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CH. XXIX.] many apprehensions at the nature of the journey he had to encounter to the capital: indeed my appearance warranted him in the conclusion that it was not one of an ordinary nature; for my white cotton jacket, as well as my face, had become so splashed and covered with mud as completely to disguise their natural appearance: my leather boots or leggings were one mass of half dried clay, and my English leather breeches (I generally rode in these, without buttons at the knees) had nearly adopted the same extraneous colouring. We had of course much to say to each other, and, being left to ourselves, began to talk over particulars: I now discovered that the Commission which had arrived at Belize was the Commission of Inquiry into the State of the Laws of the West Indies, and had nothing to do with any of the Commissions to the New Republics; Mr. O'Reilley told me that his appointment as consul was not to interfere in any way with the duties I was sent to fulfil,