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Writing Type: Diary
His comments on the women of Lima.
Keywords: Lima women
Publisher: Edward Moxon, London.
Archive: John Rylands Library
Location Details: Captain Basil Hall, Extracts from a Journal Written on the Coasts of Chili, Peru, and Mexico, in the years 1820,1821, 1822, part 1, Edward Moxon, Dover Street, London, 1840. p.45
Text: p.45 On going to Lima, I found it in the most singular state of agitation. It was now generally known that the Royalists meant to abandon the city to its fate ; and it was clear, that whatever happened, a violent revulsion might be expected to take place ; but no one knew, or could guess, what its extent might prove, although every one deemed the crisis full of danger and difficulty. The timorous were distracted by the wildest fears; the bold and steady knew not how to apply their courage ; while the irresolute were left in the most pitiable state. The English and other strangers, unwilling to offend either side, I thought acted wisely by putting a good face on the matter and taking their chance. The female part of the community, though much embarrassed and fluttered, certainly behaved better than the men: they displayed more fortitude, were less timorous, less querulous under suffering, in general saw things in a brighter point of view, and did not distress themselves, or those about them, by needless complaints and anticipations of evil. In their hours of ease, no females on the face of the earth could be more uncertain, coy, and hard to please, than these very Limenas, who, now that the danger was imminent, really behaved with admirable judgment and firmness. On every successive day things became worse ; and towards the close of the week, the terrors of the people assuming the character of despair, it was utterly useless to reason with them, or to attempt impressing upon their minds the value of calmness and patience at such an alarming moment.
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