when its objects—­as laid down by the Supreme Director—­should be accomplished; but in place of fulfilling the obligation, he permitted the squadron to starve, its crews to go in rags, and the ships to be in perpetual danger for want of the proper equipment which Chili could not afford to give them when they sailed from Valparaiso.  The pretence for this neglect was want of means, though at the same time money to a vast amount was sent away from the capital to Ancon.  Seeing that no intention existed on the part of the Protector’s Government to do justice to the Chilian squadron, whilst every effort was made to excite discontent among the officers and men with the purpose of procuring their transfer to Peru, I seized the public money, satisfied the men, and saved the navy to the Chilian Republic, which afterwards warmly thanked me for what I had done.  Despite the obloquy cast upon me by the Protector’s Government, there was nothing wrong in the course I pursued, if only for the reason that if the Chilian squadron was to be preserved, it was impossible for me to have done otherwise.  Years of reflection have only produced the conviction, that, were I again placed in similar circumstances, I should adopt precisely the same course.

CHAPTER IX.

ARRIVAL AT GUAYAQUIL—­ADDRESS TO GUAYAQUILENOS—­INJURIOUS MONOPOLIES —­MINISTERIAL FOLLY—­DEPARTURE FROM GUAYAQUIL—­ARRIVAL IN MEXICO—­ANCHOR AT ACAPULCO—­MOCK AMBASSADORS—­PLOT AGAINST ME—­RETURN TO GUAYAQUIL—­VENGANZA TAKEN POSSESSION OF—­AGREEMENT WITH JUNTA—­GENERAL LA MAR—­ORDERS TO WITHHOLD SUPPLIES—­ABOMINABLE CRUELTY—­COURTLY SPLENDOUR—­DESTRUCTION OF A DIVISION OF THE ARMY—­DISSATISFACTION OF OFFICERS—­RENEWED OVERTURES FROM SAN MARTIN—­THEIR REFUSAL BY ME—­WARNING TO THE CHILIAN GOVERNMENT.

The orders of the Protector to proceed to Chili were not complied with, 1st, because having thrown off his allegiance to Chili, he had no right to interfere with the squadron; and, 2ndly, as the Spanish frigates remained at large, my mission was incomplete till they were taken or destroyed.

Before going in quest of them, it was essential to repair, equip, and provision the ships, none of which purposes could be effected in Peru, the Protector not only having refused supplies, but having also issued orders on the coast to withhold necessaries of all kinds even to wood and water.  From want of stores, none of the ships were fit for sea; even the Valdivia, so admirably found when captured, was now in as bad a condition as the rest, from the necessity which had arisen of distributing her equipment amongst the other ships; and to complete her inefficiency, the Protector refused to restore the anchors which had been cut away from her bows at the time of her capture, thus adding to our embarrassment.

Many of the officers had gone over to the service of Peru, and the foreign seamen had been kept on shore in such numbers, that there were not sufficient left to perform the duties of reefing and steering.  I therefore resolved on sending part of the squadron to Chili, and with the remainder to proceed to Guayaquil, in order to repair and refit for a cruise on the coast of Mexico in search of the Spanish frigates.