the Hotel dos Estrangeiros, an establishment conducted on French lines.

Several English boarding houses had been in existence at this time for a considerable period, and one of the most notable of these, situated at Constantia, was kept by a Mr. Heath, the son of a Kentish farmer. Heath himself was a sufficiently remarkable character, who spent an unbroken half century or so in Brazil without apparently suffering at all in health. How little his natural abundance of spirits were affected by the atmosphere of the sub-tropics may be gathered from the name of "Jolly Heath" by which he was known wherever English was spoken in Central and Southern Brazil.

When Jolly Heath gave up his boarding house he retired to a delightful sylvan resort near Theresopolis. There he grew all species of European and tropical flowers; shot jaguar, tapir, and the other species of local game; entertained, doctored, and cared for British and Brazilians alike, and enjoyed a celebrity that was as well earned as it was wide! Messrs. Kidder, Fletcher, Hinchliff, and other writers of the period, all have a hearty word of praise for Jolly Heath.

CHAPTER XX

THE BRITISH IN THE SOUTH AMERICAN INTERNAL WARS

Position of the foreigner in South America-Situation of some who had fought in the War of Independence-The Chilean navy and the Atlantic-Admiral Brown assists in the formation of the Buenos Aires navy-Heterogeneous recruits for the fleet-The period of RosasReputation of the Dictator-Murder of the Kidd family-Action by the British minister-The autocrat's humorous side-Circumstances of the blockade of Montevideo-The Anglo-French blockade of Buenos Aires-Curious strategical situation-Brown's naval action with Garibaldi-A theory concerning the latter's choice of red uniform shirts-Futility of the blockade of Buenos Aires-The Anglo-French expedition up the Paraná-The engagement at Obligado-Objects achieved by the venture-Engagement at San Lorenzo-Strategy of the British-Some episodes of the blockade of Buenos Aires-Cockney Sam in Montevideo-Gallantry of a humble adventurer-Methods by which he supported his men-Abandonment of the blockade of Buenos Aires-Rosas proceeds to his retirement in Southampton-A queer naval battle between the fleets of Buenos Aires and Entre Rios -How a victory was arranged beforehand-Composition of the river fleets-British among the heterogeneous elements of the crewsHinchliffe's unexpected meeting with Urquiza's soldiers-Formidable warriors-Experiences of the British in Paraguay-Gaspar Rodriguez de Francia-Experiences of Messrs. J. P. and W. P. Robertson under this autocrat's rule-A passing description of the siege of Montevideo by the British Life in Paraguay-Francia's character, pursuits, and deeds-Robertson's final interview with Francia-Suggested mission-Francisco Solano Lopez-Some unfulfilled expectations— Madame Eloïsa Lynch-Lopez plunges his nation into war-Merciless treatment of his soldiers-Sufferings of the British-The "Uruguayana" torture-End of the war-Situation of foreigners in South American revolutions-Unexpected question by a British ministerExperiences of an English clergyman in 1868-An episode in which the late Admiral Hart Dyke was concerned-An adventurous boat expedition.

I

T is a widely understood axiom in the Latin continent that the foreigner who has taken up his residence in South America should refrain from interference with the politics of the land which shelters

him. No more reasonable precept than this was ever laid down, and it is one which need not confine itself to the affairs of South America. To bring the matter home to ourselves, we should surely feel inclined to regard with merely lukewarm charity foreigners who, having made an uninvited sojourn in our midst, concerned themselves in an endeavor to alter our laws and regulations to a pattern more nearly approaching that to which they themselves had been accustomed!

ever,

During the first half of the nineteenth century, howthis attitude of aloofness was not always easy to maintain on the part of the resident foreigner. This applies especially, of course, to those who, having taken service with the patriot forces in the War of Independence, remained in the continent after the battle with the Spaniard had given way to the period of internal unrest which followed. It is true that the number of these was, comparatively speaking, not large, but among them were several sufficiently remarkable personalities. The majority of these had originally been concerned with the wars on the Pacific coast.

The naval situation of Chile after its fleet had freed the Pacific from the Spaniards, was rather peculiar. For some time it seemed to act as a reservoir of men and ships for the Atlantic States. The Pacific war at an end, Chile had freed Cochrane, Grenfell, and many others for the service of Brazil, and, at a later period, when Brazil and Buenos Aires were at loggerheads, Chile sold a number of her then unwanted vessels to the Buenos Aires Government. In order to take charge of these, Admiral Brown traveled over the Andes to the Pacific, and brought the vessels back by way of Cape Horn. After this he set himself to strengthen the sea power of Argentina, or rather of the State of Buenos Aires; for Argentina as a concrete republic had not yet come into full being. Before that desirable condition was attained, the young nation had to undergo a lengthy and remorse