hey would
unbosom their inmost thoughts, believing that every Briton feels as
much interest in forwarding the liberty of his neighbour as he does
in preserving his own. In Lima the tertulias, or chit-chat parties,
and even the gaiety of the public promenade, had almost
disappeared, and _quando se acabara esto?_--'When will this
end?'--was constantly ejaculated.

"In Santiago every scene was reversed. Mirth and gaiety presided at
_paseos_, confidence and frankness at the daily tertulias.
Englishmen here had evinced their love of universal liberty, and
were highly esteemed. Friendship and conviviality seemed to reign
triumphant, and the security of the country, being the fruit of the
labour of its children, was considered by each separate individual
as appertaining to himself; his sentiments on its past efforts,
present change and future prosperity, were delivered with
uncontrolled freedom; while the supreme magistrate, the military
chief, the soldier and the peasant, hailed each other as
countrymen, and only acknowledged a master in their duty or the
law."

As has already been explained, it was inevitable that the struggle which
was taking place in Peru, the Viceroyalty, where was now centred all the
remaining Spanish power of the Continent, should have been more
prolonged than that in Chile, and far more so than had proved the
contest in the provinces of the River Plate. So far as Lima was
concerned, the result was not so long in doubt. Finding his hold on the
capital no longer tenable in the face of the advance from the south of
the victorious army, the Viceroy evacuated the town on July 26, 1821,
and the patriot forces, entering the city, proclaimed from that place
the freedom of Peru.

General Bolivar, in the meanwhile, having now cleared the northern
countries of the Spanish troops, was marching down into Peru, and thus
the stream of liberators from the south came into contact with those of
the north. An historical interview was held at Guayaquil on July 26,
1822, between the two greatest men of the Continent of that time, San
Martin and Bolivar. The details of this interview have never been made
public, but what occurred may be surmised more or less accurately from
the knowledge of the characters of the two men.

In one sense Bolivar's horizon was wider than that of San Martin. For
practical purposes, indeed, there is no