CHAPTER XII THE FIRST BRITISH RELATIONS WITH THE NEW REPUBLICS Naval chroniclers-Shrewdness of their comments-Respective situations on the Atlantic and on the Pacific-Popular captains-Petition of British residents-The Lima theater-Captain Basil Hall-A friend of San Martin-His intercourse with the Argentine Liberator-Pen-pictures of the Pacific coast-H.M.S. Briton-Some experiences of her ships' company-A humorous episode at Piura-H.M.S. Cambridge transports British consuls to South America-Tragic end of one of these officialsVarious episodes related by the chaplain of the Cambridge-Some notable names and characters ashore-Sunset is delayed for an hour when Bolivar dines on board the Cambridge!-Some local bills-of-fare -Profuse hospitality of the South Americans-Part played by British merchants-Episode at an official ball at Valparaiso One of the tragedies of a defunct régime-Manner in which Bolivar was received at a ball given by a British merchant-Bolivar's country house near Bogotá -Views of an ex-official of the suppressed Inquisition-Petition of a cock-fighting monk-His letter to Lord Derby-Growth of British population in Valparaiso-Missionary and scholastic enterprise-A burlesque mutiny and its consequences-Experience of an American merchant on the Pacific coast-Judge Prevost and his unfortunate jokeSome mining incidents-Interest evinced in London-Bolivar as an expert-End of the "boom"-Surveying on the South American coastThe voyage of the Chanticleer-Death of Captain Foster-Improvement in sea food-Origin of the term "Gringo"-A Chilean explanation. W E are largely indebted to that small band of British naval men stationed on the Pacific coast at the time of the War of Independence for a knowledge of the more intimate-and consequently more interesting-details of the social and political events. The reason why so few accounts have come down to us in the English language of the events, manners, and customs of the river Plate countries in the earliest years of their independence, is neither political nor commercial. It is sheerly geographical, and consists in the muddy shoals at that time innocent of any dredger-which caused the visits of British warships to be comparatively rare, and thus failed to remedy the lamentable lack of naval note-takers. It was these shrewd naval observers who marked how, when the establishment of the patriot government had become assured in any district, the costume and customs of the inhabitants altered as if by magic. They noted how the primitive local garments of the ladies, and the cloaks of the men disappeared, to give place to European fashions. They have referred, too, to the assured and confident air that now followed the former appearance of trouble and distrust. They watched the quick growth of national pride, the phenomenal springing up of commerce, and the rapid founding of the schools, libraries, and centers of arts. They noticed with admiration, too, that, wherever the patriot flags were unfurled, two institutions-bull-fighting and slave-trading-immediately died away. Indeed, there were not lacking those who asserted that the unusually brutal exhibitions of bull-fighting at Lima formed part of the viceregal plan for the mental treatment of the colonists. But those from whom these statements emanated were almost certainly carried away by their antiroyalist sentiments. It is, of course, impossible to refer individually even to those of the most notable group of British naval officers who served in the Pacific at this period. Nevertheless, Captain Thomas Brown who sailed out in 1823 in the 42-gun frigate Tartar to South America deserves some special mention for the extraordinary popularity that he enjoyed on the part of both Spaniards and South Ameri cans. Before the departure of the Tartar from the South American station, Captain Brown received from Bolivar a portrait of himself which he had taken the trouble to send all the way from Alto Peru, where the Liberator was then engaged. At Callao, on the other hand, that gallant and stern soldier General Rodil, Spain's last hope in South America, and Bolivar's greatest enemy, refused Brown leave to purchase ship's stores, adding that, as a mark of his friendship and esteem, the British captain must consent to accept as a gift anything that his ship required. What more varied and striking testimony of a true popularity could there be! Another British commander whose personality cannot well be overlooked was Captain Bowles, who played a sufficiently important part on the Atlantic station. A testimonial was drawn up at Buenos Aires on the 24th of March, 1814, "to express to you the very high esteem with which your conduct has impressed us, and to offer you our most grateful thanks for the constant and efficacious protection you have afforded to the British interests." This is signed by "John Nightingale, George Dyson, R. Montgomery, Robert Orr, G. T. Dickson, John M'Neill, James Brittain, James Barton, H. Chorley, J. Thwaites, Joshua Rawdon, J. Boyle, W. Wanklyn, W. Stroud." And to a document in connection with a presentation made to this officer six years later in Buenos Aires were attached the signatures, "Rich. Carlisle, G. T. Dickson, Will. Cartwright." In those early and troublous days of South America, when it was inevitable that the foreigner should suffer from time to time between the grinding wheels of patriot and Spaniard, the presence of a British vessel in a port was undoubtedly a comfortable feature to the new British settlers on the South American coast. At the foot of a petition that "before the Indefatigable leaves these seas she may be replaced by another vessel of war, if it be not incompatible with his Majesty's service," drawn up in Valparaiso on the 27th of March, 1815, occur eight signatures which presumably are those of some of the most prominent British merchants then |