THE INAUGURATION DINNER. 459

merit to be valued and trusted; and they most heartily embraced
the occasion of giving me this assurance, that they would never
have any interest separate from one another.

Upon ‘these frank and open declarations of friendship, we ap-
pointed the next day to dine all together; and indeed we made a
splendid feast. I caused the ship’s cook and his mate to come on

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‘INDEED WE MADE A SPLENDID FEAST.”

shore and dress our dinner, and the old cook’s mate we had on
shore assisted. We brought on shore six pieces of good beef, and
four pieces of pork out of the ship’s provision, with our punch-
bowl and materials to fill it; and, in particular, gave them ten
bottles of French claret, and ten bottles of English beer—things that
neither the Spaniards nor the Englishmen had tasted for many
years; and which, it may be supposed, they were exceeding
glad of.