The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-05-08

from the New York Commercial Advertiser.
EH'uHS Of Letters from South .4meIica.
The following EXTRACTS from Letters
from lounr LAZY in South America,
t" hes freud IA thr United States, are
made without regard To lime, date OF
place, and have 40 conDex,on. and arr
published ip'thom the appiDbation OF
Knowledge 0t the author.
You asked me 10 describe The spendur OF
thr moonlight 10 my" iiesperan Resi-
de"ce," and you ask If il beams more
brightly over this lefty of flowers" thao
It does over our native wales? But it IL i'm.
possible to describe ii To ynu, and if you
could nave Witnessed II the night we an
chOrrd ~ the harbour ot Calla", you
would acknowledge ii may be felt, but
not described il Is splendour known on
| ~ in tropical climates, aud it seems only
To fill the heart with liShtnes and joy, &
awakens there d thonsand tender aud de-
Ilshtful "reminiscences of country aud OF
humti
There is nothing very interesting in the
appearance of the hGrbor Of CailaO the
coast is very bold aud immense noun.
talns are seen entirely barren, not ertn a
blade ot grass growing upon them and al
though the Winds are always light there,
the waves are COZ tlnuall, dasning high
upon the rocks, the surf rolls hiah upon
the shore, and Melr music 10 forever heard.
You cannot Imagine more "getched place
than the town; il cortalns but few mister
able houses, or nuts as they look like, one
story high, and huiIt of straw ~ mud. I hr
custom house is almost deserted; for being
but eight miles from Lima, little or no
business is Transacted here.
The tort IS a very strong and fOrmida-
Bile place, and covers an immense extent OF
ground, mounting zoo guns. Rods, The
governor, Is devoted IL blood and war he
IS crOrI and tyranuical aud makes no crre-
m0ry ut ordering dozens of persons to be
shot at his pleasure, without Judgr or jury
but himself. Hnu Will perhaps be surp. is, d
10 hedI that we paid him VISIT in ms cas-
tie we passed the draw bridge before
the entrance of the gate, were admitted by
black cenlIneis, passed the parade ground
where the troops were exercising, & were
received IN The court by his principal black
officer, aud conducted through several
! rooms into an inner apartment, where the
GENERA! received us very courteously.-
lie IS a smal man, has strikingly expires
/ slve face, his eyes are black and piercing
ana When he Is animated, aud is convers-
inG on subject with which he is not very
We'll pleased, his countenance is radisnt
with every dlabolical passion. His table
was covered with papers there was a
KIND OF sofa in. the room, Il few old chairs
aud bedstead without any thing upon it
but one small hard pillow /; the floor was
made Of bricks, aud the walls merely white
washed, and his apartment contained no o.
ther furniture. He treated Us with great
pollteness, and his manners were gentle
ma"y and friendly HIS mustaches, winch
were hong aud thick, gave him a terrific
lock and when NE saw him, he had but
lust had his heard cot, which had grown IL
the irngtn OF III lnches-for, whcn he was
driven away by the Patriots, he made a
v"w not 10 shave until he returned and ne
did not.
| made an excursion one day to San Lo-
renZo, large island at the entrance of lh.
harbor Of Caliao, barren and uninhabilcd.