had passed the night before our door. Before we could reach home, the firing began, and we have passed several hours in a state of great suspense; amidst the roaring of the cannon, the shouting of the troops, the occasional cries of those who are wounded, and to make everything appear more lugubrious, the most awful storm of thunder and rain I almost ever heard. The Señora de 's brother, is a captain in the government service, and he and his regiment have distinguished themselves very much during these last few days, consequently she is dreadfully uneasy to night.
The gentlemen seem inclined to pass the night in talking. We think of lying down, and sleeping if we can. I hope nothing will happen in the night, for everything seems worse in the darkness and consequent confusion.
21st.—After passing a sleepless night, listening to the roaring of cannon, and figuring to ourselves the devastation that must have taken place, we find to our amazement that nothing decisive has occurred. The noise last night was mere skirmishing, and half the cannons were fired in the air. In the darkness there was no mark. But though the loss on either side is so much less than might have been expected, the rebels in the palace cannot be very comfortable, for they say that the air is infected by the number of unburied dead bodies lying there; indeed there are many lying unburied on the streets, which is enough to raise a fever to add to the calamitous state of things.
The government Bulletin of to-day expresses the
