The foreign seamen who were all paid at Callao, except the crew of the Valdivia, who deserted their ship at Ancon, preferring a reliance on the promises of San Martin to the certainty of being paid out of the money taken for this purpose, were allowed to go on shore, and after waiting for a few days his lordship sent Lieutenant Wynter to engage such as were willing to continue in the service of Chile, when, to the utter astonishment of every one, he was arrested by the order of San Martin, and sent to the castle, but owing to the energetic official communication of the Admiral he was liberated on the following day.

The same persevering spirit to destroy the Chilean squadron was still visible in the conduct of the Protector of Peru. Every officer who abandoned the vessels of war was received under the flag of Peru, and many were promoted, amounting in the whole to sixteen, being four captains, three lieutenants, two masters, three pursers, two officers of marines, and two surgeons; besides the captains of the Valdivia and Galvarino, with five officers belonging to the former. The seamen who had been paid were allured to remain on shore, in hopes of the year's pay as a premium; and when an officer from the very vessels of war whose co-operation had placed San Martin at the head of the Peruvian government went ashore for the purpose of recruiting foreign seamen for the future operations of the squadron, against the two Spanish frigates still in the Pacific, he was incarcerated. But the most infamous transaction that can possibly blacken the character of a ruler took place on the night of the twenty-sixth.

At midnight Lord Cochrane was informed that Colonel Paroissien and Captain Spry had been on board the brig of war, Galvarino, and shortly afterwards Captain Simpson of the Araucano came on board the flag ship, and delivered to his lordship the paper which he had received from these two honourable gentlemen; stating, that the squadron of Chile was under the command of the General in chief, and not under that of the Admiral, who was an inferior officer in the service; and that, consequently, it was the duty of the captains and commanders to obey the orders they might receive from San Martin. After leaving the Araucano, the two edecanes, military and naval, went on board the Valdivia, where they found Captain Crosbie of the flag ship, on a visit to Captain Cobbett of the Valdivia.

After delivering to Captain Cobbett a paper similar in import to the one left with Captain Simpson, the two gentlemen began to expatiate on the munificence and liberality of their employer; the preference which an officer ought to give to the service of a rich and extensive state to that of Chile, which must necessarily dwindle into its former insignificance, and become tributary to Peru for its support; that the authority of the Protector of Peru over the whole of the Chilean forces was unquestionable, and it consequently became the duty of every officer belonging to the expeditionary forces to obey the orders of their general in chief. On being asked, if, for disobedience of orders or mutinous conduct, they should subject themselves to a court martial by the order of the Admiral, whether the authority of the Protector would ensure to them a favourable sentence or an honourable acquittal, they became silent. This was bringing the argument too close, and perhaps the idea of a trial and a sentence were not very congenial to the feelings of the nocturnal commissioners, at that time "in or belonging to" the squadron of Chile. Perceiving that the result was not likely to answer their expectations, and that Captain Crosbie had left them on board the Valdivia and gone to the flag-ship, they judged it more prudent to visit the Admiral, than to run any risk of being compelled to do it. At one o'clock the boat came alongside, and Colonel Paroissien requested an interview with his lordship, which was granted; but Captain Spry justly thought himself more secure in the boat, and remained there. After some extraordinary conversation between Lord Cochrane and Paroissien, who regretted and lamented in the most pathetic manner, "that the present unlucky difference between the two chiefs should deprive his lordship of the enjoyment of the command of the Peruvian navy, (which did not exist) and the possession of property in Peru, which it was the intention of the Protector to present to him," his lordship put a stop to the harangue, and said, smiling, "I do not doubt your wishes for my prosperity, Paroissien, but at present I know you would rather join me in a bottle of wine than be obliged to continue in your regret and lamentation." After drinking a glass or two of wine, Colonel Paroissien embarked in his boat and pulled ashore, more happy no doubt when under the guns of the batteries of Callao than alongside the O'Higgins.

San Martin having failed in this last honourable attempt to seduce the officers belonging to the state of Chile, and fearing that the publicity of the act might induce the people of Peru to be on the alert, ordered Lord Cochrane, in the most peremptory manner, to leave the bay of Callao, with the vessels under his command, being persuaded, that, for want of European seamen, it would be impossible to do so; but on the sixth of October, eight days after his notification, the whole of the vessels of war, with two prizes, weighed simultaneously, and stood out of the bay.

Having come to an anchor at Ancon, his lordship ordered the Lautaro and Galvarino to proceed on the eighth to Valparaiso; and the O'Higgins, Independencia, Valdivia, Auraucano, and prizes San Fernando and Mercedes weighed and sailed for Guayaquil, where the Admiral had determined to repair, and refit for a cruize on the coast of Mexico, in search of the two Spanish frigates.

On the fifteenth we reached the Puná in the river Guayaquil, and on the eighteenth came to an anchor close to the city, where the squadron was saluted with twenty-one guns, and the compliment was returned with an equal number.

CHAPTER XII.

Revolution and State of Guayaquil....Squadron leaves....Island of Cocoa....Bay of Fonseca....Visitors from the Shore....Leave Fonseca....Volcano....Arrive at Acapulco....General Waevell and Colonel O'Reilly....Letter from Iturbide....Leave Acapulco....Description of....Gale of Wind off Tehuantepec....Tacames or Atcames....News of the Enemy....Arrive at the Puná....Guayaquil....Lord Cochrane hoists the Chilean Flag in the Vengansa....Conduct of the People at Guayaquil....Treaty with the Government....Letter from General La Mar....Leave Guayaquil, and arrive at Huambacho....Callao.

Guayaquil, early in the morning of the ninth of October, 1820, effected her glorious revolution. The officers belonging to the Peruvian garrison, and many of the principal inhabitants, had, during the preceding night, formed the plan, and at daybreak the governor and several other Spaniards were embarked on board the schooner Alcance, and sent to the head quarters of the army under General San Martin.

During the first month after the revolution Guayaquil experienced the oppression of its governor Escobedo, who, being at the head of the military force, constituted himself the supreme political and military chief; but the cabildo circulated the necessary convocation for a meeting of the deputies of the different towns: they met, and Escobedo was deposed, and sent to San Martin's head quarters. A Junta was now formed of three individuals, by the general vote of the deputies; at the head, as president, was placed Dr. Olmedo, the other two being Ximena and Roca, who were governing the province on our arrival; but the people were very much divided in their opinions. Some were in favour of an incorporation with Peru, under San Martin; others with Colombia, under Bolivar; while a third party were equally loud in favour of absolute independence, and seemed to support their opinions with the most solid arguments.

A division of the Colombian army was stationed, at this time, at Babaoyo, commanded by General Sucre, with the view of invading Quito as soon as the season should permit; yet, excepting such troops as had been sent from Guayaquil, and placed under the command of General Sucre, the armed force was under the direction of the government; but the fear of being invaded by the Spaniards under Aymerich, the president of Quito, was very visible, and, as a defence to the city, a large fosse had been cut to the northward of Cuidad Vieja.

The arrival of the Chilean vessels of war gave the government of Guayaquil an opportunity of addressing themselves to the Quitenos, "assuring them, that Peru was entirely free, and that the liberating naval force had arrived at Guayaquil for the protection of that part of the new world." This was a ruse de guerre not uncommon in the new world, and under similar circumstances practised even in the old. On our arrival General Sucre sent Colonel Ibarra to compliment Lord Cochrane, as the hero of the Pacific, the magnanimous supporter of Colombian liberty.

The repairs of the vessels of war being completed so far as they could be, on the first of December we left Guayaquil, but to our great annoyance we found, that the leak in the O'Higgins was as bad as ever; indeed, such was the state of this frigate, that ever since our arrival at Pisco a hundred and fifty men had been constantly kept at the pumps.

It may be asserted, that no expedition ever left port under such peculiarly disadvantageous circumstances as the present. The flag-ship was as rickety as an old basket; indeed it need only be told, that she was a Russian built fir vessel, nine years old, and was one of those presented by the Emperor to the King of Spain. Scarcely a bolt could be found that was not loose, her foremast and bowsprit were both rotten in the step, the dry rot had taken possession of the greater part of her timbers; and, it may be added, her crew was composed of every thing but sailors; for we had only thirteen men on board who could be said to merit the name, especially if we except the officers. Such was her state, that when his lordship was asked at Guayaquil, by a gentleman, if he would come into action with the Spanish frigate Prueba?—"yes," he answered, "I will lay the O'Higgins alongside the Prueba, and tell our crew that on board the enemy there are no pumps; this will be quite sufficient to secure the victory." The crews of the Independencia, Valdivia, and Araucano were composed of the same materials as that of the O'Higgins. They had just a sufficient number of seamen to steer them, natives of different parts of America, marines and runaway negroes, with about half their complements of officers; yet such was the persevering spirit of the Admiral, and such his determination to extinguish the last remains of the Spanish naval force in the Pacific, that his only wish was to come to close quarters with them.

Having left the Guayaquil river, we touched at a small port in the province of Guayaquil, called Salango, where we watered the ships, not having done this before because his lordship wished to drop down the river as light as possible; besides, at the Puná it is very difficult to procure a sufficient quantity of good water. On the eleventh, we reached the small island of Cocos, so called from the abundance of palms which grow there. Lord Cochrane landed, and a Felucca hove in sight; a signal was immediately made to the Valdivia to chase, and having captured her, she proved to be a deserter from Callao. The men on board informed his lordship, that after the departure of the Chilean vessels of war, San Martin not only objected to pay them their arrears, even those who left the Valdivia at Ancon without the year's pay given to the rest, and the reward or premium promised, but the foreign seamen at Callao, who had served in the Chilean fleet, were pressed into the service of Peru.

The felucca had been thus manned and sent to the Chorillos, to prevent all kinds of smuggling; but she had taken up a cargo of contraband goods, part of which were still on board. When the captain was on shore, the crew rose and took possession of the vessel, which they immediately named the Retaliation, and went to sea. Their pretence was, that they were in search of the squadron; this was ridiculous; but as they had committed no depredations his lordship did not feel himself justified in punishing them, but allowed them afterwards to escape from the vessels of war. On the fourteenth we made the coast of Mexico, the leak of the O'Higgins increasing daily, and on the nineteenth we fortunately entered the bay of Fonseca or Amapalla, with five feet water in the hold, the pumps choaked and worn out, without a carpenter on board, without buckets to bale her, and without a cooper; some beef casks were slung, and by using every exertion, the frigate was brought to an anchor under a small island in the bay. Two pumps were now taken out of the Valdivia, but they proved to be too short for the O'Higgins. Under these circumstances his lordship ordered two holes to be cut through her sides, on a level with the birth deck, and two old pumps were placed in them to carry off the water. She was thus kept from sinking; but on examining the magazine a great part of the powder had been damaged by the water, and the remainder was taken on shore and exposed in the sun to dry.

While at anchor here, a canoe came to the island, having two indians on board, and a young man of a respectable appearance, who informed me, that every thing was in the most perfect state of tranquillity in Mexico, and all under the regularly established royal authorities. The fact was, the young man had been sent from San Miguel, to learn who and what we were; but of this, by order of the Admiral, I kept him ignorant, and he began to fear, on hearing the Spanish language spoken, that ours was a Spanish force sent from Manilla. After conversing a considerable time, and having been repeatedly assured by him that all was under the kingly authority in Mexico, I asked him why he bore the tri-coloured ribbon in his hat; he blushed, hesitated, and then said, "it is too late to deceive you, the whole of Mexico is independent of Spain; Mexico declared its independence on the thirteenth of June last, Guadalaxara on the fourteenth, Tepec on the seventeenth, and San Blas on the nineteenth; the provinces of Guadalaxara, Tlascala, Guanajuato, Puebla, Zacatecas, Oajaca, Valladolid, Bajio, Purnandia, and Vera Cruz, have also declared themselves independent of the capital."

All things being ready, we left the bay of Fonseca on the twenty-eighth of December, and on the following night and the five successive ones, we were delighted with the sight of a volcano in its greatest state of activity. The streams of ignited lava rolled down the sides, and at intervals enormous masses of fiery matter were thrown into the air, and falling on the sides of the mountain rebounded and fell to the bottom.

We calculated that our distance from the mountain was about thirty miles; we were sometimes nearer to it. From its situation we conceived it to be San Miguel el Viejo, but of this were not quite certain. We sailed along the coast, which is generally very bold; in some parts the forests extend to a considerable distance from the sea side, and near to the coast are a great abundance of coco-nut palms; from some of them we procured nuts, but they were very small, perhaps from a want of salt at the roots of the trees. This supposition is founded on the fact, that I have seen at different places, where the palms do not grow near the sea, that the proprietors had occasionally put a quantity of salt to the roots, without which they produced no fruit. In other parts the coast was intersected with small ravines, having generally a stream of water in each, and some few huts were scattered about on the sides. At one of these places, called San Pedro, two indians came on board in their canoe, and brought us some eggs and capsicum pods; for which they were presented in return with biscuit and tobacco, and they seemed highly pleased with the exchange. They were both of them low in stature, but very muscular; their features and complexion much resembling those of the indians on the coast of Peru; but they could neither of them speak a word of Spanish, nor could we understand any part of their dialect.

On the twenty-seventh of January, 1822, we made the mouth of the port of Acapulco, where we found the brig Araucano, and schooner Mercedes; the former having been sent ahead to watch the entrance to the harbour, and the latter to Realejo to obtain information respecting the Spanish frigates; but unfortunately no intelligence had been received, except that they had sailed from Acapulco on the third of December, with a secret destination. On the evening of the same day we entered and came to an anchor, and his lordship was honoured with a visit from a deputation sent by the governor in the name of his most serene highness Don Agustin de Iturbide, then President of Mexico; and of the bishop of Guamanga, who had been exiled from Peru by the Protector, San Martin, and who fortunately had been appointed by the government of Mexico to the see of Puebla de los Angeles, having exchanged a bishopric of twelve thousand dollars a year for one of forty. The President Iturbide had been apprized of the arrival of Lord Cochrane on the Mexican coasts by General Waevell and Colonel O'Reilly, two officers whom the government of Chile had promoted, and to whom they had given passports, judging that their services to the state were not tantamount to their pay.

When at Guayaquil we met with these two gentlemen. They had impressed the government with the hoax, that they were ambassadors from Chile to the newly-established authorities in Mexico; but unfortunately the dates of their passports by the Chilean government were prior to the news of the establishment of the new authorities in Mexico. After this anachronism was discovered. Lord Cochrane requested the government to close the port until the Chilean vessels of war should be ready to sail, to which they agreed: this was done to prevent any intelligence being given to the common enemy. The ambassadors remonstrated, and the government, not wishing to offend that of Chile, was intimidated; but, when Lord Cochrane requested that they would shew their credentials, the whole hoax became public. Owing to our delay on the coast they had arrived first at Acapulco, and, in revenge for the disclosure made at Guayaquil, they had reported both by letter and personally to the Mexican government, that Lord Cochrane had possessed himself, in a mutinous manner, of the Chilean squadron, plundered the vessels belonging to the government of Peru, committed innumerable piracies at sea, and was coming on the coast of Mexico to repeat such atrocities; however, at Amapalla I met with her excellency Doña Gregoria Gainsa, the lady of the present Captain-general of Guatemala, who was at Guayaquil when the disclosure was made, and when I informed her that I suspected they would arrive first, her husband had reported the whole of the transaction to the Mexican government. The information given by Waevell and O'Reilly had, to our surprize, when we arrived at Acapulco, caused the fort to be strictly guarded, and afterwards a subsequent reinforcement entered the town. Thus notwithstanding the politeness of the governor a suspicious reserve was at first visible. This, however, in a short time wore off, and the most solemn assurances were given by the governor of the wish of his Serene Highness Iturbide to cultivate the friendship of the governments on the southern continent of emancipated America.

On the third of February, after the squadron was under weigh, his lordship received the following note from the president of Mexico:

"Most Excellent Sir,—The governor of Acapulco has informed me, by note dated the twenty-eighth of January, of your happy arrival, and that of the squadron you honour by commanding, at that port, one of those belonging to this empire, and adds, that every respect has been paid to yourself and those who have the glory to serve under you, who have been treated as friends, ready to assist us in the sacred cause—the protection of our liberty. Interested, as I am, in the prosperity of my country, I feel the greatest pleasure in the generous offer of your excellency, and the liberal determination of our brethren of Chile. I have ordered the governor of Acapulco to offer to your excellency, on the behalf of this government and my fellow citizens, our most grateful acknowledgments.

"Two commissioners will leave this capital, with orders to communicate to your excellency matters of high importance to the state: I hope you will receive them as freemen—the representatives of this great empire, and with that goodness which is so characteristic of your excellency.

"I should feel extremely gratified at having the honour of presenting to you my respects personally, that we might discuss some points which would contribute to the glory of this empire, in addition to the many and interesting services you have rendered to other free states; but a multiplicity of business deprives me of this honour, which my commissioners will enjoy, unless your excellency can allow me the pleasure of accepting our sentiments of gratitude in this court, where you would be received in the honourable manner you deserve, and every care would be taken to render your journey and residence as comfortable as possible.

"I remain with all due respect, &c., (Signed) Agustin Iturbide. Mexico, February 1st, 1822."

The news obtained from a vessel which entered the port on the second of February, and the day of the arrival of the commissioners, not being mentioned, his lordship determined to follow the Spanish frigates, composing the last relic in the Pacific, and on the destruction of which he was fully determined.

Acapulco lies in 16° 36´ north latitude, 99° 53´ 45´´ west longitude: the port enjoys every advantage that can possibly be imagined: it is capacious, has a good anchorage, and is completely land-locked; so that from the vessels when at anchor, or from the town, the sea cannot be observed; however, the extreme heat is highly disagreeable. The town is composed of a parish church, two convents, and about forty houses, with many huts built of reeds and rushes. The inhabitants are a mixture of Spaniards, Negroes, Indians, and Chinese, which in several families that I noticed seems to have produced almost a new race of mortals; for a great sameness exists in their colour and features. The tinge or colour of these people is similar to that of the Malay tribes: their foreheads broad, eyes small and black, rather prominent cheek-bones, small but tolerably well shaped nose, large lips, and beardless chin; their hair black and long, their form slender, yet muscular, but none are of a high stature. A kind of wild ferocity was visible in their countenances, and rather a haughty independence in their manners, heightened a little, perhaps, with the idea of being now imperialists; indeed, every thing here was imperial: the town, the port, the flag, the market, nay, even the language was imperial. The greater part of the inhabitants wore a species of uniform, mostly composed of a blue nankeen, or stuff jacket with a red collar, blue trowsers, and a cap; but without shoes or stockings. The lower classes of females wore full petticoats, and a chemise, with a long blue and white shawl: their hair is platted in long slender tresses, and they have no other covering on their heads. Some indians from the interior had a kind of short shirt, not reaching down to their waists, breeches, and sandals of raw hide, with a hat, the crown of which is about three inches high, and the skirts more than thirty inches in diameter: it is made of the leaves of a tree.

Some of the muleteers from the interior wore a very picturesque dress; over an under shirt they had a short one, like the indians, sitting close to their bodies and arms, blue breeches, the seams being tastefully embroidered with coloured silks; the calves of their legs wrapped in buff-coloured leather, carefully tied on, and hanging loose, with laced boots of the same material and colour; a coloured sash round their waists, and large black hats on their heads, with a thick roll of different coloured cloths for a hat-band.

All the people seemed to be particularly clean both in their clothes and persons; but this is generally the case in hot climates.

The market is but indifferently supplied, and provisions on the whole are scarce, dear, and of an inferior quality.

The appearance of the country in the neighbourhood is extremely sterile and naked; scarcely any vegetables are to be seen, the sandy mountains rising almost abruptly from the water's edge.

The climate is excessively hot, the access of cool air being precluded by surrounding mountains, and very little benefit is derived from the cut or opening made at the north end of the town, called la ábra de San Nicolas, for the admission of the sea-breeze: the winter or wet season is so unhealthy, that few of the white inhabitants remain in the town, almost every one retires into the interior.

A large battery stands on an elevation at the southern extremity of this place; it mounts thirty-one pieces of heavy artillery, and is called the fort of San Diego. It contains barracks, magazines, and dungeons, named the gaol, carcel.

The town was formerly of commercial notoriety, on account of the vessels which arrived here, commonly from Manilla, called naos de la China; but as this traffic will now cease, and on account of the mountainous country lying between it and the capital, a distance of eighty-five leagues, it is probable that this port will shortly be almost abandoned, unless, indeed, a commercial intercourse be kept up with the British East India colonies, which might become of considerable importance, and which is at present worthy of the attention of English speculators, as the principal returns would be the precious metals, cochineal, and indigo.

On leaving Acapulco, the Independencia, Captain Wilkinson, and Auracano, Captain Simpson, were ordered to proceed to the bay of California, for the purpose of purchasing provisions for the vessels of war, and then to follow us to Guayaquil, Callao, and Valparaiso.

On the night of the tenth we experienced a very severe gale in the bay of Tehuantepec, and owing to the bad state of the frigate, we expected she would go to pieces with every sea that struck her: our only consolation was, that the Valdivia being almost within hail we should be enabled to save our lives by taking to the boats, and going on board.

In the morning the gale subsided, to our no small joy; but a signal of distress was made by the Valdivia, and afterwards a communication by telegraph, that a sea had struck her, and that seventeen timbers had given way on her larboard side; that for want of pumps the water was gaining on them considerably, and the men were nearly exhausted with baling. Some logs of wood were sent from the O'Higgins, together with every man who fancied himself a carpenter, and the damage done was soon repaired as well as circumstances would permit.

On the fifth of March we made the coast of Esmeraldas, and early on the morning of the seventh we came to an anchor in the port of Tacames or Atacames.

After I had landed, my old subjects were both astonished and delighted; they had heard no tidings of me since the year 1812, and supposed me to be dead. The news that we obtained here was, that the Spanish general Crus Mourgeon arrived at this port from Panama, with a number of officers, and eight hundred men, on the twenty-fifth of December, and marched to join the forces at Quito; that immediately after he left Panama, which was on the twenty-eighth of November, the inhabitants rose, and declared their independence; and this they did although the two frigates Prueba and Vengansa had arrived after the departure of Crus Mourgeon; these two frigates, they told us, left the port of Tacames on the first of January, for Guayaquil and the coast of Peru. With these advices Lord Cochrane immediately proceeded to Guayaquil river, and we arrived at the island of Puná on the tenth.

The intelligence obtained here was, that the Prueba and Vengansa were several days at anchor off the island; that deputies had been sent from the city to negotiate with the two captains Don Jose Villegas of the Prueba, and Don Jose Joaquin Soroa of the Vengansa; that on the twenty-third of February the Vengansa and sloop of war Alexander had proceeded up the river to Guayaquil, and on the twenty-fifth the Prueba had left the river for the port of Callao. On receiving this advice his lordship stood up the river with the following tide, and came to an anchor off the city on the morning of the thirteenth, where we found the Vengansa bearing the Peruvian flag.

Lord Cochrane was directly informed, that the captains Villegas and Soroa had negotiated the surrender of the Spanish frigates Prueba and Vengansa with the commissioners appointed by Don Francisco Salasar, the Peruvian envoy at Guayaquil; which treaty was ratified by the respective parties on the fifteenth and sixteenth of February last, the principal condition being, that the whole of the officers and crews should receive from the government of Peru all the arrears due to them; that those who chose to remain in America should enjoy all the privileges of citizens; and that those who preferred returning to Europe should have the expenses of their passage defrayed by the government of Peru. After several inquiries made on shore, it appeared, that when the negotiations were about to be interrupted by the mutinous crews and some Spanish officers, who, indignant at the conduct of the captains, in thus selling the Spanish vessels of war to the enemies of Spain, began to canvass an opposition, the government of Guayaquil availed themselves of the subterfuge of having had a correspondence with Lord Cochrane, who with the Chilean squadron had anchored in the bay of La Manta, in the province of Guayaquil, on his passage to the capital. This stratagem had the desired effect: the officers and crews came to the terms offered, rather than decide the controversy by honorable warfare. On being positively assured of the transaction, and conscious, that had not the Chilean squadron driven them to this last action the Spanish captains never would have surrendered their vessels, his lordship on the morning of the fourteenth sent Captain Crosbie on board the Vengansa, with orders to hoist at her peak the flag of Chile jointly with that of Peru.

This act created great confusion in the city, the gunboats were immediately manned, and pieces of cannon were brought down to the side of the river, where the people employed themselves in placing logs of wood to serve as a breastwork; the Spanish sailors appeared to take a more than active part in resenting this insult offered to the vessel, which a few days previously they had cowardly sold to their enemies, through the fear of having to defend her while under the Spanish flag; indeed every thing on shore bore the most hostile appearance; while on board the O'Higgins and Valdivia no preparations whatever were made, the Admiral being too busy in smiling at their warlike preparations and mock means of defence. On the night of the seventeenth the courage of our self-constituted enemies was put to the test.

With the return tide the Valdivia drifted up the river near to where the Spanish officers and seamen had anchored the gunboats, which the government had allowed them to manage, as being more acquainted with naval tactics; but these heroes, supposing that the frigate was about to attack them, ran the boats on shore, and fled to the back of the city, leaving the natives to replace them on the water before daylight. This, however, was in vain, and the effects of the preceding night's alarm were visible on the following morning.

After some correspondence between the government and the admiral, it was agreed on the nineteenth, that deputies from both parties should meet ashore, and adjust such terms as should be most conducive to the public tranquillity, and to the honour and welfare of all parties. Accordingly, the government appointed the captain of the port, Don Manuel Lusuriaga, Dr. Don Bernabé Cornejo, and Captain Indaburu. Lord Cochrane appointed Captain Crosbie, Captain Cobbett, and myself. Having met at the cavildo, the following articles were agreed to, and immediately ratified by Olmedo, Ximena, and Roca (forming the junta of government) and Lord Cochrane.

"First.—The frigate Vengansa shall remain as belonging to the government of Guayaquil; she shall hoist the flag of this state, which shall be saluted by the Chilean.

"Second.—The state of Guayaquil guarantees to the Chilean squadron under the responsibility of forty thousand dollars, that the frigate Vengansa shall not be delivered to, nor negotiated for with any governments until those of Chile and Peru shall have decided on what they may esteem most just. And, moreover, the government of Guayaquil is bound to destroy her rather than consent that the said vessel shall serve any other state, till such decision be made.

"Third.—The corvette Alexander shall be delivered to her owners, or their assigns, according to the right which they possessed before she was taken by violence from this river. The owners are to pay the arrears due to the crew from the date of their last leaving Panama to that of the fifteenth of February, 1822, with all the other expenses which may have been incurred; and, in the mean time, she shall not be employed in any way whatever without the consent of her owners.

"Fourth.—Any government whatever which henceforward may be established in Guayaquil shall be bound to the fulfilment of the articles here expressed.

"Fifth.—These articles, herein written and agreed to, shall be understood literally, in good faith, and without any mental amplifications or restrictions. Guayaquil, &c."

After the ratification of these articles, the government of Guayaquil addressed a polite note to Lord Cochrane, expressing the highest sentiments of respect for the most important services which the free states of America had received from him, assuring him, at the same time, that Guayaquil would always be the first to honour his name, and the last to forget his unparalleled services, to which she owed her emancipation from the yoke of Spain.

On the twentieth the Guayaquil flag was hoisted on board the Vengansa by Captain Lusuriaga and Captain Crosbie, to whom the Peruvian and Chilean flags were delivered. The O'Higgins immediately saluted the flag with twenty-two guns, and the salute was returned from the guns placed on shore; and afterwards the gunboats hoisted the Chilean flag, and saluted it with twenty-two guns.

It having been asserted in Peru, before Lord Cochrane left the bay of Callao in October, 1821, that he would supply the garrisons of the fortresses with provisions, on condition that they would not surrender to San Martin, his lordship availed himself of the present opportunity with General la Mar, who was the governor of Callao, and who being now at Guayaquil, to write to him through the hands of the government, requesting him to answer, whether he did succour or promise to succour the garrisons of Callao, during the time that he was employed in the blockade of that port?

To this La Mar answered:

"Most Excellent Sir,—In consequence of the official note which I yesterday received from your excellency, through the hands of the government, it is my duty to assert, that I have neither said nor written, nor ever heard that you did supply or propose to supply with provisions the place of Callao during the whole of the time that it was under my charge. God preserve your excellency many years. (Signed) Jose de la Mar. Guayaquil, March 13th, 1822."

On the twenty-first we weighed, his lordship giving orders to Captain Crosbie to trip the anchor, and to kedge down the river, by which means he would have a better opportunity to mark the channel, and form a plan of it, should it ever become necessary to ascend it without the assistance of a pilot. The second tide took us to the Puná, where we remained till the twenty-fifth, the boats being employed in bringing water and some provisions from Balao, on the opposite side of the river.

Having left Guayaquil river on the twenty-fifth of March, we arrived on the twelfth of April at the small port of Huambacho, on the coast of Peru, where to our surprise and astonishment the alcalde of the village shewed his lordship a written order from San Martin, stating that should any of the vessels of war belonging to Chile touch at the said port, he was to forbid their landing, and to deny them any assistance whatever, and not even to allow them to wood or water there.

Exasperated at this conduct, his lordship proceeded to Callao, but not before he had convinced the alcalde, that he had not the power to enforce such orders from his master. We arrived at Callao on the twenty-fifth, where the first object of instability in the new government which we observed was five different Peruvian flags flying in the bay and on the batteries.

We here found the Prueba under Peruvian colours, and commanded by one of the captains who had deserted the Chilean squadron; but such was the dread that Lord Cochrane would take possession of her, that she was immediately hauled close in shore under the batteries, her guns housed, her ports closed, and so crammed she was with soldiers, for her defence, that three men died with suffocation the night after our arrival. I was assured, that no less than two thousand men were crowded on her upper deck, as if such a mob could have intimidated Lord Cochrane, had he been authorized to take possession of her, after she had been driven into the bay of Callao by his efforts, and there purchased from her traitorous crew by the Peruvian government.

CHAPTER XIII.

Commercial Code at Lima....Provincial Statutes announced....Liberty of the Press....Foreigners declared amenable to the Laws....Institution of the Order of the Sun....New Commercial Rules....Titles changed....Order to convene the Constituent Congress....San Martin delegates his Authority to the Marquis de Torre Tagle....San Martin leaves Lima and returns....Army defeated under Tristan at Ica....State of Lima on our Arrival....Visit of Monteagudo to Lord Cochrane....San Martin annuls the Treaty at Guayaquil....Exile of Spaniards from Lima....Lord Cochrane leaves Callao for Valparaiso....Spanish Vessels that surrendered to the Chilean Squadron....Convention of Chile meets....Monteagudo exiled from Lima....Disturbances in Chile....San Martin arrives at Valparaiso....O'Higgins abdicates....Lord Cochrane leaves the Pacific.

On the eighth of October, 1821, the provisional commercial code or reglamento was published; but, agreeably to the short sighted colonial system, only Callao and Huanchaco were declared free ports to all friends and allies. This reglamento established, that all vessels should within ten hours after their arrival deliver up their bills of lading; within forty-eight begin to unload, or leave the port within six days.

Within the said forty-eight hours a consignee, being a citizen of Peru, was to be named by the captain or supercargo. All goods in foreign bottoms were to pay twenty per cent. on the value of the whole, according to the prices current in Peru. All goods introduced in vessels under the flags of Chile, Buenos Ayres, or Colombia, to pay in the same manner eighteen per cent., and those under the flag of Peru sixteen. All manufactured goods which might injure the industry of the country to pay double duty. Coined silver to pay the exportation duty of five per cent. and gold two and a half: the exportation of gold and silver in bar or wrought absolutely prohibited. The produce of Peru exported in foreign vessels to pay five per cent.; in vessels belonging to Chile, Buenos Ayres, or Colombia, three and a half, and in Peruvian three per cent. The payment of importation duties to be in three equal parts, one at forty days after debarkation, one at a hundred and twenty, and one at a hundred and eighty. All consignees absolutely prohibited the retailing of their consignments.

The coasting trade to be confined to vessels belonging to the state, but limited to the ports of Paita, Huacho, and Pisco. Any vessel introducing foreign manufactures, except at Callao or Huanchaco, to be seized and condemned, both hull and cargo.

The most extraordinary article inserted in this reglamento was, that goods landed at Huanchaco, the port to Truxillo, were not to pass the river Santa, under the penalty of being seized as contraband.

On the ninth of October the provisional statutes and administration of justice were sworn to by the government; and the creation of the Order of the Sun was announced with the greatest possible pomp.

On the thirteenth the liberty of the press was declared, permitting any individual to publish freely his thoughts, without any previous revision or approbation; but all abuse of religion or of the principles of morality, every thing likely to disturb public tranquillity, or to wound the honour of any citizen, to be subject to the penalty inflicted by the junta conservadora of the liberty of the press.

On the seventeenth an order of the government was published, establishing all foreigners residing in Peru in the rights of citizenship, subjecting them at the same time to the laws of the country, and the orders of the government, and depriving them of the intervention of the commanders of the vessels of war belonging to their respective nations. All foreigners were also declared liable to take arms in the support of social order, but not against the common enemy, and to be subject to contributions levied by the government, in the same manner as the citizens of the state.

On the twentieth of October the institute of the Sun was established; it was declared to consist of three classes, founders, well-deservers (benemeritos) and associates or fellows. The badge of the first class was a white ribbon from the right shoulder to the left side, having two gold tassels and a golden medallion of the order; with the title of honourable lordship;—the second class to have a gold medal hanging to a white ribbon placed round the neck; with the address of lordship;—and the third a silver medal hanging to the breast on the left side. The medals to bear the arms of the state, to be of an elliptical figure, and to have on the superior part, on a white field, "Peru;" on the inferior, on a red field, "To her Liberators." The pensions of the order to be paid out of the fund of forty thousand dollars imposed by the king of Spain on the mitres of America for the provisions of the knights of Charles III. and Isabel la Catolica. The oath to be—"I swear by my honour, and promise to my country to defend the independence, liberty and integrity of the state of Peru; to maintain public order, and to procure the general felicity of America, devoting to those ends my life and my property."

Twenty-six founders were named by the Protector, who constituted himself President of the order; among these were included two captains who had abandoned the Chilean squadron at Callao; one hundred and thirty-eight of well-deservers, including Captain Spry; and one hundred and two associates or fellows, among whom were the dean of the cathedral, five counts, two marquises, five generals, seven friars, canons of the church, shopkeepers, surgeons, farmers, and deserters from the Chilean squadron.

Not content with this creation of male nobility, one hundred and twelve knightesses of the sun were nominated, including two countesses, four marchionesses, and of every class, even to Doña Rosa Campusano, the favourite of his excellency, the creator of the order; and to complete the corps, thirty-two nuns were added, who might have been honoured with the ancient Peruvian title of Virgins of the Sun. The Honourable and Illustrious Don Bernardo Monteagudo was appointed secretary, and General the Honourable Don Diego Paroissien master of the ceremonies, pro tem.

As the badge of the order was of the most vital importance, it was decreed on the thirty-first of October, that, instead of a medallion, a golden sun should be suspended to the ribbon of the fundadores, benemeritos, and asociados; but the size of it was to be limited according to the rank of the bearer.

On the twenty-third of October a committee was appointed to frame a constitutional code or reglamento de administration de justicia for Peru, San Martin having determined on being a legislator as well as a liberator; and, as he himself said, on "being crowned with laurels till he could not nod." About this time some verses made their appearance, addressed to the Protector, under the epithet of Emperor of Peru. The idea of an imperial crown was obnoxious to the Peruvians, and some street clamour induced the government to announce its supreme displeasure at such productions.

Desertion in the liberating army now became prevalent, and the government was obliged to issue a decree, stating that any person who should harbour or protect a deserter in his house, or on his property, should subject himself to a general confiscation for the first offence, and to perpetual exile for a repetition. All slaves were invited to inform against their masters, under the assurance of manumission, should the crime of occultation be proved. On the thirty-first of October a new tariff for the coasting trade was published, superseding the one of the twenty-eighth of September, with the addition of the ports of Nasca, Cañete, and Pacasmayo, and also allowing foreigners to sell their own cargoes, without the intervention of a native consignee, on their paying twenty-five, instead of twenty per cent.; and on the twenty-first of November all foreigners, as well as citizens, being merchants, were ordered to enrol their names at the consulado, (board of trade,) that they might all be equally taxed with such contributions as the government might judge necessary to exact.

Several Spaniards having been apprehended and sent to the public gaol, accused of sedition and conspiracies, were sentenced, on the twentieth of November, eight to a confiscation of their property, and exile to Europe, and thirteen to partial confiscation, and exile to Chancay for two months.

On Sunday the sixteenth of December the knights of the order of the sun were decorated with the insignia, by the president of the high chamber of justice, alta camara de justicia, in the presence of his Excellency the Protector of Peru, institutor of the order, and a most splendid concourse of the nobility of Peru, with the assistance of Sir Thomas Hardy, whom the gazette styles the representative of the British nation, on this occasion. Every care was taken to make this civic feast as solemn as possible; the troops were formed in the streets; the different military bands continued playing national airs and marches in the balcony of the palace; repeated salutes were fired by the artillery placed in the plasa; all the bells in the city were heard in merry peals; the illuminations on the nights of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth, were of the most brilliant description; and every nerve was strained to produce and support harmony and conviviality on this festive occasion. After the ceremony of condecoration, the procession left the palace and proceeded to the church of Santo Domingo, where a solemn Te Deum was chanted, and high mass celebrated, in thanks to the Almighty for having inspired the supreme government of Lima with such celestial ideas.

That the ancient nobility of Peru might not be reduced to a level with the plebeians, it was decreed on the twenty-seventh of December, that they should preserve their armorial bearings on the fronts of their houses, as usual, and all the solar nobility were permitted by the same decree to place on theirs a sun, with the initials of the class to which they belonged in the centre. It was also ordered on the same day, that those persons who had enjoyed titles during the Spanish domination, under the name of titles of Castile, should enjoy the same honours under the appellation of titles of Peru, or change them for such as might appear more congenial to the then existing state of things. Thus we have a republic with counts, marquises, viscounts, &c. which is certainly an anomaly, and worthy of the wisdom that planned it.

On the twenty-seventh, the Protector, with the advice of the council of state, ordered, that on the first of May, 1822, the general constituent congress of Peru should meet in the capital; and that proxies should be named for such provinces as were oppressed by the enemy. The object of this congress was to be, only, the definitive form of the established government, and the formation of a constitution most proper for Peru, according to the circumstances of its territory and population: any other powers given to the deputies to be considered null and of no effect.

It was further ordered, that a previous committee be appointed in Lima, to draw up the plan for the election of deputies, and to prepare the basis of the constitution, to be finished before the reunion of the congress. Thus the laws of the nation were to be formed by a private committee, under the guidance of San Martin and his ministers, and the congress were to be called in to sanction the proceeding. This duplicity was ultimately the cause of the Protector's voluntary abdication.

On the nineteenth of January, 1822, the Protector announced, that he was about to leave Lima on a visit to Guayaquil, where he expected to meet the Liberator of Colombia, the immortal Bolivar, for the purpose of consulting with him on matters of the highest importance to the state. All his executive powers were delegated to the gran mariscal Marquis de Torre Tagle, to the due obedience of whose orders, the tribunals, ministers, corporation, chiefs of the army and navy were called upon to swear. This ceremony took place on the twentieth. The first decree of the supreme delegate was, that all unmarried Spaniards, who should leave the state, were to deliver to the national treasury one half of their property, and in case of any attempt at fraud, the whole to be confiscated, and the persons to be exiled. It also contained other articles respecting Spaniards residing in Peru.

On the third of March the Protector announced in Lima, that having touched at Huanchaco in his passage to Guayaquil, he received official communication that the Liberator of Colombia had changed his plans, and would not be at Guayaquil as was expected; he had, in consequence, returned to Callao; but that it was his will that the Marquis de Torre Tagle should continue in the full exercise of the authority delegated to him. San Martin then retired to the country residence of the ex-viceroy Pesuela, at La Magdalena, which village immediately changed its name to that of the town of the free, "pueblo de los libres."

On the thirty-first of March the Spanish frigate Prueba arrived at Callao, and was immediately delivered up to the Peruvian government by her commander, Larrigada, according to the treaty concluded in Guayaquil on the sixteenth of February. The supreme delegate immediately went on board, and the Peruvian flag being hoisted, the name of the frigate was changed to that of Protector. Again, this acquisition was "the fruit of the enthusiasm, and sacrifices of the officers and soldiers who were present at the important moment, as witnesses of this memorable success."

The government of Lima, aware of the importance of the possession of the valleys of Pisco and Ica, not only in a mercantile point of view, but as a military position, where a communication might be kept open with the provinces of Upper Peru, and the enemy, then in Huamanga, and other adjacent points, prevented from making incursions on the valuable estates situated along the coast—San Martin, as prime mover, (although the civil authority was exercised by his delegate, Torre Tagle, and General Alvarado had been appointed by him general in chief of the army) ordered a force of two thousand men, with their respective officers, to Ica, under the command of General Don Domingo Tristan, who a few months before was a Colonel of Militias, in the province of Arequipa, and whose career had been the ploughshare and the pruning hook, not the sword and the lance: a man entirely unknown as a soldier, and if known at all in Lima, it was as a complete gambler, and a public lounger. But perhaps the intercession of the Protectress, formerly the public favourite of Tristan, might on this occasion have been acceptable, (in despite of the superior qualifications of many officers in the army, although the brave General las Heras and several other chiefs had retired) and acquired for her galan de aquel tiempo so honourable an appointment. However, on the thirteenth of April, the following proclamations appeared in Lima: "Limenians! The division of the south, without having been beaten, has been surprised, and dispersed; in a long campaign all cannot be prosperity; you know my character, and you know that I have always spoken the truth to all—I do not mean to search for consolation in conflicts, notwithstanding I dare to assure you, that the iniquitous and tyrannical empire of the Spaniards in Peru will cease in the year twenty-two.—I will make an ingenuous confession to you: it was my intention to go in search of repose after so many years of agitation, but I believed your independence was secured; some trifling danger now presents itself, and so long as there remains the least appearance of it, until you are free you shall not be left by your faithful friend,—San Martin."

"Companions of the United Army!—Your brothers in the division of the south have not been beaten, but they have been dispersed; to you it belongs to revenge this insult: you are valiant, and have known long ago the path to glory! Sharpen well your bayonets and your swords! The campaign of Peru shall finish in this year! Your old general ensures it; prepare then to conquer!—San Martin."

On the same day the following was issued by the Marquis de Torre Tagle: "Compatriots! The division of the south has suffered a reverse; this is the first we have experienced amid so many glories. It is of no importance; the grand army yet lives, and will, before the end of twenty-two, leave not one enemy existing among us. Compatriots! To be free and happy, only requires you to decide as I have, like those heroes who have come to restore to Peru her rights, to lose every thing, to die before they will return to slavery! Imitate this example as you have done at other times, and the result will be the same, because valour and enthusiasm, well directed, always ensure victory and peace; you deserve both, prepare for every sacrifice but that of your liberty.

"Torre Tagle."

The two supreme chiefs united on the thirteenth in a proclamation to the inhabitants of the interior, assuring them, that the loss of the division, a few days before called the liberating army of the south, "weighed nothing in the balance of the destiny of Peru; Providence, say they, protects us, and by this action she will accelerate the ruin of the enemies of Peru—proud of their first victory, they will spare us part of our march in search of them, which was to have been done. Fear not, the army that drove them twice from the capital, is ready to punish them a third time, and to punish them for ever!" Had the action taken place at any great distance from the capital, the truth of the transaction might have remained for some time enveloped in mystery; or had the inhabitants of Lima not already been taught by the Spaniards to become sceptics, this furious bombast might have been believed; but the account was soon rightly explained by the few who escaped, and who arrived at Lima; these were but few: the number that fortunately found an opportunity to take to their heels, and availed themselves of their swiftness, were very quickly secured, and sent to Callao, to prevent as much as possible a circulation of the truth.

On the night of the seventh of April the Spaniards under Cantarac and Caratalá advanced on the Americans under Tristan, who, for want of the most ordinary precautions, were completely surrounded, and at day break, with the exception of the general, part of his staff, and a few officers, the whole division was in the power of the enemy. The loss of the liberating army was about two thousand men killed or taken prisoners, five thousand muskets, the military chest, containing upwards of a hundred thousand dollars, ammunition, luggage, equipage, printing press, and every utensil belonging to it. Notwithstanding all this, we are told, that "the Spaniards are ignorant that the balance of power is in our hands, because Providence is on our side, opinion and strength favour the interests of Peru, SHE SHALL BE FREE BECAUSE SHE WILLS IT SO, AND BECAUSE IT IS TIME THAT SHE WAS!!!"

On the twenty-fourth of April a decree was published against the Spaniards residing in Lima, imposing the penalty of exile and confiscation of property on those who should appear in the streets wearing a cloak. That of confiscation of property and exile when more than two should be found together in any private conversation. That of death on those who should be found out of their houses after sunset. And that of confiscation and death on all those who should be found to possess any kind of weapons excepting the knives necessary for the service of their tables.

This was the state of affairs in Peru when Lord Cochrane arrived on the twenty-fifth of April. The supreme authority was employed in issuing decrees contradictory to one another, in opposition to the most solemn promises made and repeated by the Protector, both before and after he assumed this title, in violation of justice and reason, and all contributing to produce discontent, disunion, and anarchy.

The enemy were victorious, the patriots dreaded some dire reverse, the remains of the army were discontented, finding that not one promise made to them had been fulfilled; the gold and silver had disappeared, and paper money had been issued by the government; the contributions were increasing, and were exacted at the point of the bayonet; while the Protector of the liberty of the country, after having been employed for six months in creating orders of knighthood, establishing tribunals, sketching embroideries, and inventing uniforms, had retired to his country house, to rest from his labours!

Many individuals who, when we left Callao in October, 1821, condemned the conduct of Lord Cochrane in taking possession of the money at Ancon, were now convinced that it was not only a warrantable but an indispensable step to be taken for the preservation of the squadron of Chile, and of good faith with the crews. The non-fulfilment of the promises made to the regiment of Numancia had forced them to declare that they would not march out of Lima against the enemy, and Captain Doronsoro was sent, by his brother officers, to inquire, if Lord Cochrane would receive them on board the Chilean vessels, and convey the regiment to the nearest point in the territory of Colombia, to which country they belonged, and to which San Martin had promised to transport them on the fall of Lima.

On the twenty-sixth the minister Monteagudo came on board, and lamented that his lordship should have addressed to the Peruvian government official communications containing expressions calculated to irritate their delicate feelings at the moment when the Protector was inclined to adopt the most conciliatory measures; adding, that at the first news of his lordship's appearance off the port his excellency had written a private letter, praying an interview; but that on the receipt of the official notes, he became so indignant, that he was afraid his delicate health was in danger. To this his lordship merely answered, that had San Martin sent a private letter it certainly would have been returned unopened; adding, "you may tell him, Mr. Monteagudo, that it is not my wish to injure him; I neither fear him nor hate him; but tell him, I despise him!" Monteagudo begged of his lordship to go and reside on shore a few days, saying that the house of the supreme delegate was prepared for his reception. But his lordship most courteously begged to be excused; and Monteagudo retired not well pleased with what he had observed in the countenances of all on board, a species of the most supreme contempt; notwithstanding that, he wore his blazing sun of the first order, his ribbons, his embroideries, and was accompanied by his military escort.

The greatest discontent reigned on shore among the Chileans: it had circulated, that no Chilean would be promoted nor employed by the present government of Peru. Whether such was or was not really the determination of the government might be difficult to prove; but the fact was, that only one of the nine generals made by San Martin belonged to Chile, and the ratio among the subalterns was even smaller.

The Protector of Peru, having been informed of the treaty at Guayaquil, respecting the Vengansa and the Emperor Alexander, sent down Captains Carter and Young to take the command of them. This was acceded to by the government of Guayaquil, and the two vessels again hoisted the Peruvian flag, although the Alexander, bona fide, belonged to Mr. Henderson, and was under the English flag, when a revolution took place among the crews of the gunboats in August, 1821, who took possession of her. They proceeded to Panama, and there delivered her to the Spanish authorities, who afterwards included her in their treaty with the Peruvian agent at Guayaquil.

The most horrid scene during the time of the residence of San Martin in Peru was reserved for May, 1822. On the night of the fourth a grand ball was given at the palace, being the first meeting of the knights and knightesses of the sun; and while they were thus enjoying themselves parties of soldiers were sent to the houses of the Spaniards, who dragged them from their beds, and drove them down to Callao, where they were placed on board the Milagro.

The distress occasioned by this monstrous breach of promises, of justice, and humanity, cannot be equalled. Several of these were men of rank and fortune who had confided in the promises made to them; many of them had numerous families; octogenarian clergymen, civil and military officers, all without the least distinction or commiseration, were seized at midnight, some of them half undressed, others almost naked, and every individual was forced to travel six miles on foot: they were then placed on board a vessel, where for two days no provisions were distributed to them, and they were forbidden to hold any communication with their disconsolate wives and families, who surrounded the vessel in boats, and rent the air with their shrieks and lamentations. On the first night two old gentlemen died on board the Milagro for want of clothing and food; and many would certainly have perished had not the mercy of San Martin been extended so far as to sell them passports. He allowed the purchasers to pass from the Milagro to neutral vessels, for the purpose of leaving Peru for ever; but many of them dared not go to Spain, because they had remained in Lima when La Serna left it with the Spanish army, and had afterwards subscribed to the independence of the country. Some passports were sold at one thousand dollars, others at ten, according to the quality of the purchaser; and those whose finances deprived them of the possibility of purchasing their liberation, were sent to Chile in the Milagro; which vessel, for this most honourable expedition, had been newly named, and was now called the Monteagudo: a compliment in every respect merited by that great minister.

Had General San Martin followed a different line of conduct with regard to the Spaniards residing in Peru; had he never compromised himself with such solemn assurances as he made to them, both before and after his arrival in Lima, his conduct towards them might have admitted some palliation. Had he from the beginning been silent, and at the earliest opportunity exiled them, the same expression which he used on the subject of calling a congress or national representation, that "a knowledge of what had passed in Colombia, Chile and Buenos Ayres, during twelve years of revolution, would have been a reasonable pretence for what he did," might have justified the proceeding. He repeatedly promised to them security, and frequently told them, that their persons and property should be inviolable; and their confidence lost them all claim to the protection of the laws of their native country; they had moreover sworn allegiance to its enemy, and had explicitly become traitors; and when his plans were thus far in a state of ripeness, he exiled them from their adopted homes, from their families, from all their comforts, and cast them out a despairing, wandering, forlorn tribe, surrounded with misery; but their last breath will be employed in execrating his duplicity.

I am well aware that the Spaniards were dangerous persons in America and that many of them would have employed themselves in thwarting the operations of the newly-constituted authorities; but this mental conviction could not sanction such a proceeding as the one just stated, and at which humanity shudders. But it is now time to wind up the eventful history of the proceedings of the Protector of Peru; however, before I lose sight of her shores, perhaps for ever, I must add one more trait of his barbarity. A female in Lima had dared to speak ill of San Martin, at the time that a contribution was extorted from her at the point of the bayonet; she was apprehended, taken to the great square, an accusatory libel was fastened to her breast, a human bone was put into her mouth, and tied behind her head; a halter was hung round her neck, and in this manner she was forced to parade the streets, led by the common hangman; she was then exiled to Callao, where the poor creature died on the second day after her arrival.

Before Lord Cochrane left the bay of Callao he addressed a letter to Colonel Sanches, an officer belonging to the Chilean troops, expressing his ardent desire for the complete success of his adopted countryman; to this note he received the following answer:—"Our best friend,—Nothing has been so mortifying to us, as that the imperiousness of circumstances deprives us of the communication which we have most esteemed, and which would have been of high importance to the views of your excellency.

"The chiefs, officers and troops who have the honour to serve under the flag of Chile, have received with the greatest satisfaction the compliments of your excellency, and promise their eternal gratitude to their worthy chief, whose soul is devoted to increase the glory of their country. We have the honour to offer to your excellency the most sincere tribute of our affection and esteem. (Signed) Jose Santiago Aldunate.—J. Santiago Sanches."

On the ninth of May the schooner Montezuma, belonging to Chile, and which had been lent by the government to General San Martin, as a tender, entered the port of Callao, under Peruvian colours; his lordship fired on her, and obliged her to come to an anchor, when he took possession of her, sending her officers on shore, and on the tenth we proceeded to Valparaiso, where we arrived on the thirteenth of June.

On our arrival at Valparaiso his lordship reported his return, adding, "The anxious desires of his excellency the Supreme Director are now fulfilled, and the sacrifices of the people of Chile are rewarded; the naval power of Spain in the Pacific has succumbed, it is now extinguished, the following vessels having surrendered to the unceasing efforts of the squadron of this free state:

Schooner Aransasu, seventeen gunboats, and the armed merchant ships Aguila and Begona at Guayaquil, and others employed as block ships at Callao. It is highly gratifying to me, after labouring under such difficulties as were never before witnessed on board of vessels of war, to announce the arrival of the Chilean squadron in Valparaiso, its cradle; where, owing to its constant services in the cause of the liberty and independence of Chile, Peru, Colombia and Mexico, it is the object of admiration and gratitude to the inhabitants of the new world.—I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) Cochrane."

A few days after our arrival at Valparaiso, his lordship visited the capital of Chile, and solicited permission to retire for six months to his estate of Quintero, unless his services might be necessary; when, at any moment, he would be ready to employ them again in the welfare of the state; at the same time he requested, in the most earnest manner, that the officers and crews might be punctually paid all their arrears. The government acceded to his solicitude, and promised that every possible attention should be given to the request of the admiral, and after some delay it was finally complied with.