receiving ship in the port; and, as before, manifested an interest,
unusual in those days, in those under his command. One of these, then a
midshipman, writes to the author that he still recalls, after the lapse
of nearly sixty years, the kindness, consideration and hospitality shown
him by the future admiral, who was then known through the service as the
"Little Luff" Farragut--luff being a naval abbreviation, now obsolete,
for lieutenant. But with all his kindness there was no relaxation in the
enforcement of necessary duty. In December, 1832, he was again ordered
to sea in the sloop-of-war Natchez, as her first lieutenant; or, as the
expression now is, as executive officer. It was the time of the
nullification troubles in South Carolina, and the ship was first sent to
anchor near Charleston, where she would be prepared to support the
authority of the United States Government. Fortunately, no occasion
arose for her to act; and a stay which began with taking precautions
against possible fire-ships from the city, ended in a series of balls
and general exchanges of courtesy between the officers and the citizens.
In April, 1833, the Natchez returned to Hampton Roads; and the following
month sailed, carrying Farragut back again to the Brazils. On the 30th
of July he was again at anchor, in his new ship, off Buenos Ayres. Since
his former visit the country had passed through much trouble. A
confederation had been formed between the principal provinces, in
January, 1831, based upon the loosest ties of union; but the army had
become dissatisfied with the progress of changes which arose largely
from jealousy of the military power, and had risen in revolt under the
leadership of a general named Lavalle, who for a time had sided with
Rosas. He met at first with success, defeated Dorrego and Rosas, and put
the former to death; but Rosas rallied again, defeated Lavalle, and
became in his place head of the army and governor of Buenos Ayres. To
this position he was re-elected in 1832, and by virtue of it he was, at
the time of Farragut's second visit, in chief control of the external
policy and internal affairs of the confederation; the principal and
seaboard province inevitably taking the lead and representing the
country under even the loosest form of combination. Disturbed though the
internal state of affairs was, Rosas's strong hand appears to have so
far preserved the safety of foreigners as to give no cause for the
interference