewildered observation; and seizing it, he was enabled to retain his grasp, and keep himself from drowning till picked up by a boat, lowered as soon as practicable with better success than the first two. Most happily, instead of many being drowned, all escaped with life-some who could not swim, by clinging to the boats, three by getting upon the life-buoys, and three by swimming. A moment's longer delay, however, in the arrival of a boat, and one, if not two, of these last must have perished. One of the lieutenants, after struggling till entirely exhausted, and begging aid from a companion at his side (which to have given would only have been to involve both in the same fate,) exclaimed, "Then I must go!" and had twice sunk and risen again, and was already a third time under the water, probably to rise no more, when the boat approached so near, that one of the crew, seeing the extremity of the case, by throwing himself into the water, and seizing the drowning man by his hair, succeeded in drawing bim into the cutter. He was entirely insensible, however, when brought on board; and after being resuscitated, endured great agony till thrown into a deep sleep. The scene was a severe shock for the time, but the kind providence manifested in the issue of the casuality crowned the whole with conspicuous mercy. G On approaching the Brandywine, the Guerriere. saluted the flag of Commodore Jones with thirteen guns; which were returned as we passed under her stern, and dropped anchor inside of her in a range with her consort the Vincennes. The St. Louis, at the same time, took a station, outside the Vincennes in a line with the Brandywine; the schooner Dolphin in stern of the whole, making up the number of the squadron. An English and a French sloop-ofwar, with a fleet of merchantmen, lie inside of us; from which boats, according to naval etiquette, were quickly alongside the Guerriere, to pay a customary compliment to Commodore Thompson. I Night beginning to approach, I did not leave the ship till next morning, when I paid my respects to Captain Finch, of the Vincennes, and the officers of his ship, with whom I am soon to be associated. was delighted with my visit. The captain received me with much politeness; and I am happy to hear him universally spoken of, not only as a highly intelligent and accomplished officer, but also as an amiable man and pleasing companion. Lieut. Stribling, the first officer, is professedly pious, and all the gentlemen of the ward-room, I am told, bear an excellent character. The Vincennes, a sloop of twenty-four guns, is said to be the most beautiful vessel of her class, and the fastest sailer in our navy. She appears in admirable order. The cabin is elega t; and the ward-room as neat and comfortable as a parlour at home. Captain Finch had already received from Commodore Jones the orders transmitted to him from the navy department, directing his return to the United States, by the Islands and Chinese sea; and apprising him of the intended transfer of myself to his ship. He will not sail, however, for ten days or a fortnight which I was pleased to learn, as it will allow me the benefit of a few days on shore, and |